I guess it takes a Boomer to note that the cover photo of the Midsommer Rhapsody album is a copy of Carole Kings album Tarpestry ..the pose; the window ledge and even one leg up !
21 Reviews
Tapestry Rhapsody
balldave22 March 2020
Good episode, great music
jaythor7012 August 2019
Warning: Spoilers
I enjoyed this episode, as I was able to truly "feel" the characters. I commented to my wife how upset I'd be if "Hedge" was killed, and felt for him selling the letter to buy dinner for his daughter.
The best part of this episode, though, is the music. The Rhapsody was truly beautiful.
not bad but confusing
blanche-21 June 2015
"Midsomer Rhapsody" from the eighth season is a good episode but I found it confusing.
The story centers around Joan Adler, dead when the episode begins. In Badgers Drift, her music teacher, Arthur, now retired, returns to his old house from his assisted living residence. He's trying to find something before the contents are auctioned. Someone hits him on the head and kills him.
Barnaby and Scott enter the case and realize that the murder, and whatever the teacher was searching for, have to do with Adler, composer of the famous Midsomer Rhapsody, which pays a fortune in royalties. Think of it as Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue.
The auction of Arthur's possessions take place. One man, Harvey Crane purchases some old manuscripts. In it he finds the original Rhapsody, written by hand. Since Scott searched the auction items carefully before handing them over, both he and Barnaby wonder if it's a forgery.
Several people wind up dead as Barnaby deals with forgeries, a long- lost daughter, a dead husband, a male lover, a lesbian lover, love letters, Joan's mother, a wedding, handwriting, music paper, and other assorted people and things. It gave me a headache, even though it was intriguing.
This is the last appearance of Scott, and I am sorry to see him go. I wasn't crazy about him at first, but he grew on me.
By the way, the Midsomer Rhapsody is really lovely.
Entertaining but you need to concentrate.
The story centers around Joan Adler, dead when the episode begins. In Badgers Drift, her music teacher, Arthur, now retired, returns to his old house from his assisted living residence. He's trying to find something before the contents are auctioned. Someone hits him on the head and kills him.
Barnaby and Scott enter the case and realize that the murder, and whatever the teacher was searching for, have to do with Adler, composer of the famous Midsomer Rhapsody, which pays a fortune in royalties. Think of it as Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue.
The auction of Arthur's possessions take place. One man, Harvey Crane purchases some old manuscripts. In it he finds the original Rhapsody, written by hand. Since Scott searched the auction items carefully before handing them over, both he and Barnaby wonder if it's a forgery.
Several people wind up dead as Barnaby deals with forgeries, a long- lost daughter, a dead husband, a male lover, a lesbian lover, love letters, Joan's mother, a wedding, handwriting, music paper, and other assorted people and things. It gave me a headache, even though it was intriguing.
This is the last appearance of Scott, and I am sorry to see him go. I wasn't crazy about him at first, but he grew on me.
By the way, the Midsomer Rhapsody is really lovely.
Entertaining but you need to concentrate.
Will Miss John Hopkins
susanhudek5316 October 2018
Just received my Midsomer Murders Series 20...so I have been bingewatching from Season 1. I'm writing this review for the episodes with Sgt. Scott. I adored him from day 1 and loved the prickly yet caring relationship. Since John Hopkins came on I personally enjoyed every episode even the ones which most reviewers didn't. Hopkins is a good actor who excels in the theater and I felt he put his own mark on the Barnaby sidekick. And may I just add this for some reviewers, even a so called "bad Midsomer" is better than most of the fare on American crap TV these days.
A melodious episode
wjspears31 December 2020
Warning: Spoilers
I enjoyed this episode of Midsomer Murders.
As I am watching these episodes in chronological order, I want to add my agreement here, that I am going to miss Detective Sergeant Dan Scott. Barnaby's next partner may well be terrific, but I will still miss Scott's slightly "cheeky" demeanor, well played by John Hopkins.
I do have to smile a bit at the criticism by several reviewers here that this episode was "confusing".
It strikes me that "confusion" is Midsomer's "stock in trade". If the writers don't have us befuddled by the time Barnaby steps up to explain what we have been watching for the past hour plus, they probably feel that they have failed in their mission!
This episode did have a slower, more laid-back feel to it, which I took to match the music that featured so prominently in this episode. The focus on lost relationships, sudden appearances by folks thought dead or did not even exist added to the confusion, but more importantly I thought, to the mellow melancholy atmosphere of the episode.
