Barnaby investigates a murder of a former friend and colleague in Midsomer Holm, a small village inhabited by reformed ex-cons.Barnaby investigates a murder of a former friend and colleague in Midsomer Holm, a small village inhabited by reformed ex-cons.Barnaby investigates a murder of a former friend and colleague in Midsomer Holm, a small village inhabited by reformed ex-cons.
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Did you know
- TriviaThe part of Lord Holm (played by Edward Petherbridge) was originally given to Ian Richardson, who died two weeks before filming started.
- GoofsWhen a camera obscura pans across its field of view, the image also rotates on the viewing table. Here, the image mostly stayed the same orientation while the scene panned. Obviously a video projection simulating a camera obscura.
- Quotes
DCI Tom Barnaby: Who's this character you're playing?
Cully Barnaby: Varya.
DCI Tom Barnaby: And what is she?
Cully Barnaby: She is Madam Ranevsky's eldest daughter; wants to join a convent to become a nun, and has got a thing about needing to be helpful, but in fact just ends up driving everybody mad.
DCI Tom Barnaby: And the director thought that was you?
Cully Barnaby: Yup.
[they both laugh]
"Death in a Chocolate Box" is to me one of the better episodes of Season 10, would go as far to say that it's second best after "The Animal Within". Season 10 generally was an uneven season, with "They Seek Him Here" and particularly "Picture of Innocence" faring least (also was mixed on "The Axeman Cometh") but with enough solid episodes to still make it a solid one.
The episode does take a little too long to get going before we get to the meat of the story. Some of the exposition doesn't add as much as it should have been and somewhat superfluous. Will also admit that the identity of the killer was not really a surprise, in a case with somewhat too few suspects.
However, the production values as always are just great, 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.
There are some thoughtful and humorous moments in the script, which is generally well structured and crafted, and the supporting characters are entertaining enough with Gina being the most interesting. Once it gets going, the story is absorbing and doesn't feel too simple or over-complicated, with more twists and turns than most of the other Season 10 episodes. The outcome of the final solution is very tense and sad.
John Nettles and Jason Hughes are both superb, individually and together (their chemistry, and the chemistry with Daniel Casey and John Hopkins before Hughes, being a huge part of their episodes' charm). Can't fault the supporting cast either, Clare Higgins is wonderful and love her chemistry with Nettles.
All in all, a good episode and one of the best episodes of an uneven but mostly solid Season 10. 8/10 Bethany Cox
- TheLittleSongbird
- Feb 11, 2017