Midsomer Murders Series 15: The Dark Rider [DVD]

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As the DeQuetteville family readies itself for the Civil war battle, Bentham De Qutteville falls from a roof after he spots a headless horseman. This follows the family legend that states this will happen during a Civil War reenactment. The headless horseman is the ghost of Sir Geoffrey De Quetteville, and his appearance means death to anyone who see him. Then Toby De Q's twin brother dies after seeing the horseman. Otherwise, for a John Barnaby-era episode "The Dark Rider" was very satisfying. As always, the production values cannot be faulted as usual, it's beautifully and atmospherically shot with suitably picturesque scenery. The music fits perfectly, with some lush jauntiness and sometimes an ominous quality, and the haunting theme tune is one of the most memorable and instantly recognisable of the genre. Murder 3: Ludo hears a rattling at the window. He looks out and sees someone he knows. He says, "Oh, it's you. I'll let you in." He goes outside and a giant gargoyle falls on him.

As Sasha is driving off, she sees Toby. Julian was driving into town and he dumped him. Sasha gives him a lift. At Quitewell Hall, Betty asks what the Fleetwoods wanted. Toby tells her about the wager. Murder 1: Toby DeQuetteville is taking the dog out for a walk when he sees the a figure on a horse with apparently no head. He runs over to Bentham's body. Bentham says, "Geoff..Geoffrey." and dies. Love Makes You Evil: Toby DeQuetteville murders everyone between himself and the Lordship, because he's afraid of his wife leaving him, and assumes being a Lady will make her stay.

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In the library of the mansion, the family are seated together- Izzy next to Ludo; Julian with an arm around Diana. Toby walks in and joins Betty. Izzy is saying to the police, "I'm sorry if we sound callous, but we didn't like Bentham." Ludo joins in, "Total misery." Izzy says, "Spat at the visitors. Smelled of boiled cabbage. And his death hasn't really increased his charm at all." Jones asks Toby what happened last night. Toby says, "I was taking the dog out for a walk. Slash. And... I heard these cries. I came running round the corner. And there was poor Uncle Ben. You know, awful." Jones says, "You saw a grey horse riding away." Toby says, "I did, yeah." Barnaby says, "And you say the rider had no head." Other family members smirk, murmur. Toby says, "Er... Well, yeah. He was a bit... headless." Jones says, "And as your uncle died, he said the name Geoffrey." Julian looks at Toby and warningly says, "Toby!" Toby says, "I might have misheard that. He was on the ground. You know... I don't know really." Barnaby continues, "And Geoffrey... Is there a Geoffrey in the family?" Ludo lies and says, "I can't think of a Geoffrey. Can you, Izzy? No. There's a Rupert in Norfolk. Mind you, he's pretty dead as well. Isn't he, Betty?" Jones calls Barnaby to tell him that he found out that Betty used to work for the Norfolk branch of the DeQuettevilles. She managed the estate up there until Rupert DeQuetteville died- he fell off a horse. Jones goes to talk to Amanda at the stables. She says she's not providing horses for the DeQuettevilles. Julian never paid her last year. She says Sasha and she were at uni together. They had similar ambitions to use their brains to get a good life. Sasha's got there whilst Amanda is still up to her eyebrows in debt and horse dung. In the lab, Kate says, "Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome. See, he was born with an extra connection in the heart that allows the electrical signals to bypass the atria-ventricular node and move from the atria to the ventricles faster than usual. It eventually disrupts the co-ordinating movement of the electrical signals through the heart, leading to cardiac arrest." Jones says, "So it was an accident, then." Barnaby says, "Jones, a headless horseman was also present. Probably frightened him off the roof. Accident? I don't think so." Jones tells Kate, "He hates accidents. Makes him feel superfluous."