I will say that I found some of the casting confusing, with one character looking similar enough to another that I sometimes had to look twice to be sure who I was watching. The characters of Noah Farrow and Joe Smeeton were, for me anyway, two such characters. Laura Crawford and Melody Thorpe were, at times, another pair.
I would agree that the murder of Harvey Crane was one of more memorable ones, on a par with the deaths in the "Hidden Depths" episode.
All in all, I found this a satisfying finale for Season 8, the only real negative being the lack of any real "send-off" for the character of Sergeant Dan Scott.
As I am watching these episodes in chronological order, I want to add my agreement here, that I am going to miss Detective Sergeant Dan Scott. Barnaby's next partner may well be terrific, but I will still miss Scott's slightly "cheeky" demeanor, well played by John Hopkins.
I do have to smile a bit at the criticism by several reviewers here that this episode was "confusing".
It strikes me that "confusion" is Midsomer's "stock in trade". If the writers don't have us befuddled by the time Barnaby steps up to explain what we have been watching for the past hour plus, they probably feel that they have failed in their mission!
This episode did have a slower, more laid-back feel to it, which I took to match the music that featured so prominently in this episode. The focus on lost relationships, sudden appearances by folks thought dead or did not even exist added to the confusion, but more importantly I thought, to the mellow melancholy atmosphere of the episode.
I will say that I found some of the casting confusing, with one character looking similar enough to another that I sometimes had to look twice to be sure who I was watching. The characters of Noah Farrow and Joe Smeeton were, for me anyway, two such characters. Laura Crawford and Melody Thorpe were, at times, another pair.
I would agree that the murder of Harvey Crane was one of more memorable ones, on a par with the deaths in the "Hidden Depths" episode.
All in all, I found this a satisfying finale for Season 8, the only real negative being the lack of any real "send-off" for the character of Sergeant Dan Scott.
Swan song for DS Scott
sherondalewis-2053123 August 2022
Warning: Spoilers
This was a pretty good episode, albeit I agree that this one was confusing. You have to see this more than once to get it!
First off, loved the music, "Midsomer Rhapsody", and I also noticed just like a reviewer on here, Joan's album cover is the exact replica of the great Carole King...cat and all! I laughed as soon as I saw that.
Another thing I loved was the daughter of the late Joan. How she was really down to earth and didn't care that her father lived in a caravan in the woods. She wanted to meet ALL the people in her late birth mum's life. Including her ex, his gf, her grandmother...really loved her character. No yelling, screaming, anger from this one.
I even loved the death scene where a head was decapitated and hit the windshield of Barnaby's car!
However, the plot was confusing: A beloved music teacher gets murdered when the original manuscript is missing from his home. But, how did he know to leave the senior citizen facility to go to his home for said papers? Maybe I missed something. It has something to do with fraud but...again, was still confuse. Everyone wanted a piece of this classic piece of music that they would kill for it....and die for it, too. And the family relationships here were sad: You had a father disowning his son, a man who didn't know he was a father, a mother who was more concerned about what her late daughter thought than her other daughter who was alive and well, said other daughter who is married to a man who used to date the dead sis and is still madly in love with her (and tells her about his undying love), a young woman who just found her dad and grandmother.... I mean, a lot of sad family drama here. All of this and DS Scott last episode...which, look. I know he was not the best of the sidekicks, imho, when it comes to Tom Barnaby, but, he grew on me. He was a a city boy in the sticks. Loved the woman, got a little tough on some people, had a huge crush on Cully, a little cocky...that was him. It was amusing seeing two opposites, like him and Tom, work together. The way he got a double confession in his own way (Things That Go Bump in the Night is a great example of that) and how he had a one night stand with a suspect (who was later murdered). Scott was a wild card when it comes to MM Sergeants. And I was sad that they did not give him a send-off. His "send-off" was two episodes with acting DC Jones where Scott was "sick" and Tom needed a partner. In fact, except for Troy, none of the sidekicks in MM had a decent send-off.
Loved the ending with the beautiful music playing, the older couple marrying, the way Tom touches Joyce as he walks in to talk the the wife of the murderer, the faces of everyone enjoying said music.
First off, loved the music, "Midsomer Rhapsody", and I also noticed just like a reviewer on here, Joan's album cover is the exact replica of the great Carole King...cat and all! I laughed as soon as I saw that.
Another thing I loved was the daughter of the late Joan. How she was really down to earth and didn't care that her father lived in a caravan in the woods. She wanted to meet ALL the people in her late birth mum's life. Including her ex, his gf, her grandmother...really loved her character. No yelling, screaming, anger from this one.
I even loved the death scene where a head was decapitated and hit the windshield of Barnaby's car!
