Midsomer Murders – Red in Tooth and Claw

Barnaby is back, and this time, he has to contend with a bunch of rabbits – it’s the kind of bizarre scenario that could only appear in an episode of Midsomer Murders. ‘Red in Tooth and Claw’ is an enjoyable episode that proves the show can still surprise and horrify.

It’s time for the annual Belville Hall Pet Show – under the cover of darkness, local estate agent Seb Huntington appears to stop a saboteur releasing the animals from their cages. The next morning, he is found murdered, his body covered in rabbits. Prior to his death, Seb had been in dispute with obsessive rabbit breeder Timothy Benson (Steve Pemberton) over the sale of his house, and he has also unsuccessfully been attempting to persuade romance novelist and show organiser Delphi Hartley (Susan Hampshire) to sell her home. After Timothy’s prize rabbit is stolen, Barnaby must figure out if the murder is simply the result of a pet show rivalry gone too far, or whether something else is at play.

It seems bizarre that Midsomer Murders has never done an episode based in a pet show, because it feels so inherently suited. ‘Red in Tooth and Claw’ fixes that and it looks beautiful – I can’t claim that I’ve ever been to a pet show, but the episode really evokes that feeling of place. It mixes in a couple of murders – the first is a bit run-of-the-mill, but the second is pure nightmare fuel, particularly if you suffer from an allergy. I don’t want to give any clues, but the identity of the murderer in this episode is a ground breaker too – I’d essentially ruled them out based on how the show operates, so it was pleasing to be proven wrong on that account.

Despite the episode’s best efforts to force them as suspects, it never quite lands

‘Red in Tooth and Claw’ boasts the typically strong Midsomer guest cast. Pemberton is a fine addition to Midsomer, his restrained loner riffing off many similar characters from Inside No. 9 and suiting the show’s vibe perfectly. He shares a nice relationship with Sara Crowe as his divorced wife (although not in the episode, of course), and provides both a few laughs and a genuinely emotional moment as you learn his dark secret.

Hartley shines as Delphi, and she gets to interact lots with Aisling Loftus (as her assistant Tegan). Tegan is given a bit of a beating by the narrative, but Loftus plays her with such likeability that it’s impossible not to sympathise with her. She is quite central to ‘Red and Tooth and Claw’, whether it’s dealing with her parents (Stirling Gallacher as her abrasive mother Cleo Langton and Sean Gallagher as Errol Judd, who she long thought dead) or spending time with her friend Jayesh (Navinder Bhatti). I liked her, and I’m glad the episode made such use of her.

‘Red in Tooth and Claw’ is another strong episode of Midsomer

Other supporting players are good, but their stories don’t play out particularly interestingly. Tom Price and Vanessa Hehir are charming Perry and Belinda Tressel, as a married couple running a hotel – despite the episode’s best efforts to force them as suspects, it never quite lands and it means that their sub-plot feels like a bit of a waste of time. There’s also a big deal about Kam being away and Winter missing her, but I don’t know if the groundwork has really been laid for this to feel narratively earned.

‘Red in Tooth and Claw’ is another strong episode of Midsomer, featuring some inventive murders and a strong guest cast (even if it’s not always sure how to best use them). It seems the series is taking a break now, and this is a strong episode on which to go out – hopefully, when Midsomer Murders returns, it can finish off the rest of its run as strong as it began.