At the Barnaby home, Sarah Barnaby explains the situation at the DeQuettevilles: The Roundheads won at Naseby in the civil war. But the DeQuettevilles, who were Royalists, Cavaliers, have never really liked that result. So when they do their battle re-enactment, they fix it so that the Cavaliers win. As the new secretary of the Historical Society, Sarah is gaining the respect of her staff and making sure the re-enactment is accurate. Barnaby tells her he is dealing with a weird death up there and doesn't like her being up there. Sarah tells him that they are bound to cross paths sometimes and to live with it. Elsewhere on the estate, Toby is working to straighten out the tire on the wagon. Julian stomps up and tells Toby that the police are there and want to talk to everyone. He tells Toby to "Keep your trap shut about the family business, all right?" Toby says, "What family business?" Julian leans over and pats Toby on the cheek and says, "Exactly. And leave the idiot here," referring to Simon. Inside the house, the family sits around the dining room table. Jones tells Barnaby that they have looked at dozens of video phone cameras. They're pointing at the main entrance. The family's nowhere to be seen. Barnaby tells Jones to get the Fleetwoods' statements. He then asks Simon if they can have a chat. In the library, Barnaby asks how everyone is doing. Izzy says, "Everyone's fine. Just get on with it." Barnaby says, "Lady Isabel, would you mind sitting down and shutting up just for once?" Barnaby asks, "So you're still feeling a bit upset, are you, Betty?" Betty says, "Obviously. Who wouldn't be?" Barnaby says, "Just as well you have Toby. And Toby, you have Betty. At last, someone who would accept you for what you were." Toby says, "She... She never said I was silly or anything." Diana tries to leave, but Barnaby tells her to stay.At Quitewell Hall, Ludo tells Barnaby that he saw the headless horseman last night. Ludo says, "It's the ghost of Geoffrey. I'm a goner!" Barnaby says, "Sir Ludovic, if his horse was real, there's a good chance the rider was real too." Ludo says, "No, no, it's Geoffrey. And he's coming for me!" Barnaby tells him to stay inside today with the battle on. The Dark Rider is the first episode of the fifteenth series of Midsomer Murders and originally aired 1st February 2012. As the near series begins it is time for more murder and mayhem is the most dangerous corner of rural England. The episode opens with an elderly man going onto the roof of his house to fix the flag; he is startled by what appears to be a headless horseman on a grey horse and falls to his death. This isn't any old house it the hall belonging to the DeQuetteville family and one of their ancestors, Geoffrey DeQuetteville, lost his head in the Civil War; could his ghost have returned… or was the horseman all too human? It doesn't take long before there is another death and this one is clearly murder. As is usually the case in Midsomer there are plenty of suspects including just about every member of the DeQuetteville family and their neighbours, whose family, the Fleetwoods, clashed with the DeQuettevilles centuries ago at the battle of Naseby. We don't just have ancient bad blood between the families; there is also a bet on how a forthcoming battle re-enactment will go.

Bound and Gagged: The killer attempts to remove someone who is afraid of the dark from the line of succession by leaving them bound and gagged inside a priest hole, driving them into a permanent state of trauma.

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It boasts a fantastic cast, William Gaunt, Eleanor Bron, Raquel Cassidy, Paul Ritter, they really did pull out all the stops to assemble such a gathering. They all combine to make some fantastic characters, especially the pairing of Izzy and Ludo (Bron and Gaunt,) they are wonderfully eccentric. At night, Simon comes running up and pets a horse. The sound of a horse galloping in the distance can be heard. Cue eerie music.... Barnaby is having a problem buying any of it - the horseman is on a gray horse, and no one seems to have one. But the death toll mounts.

Barnaby and Jones drive up. Jones asks Barnaby. "You like horses, sir?" Barnaby says, "No. Nasty brutish creatures. They always tread on me. Modest little place," referring to the mansion. Jones says, "An Englishman's castle is his home." Diana DeQuetteville greets the officers.

Tropes:

Toby tells Barnaby and Jones that his relationship with Julian was all good. He would be the next in line to inherit. Toby admits that he is uncomfortable with being called a sir and running the place. He is a bit... socially... clumsy. Toby mentions that The Fleetwoods have been in a family feud with the DeQuettevilles for "yonks"- a long time.