However, the plot was confusing: A beloved music teacher gets murdered when the original manuscript is missing from his home. But, how did he know to leave the senior citizen facility to go to his home for said papers? Maybe I missed something. It has something to do with fraud but...again, was still confuse. Everyone wanted a piece of this classic piece of music that they would kill for it....and die for it, too. And the family relationships here were sad: You had a father disowning his son, a man who didn't know he was a father, a mother who was more concerned about what her late daughter thought than her other daughter who was alive and well, said other daughter who is married to a man who used to date the dead sis and is still madly in love with her (and tells her about his undying love), a young woman who just found her dad and grandmother.... I mean, a lot of sad family drama here. All of this and DS Scott last episode...which, look. I know he was not the best of the sidekicks, imho, when it comes to Tom Barnaby, but, he grew on me. He was a a city boy in the sticks. Loved the woman, got a little tough on some people, had a huge crush on Cully, a little cocky...that was him. It was amusing seeing two opposites, like him and Tom, work together. The way he got a double confession in his own way (Things That Go Bump in the Night is a great example of that) and how he had a one night stand with a suspect (who was later murdered). Scott was a wild card when it comes to MM Sergeants. And I was sad that they did not give him a send-off. His "send-off" was two episodes with acting DC Jones where Scott was "sick" and Tom needed a partner. In fact, except for Troy, none of the sidekicks in MM had a decent send-off.
Loved the ending with the beautiful music playing, the older couple marrying, the way Tom touches Joyce as he walks in to talk the the wife of the murderer, the faces of everyone enjoying said music.
Loved it
iancardinal3 November 2020
Relationships healed but very confusing.
ctyankee110 June 2015
This episode is about music and a woman named Joan Adler. Musicians and those interested are trying to find out who wrote Midsomer Rapsody, if somebody else wrote it or if it is a forgery along with some letters.
There are so many characters and the information given was confusing.
Joan Alder was supposedly married to John Farrow/Hedge a man that lived in the woods and did not bother with anyone. They had a daughter named Sarah who enters the pictures years later and meets her father.
Then there is Laura Crawford who claims she was Joan Alder's lover. Then there is another husband named Michael Maybury who gets blamed for treating Joan mean. None of the relationships are explained like when did Joan leave John Farrow and marry Maybury.
John Farrow/Hedge was disowned by his rich father who thought he was dead. So man stories in this episode when you hear Barnaby explaining what happened and who killed who and why even that it is confusing.
The good thing about this is 2 old people are getting married. John Farrow is with his daughter he has not seen for years and Johns father apologies to him just before the wedding.
I am glad Sgt Scott is leaving. He is a good actor, handsome but plays the part of a cop who is influenced by women's flirtations when he questions them. He shows his weakness which affects his judgement.
There are so many characters and the information given was confusing.
Joan Alder was supposedly married to John Farrow/Hedge a man that lived in the woods and did not bother with anyone. They had a daughter named Sarah who enters the pictures years later and meets her father.
Then there is Laura Crawford who claims she was Joan Alder's lover. Then there is another husband named Michael Maybury who gets blamed for treating Joan mean. None of the relationships are explained like when did Joan leave John Farrow and marry Maybury.
John Farrow/Hedge was disowned by his rich father who thought he was dead. So man stories in this episode when you hear Barnaby explaining what happened and who killed who and why even that it is confusing.
The good thing about this is 2 old people are getting married. John Farrow is with his daughter he has not seen for years and Johns father apologies to him just before the wedding.
I am glad Sgt Scott is leaving. He is a good actor, handsome but plays the part of a cop who is influenced by women's flirtations when he questions them. He shows his weakness which affects his judgement.
A Confusing Musical Piece
Hitchcoc27 March 2016
I found all of this sort of bland. There is a bunch of paper shifting, involving original musical manuscripts. There is a composer and a daughter that he never saw and a jilted woman. There are guys hoping to turn their forgeries into cash. There is a beheading which is just a bit contrived (how could they have known?). Anyway, this is an episode that just didn't capture my attention. I think that the writing and the motivations presented just didn't do an adequate job of leading us along. There is one nice scene involving reconciliation. Also, there is Barnaby's usual running off at the worst times, leaving his poor wife to pick up the pieces.
A 10 !
maxine35 January 2022
A couple of fast-paced twists demanded the full attention of the viewers. Even so, I liked the entire storyline. The absolute highlight was the quality acting in this episode with many strong actors/characters, especially Frank Middlemass (Noah Farrow) and David Burke (John Farrow), who treated the audience to some sublime touching moments.
Disgusting behaviour!
Eddy Hertens15 September 2021
Warning: Spoilers
The episode was mediocre at best, but the behaviour and disrespect of a police officier handling a recently (<1 minute!) deceased body shocked me thoroughly.
I am of course talking about the (spoiler!) handling of the decapitated head with his foot! Anybody witnessing this would no doubt be disgusted.
Being an M. D., and an atheist I assume the dead person most likely would not care but this shows gross and total disrespect for the dead.
Fortunately, the reprehensible, anachronistic,rude and sometimes outright criminal DS Scott went the way of the dodo after this episode. (Just being a "pretty boy" does not make you a good police officer)
I am of course talking about the (spoiler!) handling of the decapitated head with his foot! Anybody witnessing this would no doubt be disgusted.
Being an M. D., and an atheist I assume the dead person most likely would not care but this shows gross and total disrespect for the dead.
Fortunately, the reprehensible, anachronistic,rude and sometimes outright criminal DS Scott went the way of the dodo after this episode. (Just being a "pretty boy" does not make you a good police officer)
Great Scott
xmasdaybaby196628 October 2020
A bit of a disappointment especially as it turned out to be the final appearance for the iconic Rover cars as well as Sgt. Scott.
Unfortunately, Scott didn't receive the same farewell as Troy had at the start of the previous series.
I am sure those that know the show more intimately than myself will know whether he chose to leave or was pushed.
There have been a few good episodes in this the longest series to date but the quality does seem lacking in this one.
With some snowy scenes, perhaps it was supposed to be a Christmas special but it lacked that feel good spirit.
Average Midsomer Murders.
poolandrews18 December 2007
Warning: Spoilers
Midsomer Murders: Midsomer Rhapsody is set in the small Midsomer village of Badgers Drift where late one night retired music teacher Arthur Leggott (Nicolas Amer) walks out of Cedars Care Home to go back to his old house to find something before all the contents are auctioned off, someone else is there though & bashes Arthur's skull in. DCI Tom Barnaby (John Nettles) & Sgt. Dan Scott (John Hopkins) are on the case, they quickly come to the assumption that it has something to do with music composer & former student of Arthur the late Joan Alder whose most famous piece of music called the Midsomer Rhapsody brings in a fortune in royalties. The auction of Arthur's possessions go ahead & antiques dealer Harvey Crane (Christopher Benjamin) buys an assorted lot of old manuscripts in which he finds the original hand written working manuscript for Alder's Midsomer Rhapsody, he quickly sells it for £120,000 but it turns out to be a forgery & the man who brought it Owen Swincoe (Stephen Boxer) is found drowned as the case starts to take some unexpected twists & turns...
Episode 8 from season 8 this Midsomer Murders mystery was the final story from the eighth season, directed by Richard Holthouse I must admit it left me rather unimpressed, while not totally out-and-out bad Midsomer Rhapsody wasn't one of the show's better episodes in my opinion. The script by Richard Cameron is not so much a murder mystery as a collection of family reunions, long lost daughters, apparently dead son's turning up alive, dad's discovering they have daughter's they didn't know anything about & it becomes bogged down in all these family drama's which are frankly dull & when all said & done have very little impact on the plot & amount to virtually nothing. The actually murder here isn't that great either, while the ending reveals most of the why's, where's & how's the basic plot point of why someone would forge the Midsomer Rhapsody manuscript is lost a bit, not that well explained & actually mentioned much earlier on so if you miss that little bit then the ending might confuse you. There are also too many co-incidences here for my liking, I mean the investigation is going nowhere & then Barnaby just happens by chance to listen to a conversation & just happens to volunteer his wife Joyce to help & then he just happens to read a piece of paper given to her that just happens to be the same used by the killer to forge the manuscript that just happened to be used by someone they knew. Midsomer Rhapsody is alright, it's still a pretty solid murder mystery but not one of the show's better episodes.
Midsomer Rhapsody has a nice wintry feel about it, while no-one actually mentions Christmas & we don't see any Christmas decorations anywhere the second half of this is set in a snow covered Badgers Drift. I loved the scene when the guy was walking across the old stone bridge at night with flakes of snow lightly falling before he gets pushed into the river, it's a very atmospheric scene & you can almost feel the chill of the wind! Midsomer Rhapsody also features one of the most memorable murders from the entire series, someone is decapitated by some wire strung up across the road while he is riding a motorbike, there's a great shot of Barnaby & Scott following him in their car & they see his head shoot off his shoulders! This one looks great as usual with some nice looking snow covered locations, Islip in Oxfordshire was used as the location for the Badger pub & the stone bridge scene when someone is pushed off it, Noah Farrow's stately house was in Little Haseley in Oxfordshire & was the same one used in Who Killed Cock Robin? (2001) while Watlington also in Oxfordshire was also used. There are three murders in this one, the best one being the decapitation which isn't graphic but cool anyway. The acting is very good as expected, June Whitfield makes an appearance as does Clare Higgins probably better know to horror fans as the evil Julia from the first two Hellraiser films.
Midsomer Rhapsody is average Midsomer Murders in my opinion, it's not terrible but it's not that good either with too much dull soap opera style family reunion nonsense & a relatively bland murder case. One for the die hard fans rather than the casual viewer & I still have one question, was Joe Smeeton ever allowed back in the pub or was he barred for life forever destined to drink his beer sitting in the back of his van?
Episode 8 from season 8 this Midsomer Murders mystery was the final story from the eighth season, directed by Richard Holthouse I must admit it left me rather unimpressed, while not totally out-and-out bad Midsomer Rhapsody wasn't one of the show's better episodes in my opinion. The script by Richard Cameron is not so much a murder mystery as a collection of family reunions, long lost daughters, apparently dead son's turning up alive, dad's discovering they have daughter's they didn't know anything about & it becomes bogged down in all these family drama's which are frankly dull & when all said & done have very little impact on the plot & amount to virtually nothing. The actually murder here isn't that great either, while the ending reveals most of the why's, where's & how's the basic plot point of why someone would forge the Midsomer Rhapsody manuscript is lost a bit, not that well explained & actually mentioned much earlier on so if you miss that little bit then the ending might confuse you. There are also too many co-incidences here for my liking, I mean the investigation is going nowhere & then Barnaby just happens by chance to listen to a conversation & just happens to volunteer his wife Joyce to help & then he just happens to read a piece of paper given to her that just happens to be the same used by the killer to forge the manuscript that just happened to be used by someone they knew. Midsomer Rhapsody is alright, it's still a pretty solid murder mystery but not one of the show's better episodes.
Midsomer Rhapsody has a nice wintry feel about it, while no-one actually mentions Christmas & we don't see any Christmas decorations anywhere the second half of this is set in a snow covered Badgers Drift. I loved the scene when the guy was walking across the old stone bridge at night with flakes of snow lightly falling before he gets pushed into the river, it's a very atmospheric scene & you can almost feel the chill of the wind! Midsomer Rhapsody also features one of the most memorable murders from the entire series, someone is decapitated by some wire strung up across the road while he is riding a motorbike, there's a great shot of Barnaby & Scott following him in their car & they see his head shoot off his shoulders! This one looks great as usual with some nice looking snow covered locations, Islip in Oxfordshire was used as the location for the Badger pub & the stone bridge scene when someone is pushed off it, Noah Farrow's stately house was in Little Haseley in Oxfordshire & was the same one used in Who Killed Cock Robin? (2001) while Watlington also in Oxfordshire was also used. There are three murders in this one, the best one being the decapitation which isn't graphic but cool anyway. The acting is very good as expected, June Whitfield makes an appearance as does Clare Higgins probably better know to horror fans as the evil Julia from the first two Hellraiser films.
Midsomer Rhapsody is average Midsomer Murders in my opinion, it's not terrible but it's not that good either with too much dull soap opera style family reunion nonsense & a relatively bland murder case. One for the die hard fans rather than the casual viewer & I still have one question, was Joe Smeeton ever allowed back in the pub or was he barred for life forever destined to drink his beer sitting in the back of his van?
Rhapsody on a theme of 'Midsomer Murders'
TheLittleSongbird4 February 2017
Despite being nowhere near as good now, 'Midsomer Murders' is still one of my most watched and re-watched shows as a fan of mystery/detective dramas and there are many episodes ranging from good to outstanding.
Season 8 was a very mixed bag of a season. It got off to a bumpy but still pretty good start with "Things that Go Bump in the Night", then followed by the rather forgettable and dull "Dead in the Water" and the very good and better than remembered "Orchis Fatalis". "Bantling Boy" was dark stuff and near-classic in quality, unfortunately followed by one of the show's low-points "Second Sight" before the season redeemed itself with the classic "Hidden Depths" and the very good "Sauce for the Goose".
Rounding off the season, while nowhere near as disgraceful as "Second Sight" (at least it actually feels like 'Midsomer Murders') "Midsomer Rhapsody" for me is the second weakest episode of Season 8. Not an awful episode, but it's not a surprise when it's cited a lot as among fans' least favourite Tom Barnaby-era episodes.
As always the production values are top notch, with to die for scenery (very wintry and nostalgic here), the idyllic look of it contrasting very well with the story's grimness, and quaint and atmospheric photography. The music fits perfectly, with some lush jauntiness and sometimes an ominous quality, and the theme tune one of the most memorable and instantly recognisable of the genre. The music at the end is the most memorable and best thing about the episode, and makes for one of the most achingly beautiful moments musically in 'Midsomer Murders' history.
Nothing to be faulted in the acting either, love John Nettles and John Hopkins together and both are wonderful in their individual performances too. Sadly, this was the last we'd see of Scott and it's a shame he didn't last longer. The supporting acting The murders are quite good, the bridge murder is very atmospheric in mood and production values and (while some may find it unintentionally funny) the third one is one of the most memorable murders in any 'Midsomer Murders' episode.
"Midsomer Rhapsody" does fall far short of being great. It has too much going on and too many characters and tries to do justice to them in a relatively short duration and ends up feeling jumpy structurally, lacking in momentum in some parts and also very convoluted. Due to so many revelations in a short space of time and with too much of it not feeling developed enough the story was very hard to follow, a problem personally had on both viewings of this episode.
Found myself not particularly surprised or caring about the final solution (solved by being reliant on too many coincidences), which also felt rushed and underdeveloped, the motive uninspired and the characters lacking the show's usual colour and eccentricity.
Overall, the end of Season 8 and the farewell episode to Scott (pretty lukewarm actually, whereas when Troy left in "The Green Man" it was very bittersweet, felt little here with Scott) does not go out on a bang as one would expect. 5/10 Bethany Cox
Season 8 was a very mixed bag of a season. It got off to a bumpy but still pretty good start with "Things that Go Bump in the Night", then followed by the rather forgettable and dull "Dead in the Water" and the very good and better than remembered "Orchis Fatalis". "Bantling Boy" was dark stuff and near-classic in quality, unfortunately followed by one of the show's low-points "Second Sight" before the season redeemed itself with the classic "Hidden Depths" and the very good "Sauce for the Goose".
Rounding off the season, while nowhere near as disgraceful as "Second Sight" (at least it actually feels like 'Midsomer Murders') "Midsomer Rhapsody" for me is the second weakest episode of Season 8. Not an awful episode, but it's not a surprise when it's cited a lot as among fans' least favourite Tom Barnaby-era episodes.
As always the production values are top notch, with to die for scenery (very wintry and nostalgic here), the idyllic look of it contrasting very well with the story's grimness, and quaint and atmospheric photography. The music fits perfectly, with some lush jauntiness and sometimes an ominous quality, and the theme tune one of the most memorable and instantly recognisable of the genre. The music at the end is the most memorable and best thing about the episode, and makes for one of the most achingly beautiful moments musically in 'Midsomer Murders' history.
Nothing to be faulted in the acting either, love John Nettles and John Hopkins together and both are wonderful in their individual performances too. Sadly, this was the last we'd see of Scott and it's a shame he didn't last longer. The supporting acting The murders are quite good, the bridge murder is very atmospheric in mood and production values and (while some may find it unintentionally funny) the third one is one of the most memorable murders in any 'Midsomer Murders' episode.
"Midsomer Rhapsody" does fall far short of being great. It has too much going on and too many characters and tries to do justice to them in a relatively short duration and ends up feeling jumpy structurally, lacking in momentum in some parts and also very convoluted. Due to so many revelations in a short space of time and with too much of it not feeling developed enough the story was very hard to follow, a problem personally had on both viewings of this episode.
Found myself not particularly surprised or caring about the final solution (solved by being reliant on too many coincidences), which also felt rushed and underdeveloped, the motive uninspired and the characters lacking the show's usual colour and eccentricity.
Overall, the end of Season 8 and the farewell episode to Scott (pretty lukewarm actually, whereas when Troy left in "The Green Man" it was very bittersweet, felt little here with Scott) does not go out on a bang as one would expect. 5/10 Bethany Cox
Family drama ousts murder mystery elements
coltras3510 July 2022
The discovery of a priceless music score leads to startling revelations about its composer's life. As Barnaby and Scott investigate, they discover the manuscript may also provide them with the clue they need to solve the case of a local man found battered to death in his cottage. June Whitfield and Trevor Peacock guest star.
Ok MM, though a bit on the average side with the story getting bogged down in long lost daughters, dead son's turning up alive, dad discovering that they have daughters they didn't know existed. More family drama than murder mystery. Which makes it dreary in places & the death scenes don't live up to the glorious OTT ones.
Ok MM, though a bit on the average side with the story getting bogged down in long lost daughters, dead son's turning up alive, dad discovering that they have daughters they didn't know existed. More family drama than murder mystery. Which makes it dreary in places & the death scenes don't live up to the glorious OTT ones.
A poor story, totally confusing, utterly boring.
Sleepin_Dragon8 September 2018
Midsomer Rhapsody is a terrible episode, it is surrounded by real gems, but everything about this one is bad. The makings of a good story is very much there, but the screenplay and execution are really bad. It makes absolutely no sense, it's muddled, confusing, and at no time did I feel like I knew who was who, who was related, and quite frankly I was so bored I didn't care.
A criminal waste of the talents of David Burke and the magical June Whitfield, both are fine, but forced to work with such awful material.
They had some good ideas, a great cast, and yet they managed to create ninety minutes of the most boring TV I've ever had to sit through. A shame Scott left on such a bad episode, he'd been a welcome change to Troy, and deserved more then this.
Forget sleeping pills, put this on, you'll be out in minutes. 3/10
A criminal waste of the talents of David Burke and the magical June Whitfield, both are fine, but forced to work with such awful material.
They had some good ideas, a great cast, and yet they managed to create ninety minutes of the most boring TV I've ever had to sit through. A shame Scott left on such a bad episode, he'd been a welcome change to Troy, and deserved more then this.
Forget sleeping pills, put this on, you'll be out in minutes. 3/10
Confusing and boring
Mumblix6 July 2019
As others have said, this is a confusing episode from the start. I thought perhaps that Netflix had left out scenes that established who characters were. Barnaby seemed to know who everyone was without being introduced. I had no interest in the story or who the killer was.
Jumbled potpourri Midsomer episode, many layers, hard to keep up!
safenoe8 March 2016
Warning: Spoilers
For the uninitiated, it will be a surprise to new Midsomer fans that they have to concentrate very hard in some episodes to keep up with the ever emerging plot lines and characters. I think in some DVDs there should be an option where pop-ups (remember Pop-up video?) appear next to each character indicating their name and relationship with so-and-so.
Midsomer Rhapsody was (as some reviewers have highlighted) really hard to follow I'm afraid. There seemed to be way too many forged letters, dodgy music manuscripts, in-laws, out-laws, lost family members. The only thing missing was the kitchen sink and by the time the culprit was revealed I no longer cared.
The ending was delightful, with the musical performance. I would have liked though for something very different. Like having the Midsomer cast performing their unique rendition of "Bohemian Rhapsody" in the car, a la Wayne's World.
One delightful part of Midsomer Rhapsody though was the appearance of snow - very delightful for sure. Also this was the final episode of John Hopkins, who played Dan Scott (Barnaby's sidekick with an eye for the women). Dan was only in two seasons and it's a shame his character wasn't more developed. I know that loyal Midsomer fans don't approve "PC culture" that Midsomer has supposedly moved to following the departure of the beloved Brian True-May. So I seriously think there should be a spin-off series called UnPC featuring Dan Scott as the lead character who is Chief Detective in the London East End, where he can display his political incorrectness against anyone who doesn't look like him, and also display his charms with the women. He can also be teamed up with a young female PC with squishy, liberal and PC views, but with the inevitable tension you can imagine Scott would end up bedding her, and she would suddenly shed her PC views and be more hard-edged to the delight of the UnPC audience.
Midsomer Rhapsody was (as some reviewers have highlighted) really hard to follow I'm afraid. There seemed to be way too many forged letters, dodgy music manuscripts, in-laws, out-laws, lost family members. The only thing missing was the kitchen sink and by the time the culprit was revealed I no longer cared.
The ending was delightful, with the musical performance. I would have liked though for something very different. Like having the Midsomer cast performing their unique rendition of "Bohemian Rhapsody" in the car, a la Wayne's World.
One delightful part of Midsomer Rhapsody though was the appearance of snow - very delightful for sure. Also this was the final episode of John Hopkins, who played Dan Scott (Barnaby's sidekick with an eye for the women). Dan was only in two seasons and it's a shame his character wasn't more developed. I know that loyal Midsomer fans don't approve "PC culture" that Midsomer has supposedly moved to following the departure of the beloved Brian True-May. So I seriously think there should be a spin-off series called UnPC featuring Dan Scott as the lead character who is Chief Detective in the London East End, where he can display his political incorrectness against anyone who doesn't look like him, and also display his charms with the women. He can also be teamed up with a young female PC with squishy, liberal and PC views, but with the inevitable tension you can imagine Scott would end up bedding her, and she would suddenly shed her PC views and be more hard-edged to the delight of the UnPC audience.
Ending saves it
vitoscotti13 January 2020
The writer tied the story in knots. Makes me appreciate well written stories even more. I usually don't mind 2 hour+ MM but this one really dragged until a livelier ending. Joyce and Cully are shoehorned in awkwardly. Some fine performances from supporting cast.
I came back from season 10, because this episode wouldn't play. Good news it will get better than this. Vito S 1-13-20
I came back from season 10, because this episode wouldn't play. Good news it will get better than this. Vito S 1-13-20
Not a masterpiece "Midsomer Rhapsody"
harrykivi15 May 2020
Warning: Spoilers
The eighth season of "Midsomer Murders" has been indeed up and down. "Things That Go Bump in the Night" was decent at best, "Dead in the Water" sadly mediocre, "Orchis Fatalis", "Bantling Boy" and especially "Hidden Depths" being great. "Second Sight" was really a bore, "Sauce for the Goose" being solid, though nothing to write home about. "Midsomer Rhapsody" unfortunately continues the average "Midsomer Murders" line. It's not an awful episode, but not interesting at all.
Let's start with good, shall we?
. The production values of the episode are usually wonderful. "Midsomer Rhapsody's" well shot and good-looking episode as most "Midsomer Murders" entries are. The music is just wonderful and agreed very moving, especially at the end. The acting's fine too. David Burke does well in particular.
. There are some humorous moments in the story and intrigue, which for me was compelling. There's some atmospheric scenes in the episode and the murder of Harvey Crane is gruesome indeed.
But...
. "Midsomer Rhapsody" does get very melodramatic at some point and it does not feel like a murder mystery. The story is agreed a combination of lost family members (daughter, father, grandfather) coming together, which takes too much of the narrative.
. I can also understand why some people might call the story confusing, because the are many relationships that need exploring and screen-time. There are more confusing episodes in "Midsomer..". Like "Death by Persuasion", "The Curse of the Ninth", but "Midsomer Rhapsody" does not go far behind.
. The script gets lazy towards the end as well. How our sleuth works out the solution was agreed coincidental. Barnaby just happens to be in the right place in the right time, which for me is not a strong detective work.
Overall, a very soap-opera- like and not compelling "Midsomer Murders".
5/10 HK
Let's start with good, shall we?
. The production values of the episode are usually wonderful. "Midsomer Rhapsody's" well shot and good-looking episode as most "Midsomer Murders" entries are. The music is just wonderful and agreed very moving, especially at the end. The acting's fine too. David Burke does well in particular.
. There are some humorous moments in the story and intrigue, which for me was compelling. There's some atmospheric scenes in the episode and the murder of Harvey Crane is gruesome indeed.
But...
. "Midsomer Rhapsody" does get very melodramatic at some point and it does not feel like a murder mystery. The story is agreed a combination of lost family members (daughter, father, grandfather) coming together, which takes too much of the narrative.
. I can also understand why some people might call the story confusing, because the are many relationships that need exploring and screen-time. There are more confusing episodes in "Midsomer..". Like "Death by Persuasion", "The Curse of the Ninth", but "Midsomer Rhapsody" does not go far behind.
. The script gets lazy towards the end as well. How our sleuth works out the solution was agreed coincidental. Barnaby just happens to be in the right place in the right time, which for me is not a strong detective work.
Overall, a very soap-opera- like and not compelling "Midsomer Murders".
5/10 HK
Desperately Trying To Say What it Never Does
thelidoshuffle16 September 2021
I've watched several Midsomer series. I really love the setting of the places and the stories. I look for some of my favorite guest stars most of the time.
This was some kind of maze we were all supposed to wander around in aimlessly I suppose, while Barnaby intimidated everyone in that smug stalker tone of his and inserting himself in everyone's life. I don't watch it for him, by the way.
I was happy to see Tom Ellis and the lovely David Burke but basically this was a wash out. You got to the point where you couldn't like anyone and you just didn't want to slog through it anymore.
A Midsomer bore and nightmare.
This was some kind of maze we were all supposed to wander around in aimlessly I suppose, while Barnaby intimidated everyone in that smug stalker tone of his and inserting himself in everyone's life. I don't watch it for him, by the way.
I was happy to see Tom Ellis and the lovely David Burke but basically this was a wash out. You got to the point where you couldn't like anyone and you just didn't want to slog through it anymore.
A Midsomer bore and nightmare.
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