Murder Most English (Seventies TV Season)
The introduction to this series of posts about 1970s TV shows may be found here: https://culttvblog.substack.com/p/seventies-tv-season-introduction
I am delighted to be writing for the first time in my blogging career about this venerable series. I am going to make it a general post about the series to try to clear up some misunderstandings about it on the internet, and also because honestly, these are subtle, finely-crafted mysteries, and I'm not up to the task of portraying the whole effect.
Murder Most English (1977) was based on a number of the detective stories written by Colin Watson. Or rather, they are apparently detective stories because the lead c haracter happens to be Inspector Purbright and the plots his investigation of various mysteries. What they really are is very understated social comedies set in the fictional Lincolnshire town of Flaxborough. I will say right here that this is a show which requires work and concentration. If you really pay attention you will find yourself roaring with laughter and noticing very tiny details of human behaviour and little throwaway lines which are brilliant observations. The premise is that this quiet and respectable town is a hotbed of intrigue and crime - as demonstrated by the titles which show a tea caddy decorated with a map of the town which opens to show lots of goodness knows what going on inside.
I must also say that there are a number of reviews on the internet (notably on the North American versions of the online shop named after a river) which really don't understand the premise of the show. They say that the show is unnecessarily slow and old fashioned, which is to miss the point completely that that is the idea. The show is intended to be slow and old fashioned by 1970s standards because it is intended to point backwards and then upset the idyllic town it has set up. If you see that this is called a detective show and expect The Sweeney or The Professionals you will be very disappointed.
There is one thing I must mention about the adaptation and the DVD set which is absolutely maddening and which I think may contribute to the difficulty with this show. It is that the series has seven episodes but nonetheless dramatises four of Watson's books. On the DVD menu the episodes are called One, Two, etc, and no indication in the main menu is given of which is which adventure. The titles do appear in the chapter menus but of course you have to know the titles of the books - I don't know whether the titles were originally published when the show was broadcast. When I tell you that one of the books is rather abruptly started 36 minutes (over halfway) into one of the episodes, you will understand why I describe this as maddening. In fact it is my only real criticism of this show because that's wild.
As a public service I am going to give a map of which episodes are which books, with a short summary of the plots (based on https://www.goodreads.com/series/67787-flaxborough-chronicles)
Episode 1 and 36 minutes of Episode 2: Hopjoy was Here. Mild-mannered tobacconist Gordon Perriam and his lodger Brian Hopjoy have apparently shared quite happily at 14 Beatrice Avenue. But now both men have disappeared and it seems a body has been dissolved in the bath so the bath is manhandled down the garden path by the constabulary. Then a spook from Whitehall turns up and the mystery takes on a different appearance.
Episode 2 (from 36 minutes) and Episode 3: Lonelyheart 4122. Middle aged women are vanishing from Flaxborough and the disappearances are linked to the local lonely hearts agency. Purbright and Sergeant Love focus on recent applicants to the agency, including new visitor to the are Lucy Edith Cavell Teatime. This introduces Miss Teatime to the series, a recurring character variously described as a criminal and a lady with some unusual talents.
Episodes 4 and 5: The Flaxborough Crab. An elderly sex-pest is at large in Purbright's home town. He rushes up to women, makes lewd suggestions and when challenged, rushes off walking sideways. It seems quite a few elderly gentlemen have been exhibiting over-familiar behaviour to women. Miss Teatime helps Inspector Purbright solve this one. This one is the one I would advise first-time viewers to start with, not least because of the sheer glee with which the elderly cast really throw themselves into misbehaving. There is a particularly hilarious old folks' coach outing in episode 4.
Episodes 6 and 7: Coffin, Scarcely Used. Purbright investigates the death of a series of local worthies and the prescriptions being given out by the local GP. It's been a long time since I've read this book but I suspect this one departs somewhat from the book. It's also noteworthy as having Patrick Newell in a key role.
The books have also been adapted as radio plays in the 1970s and 1990s, and these plays are in various places online. Just don't make the mistake I made of searching for the name of one of them, The Naked Nuns. It's quite gratifying to know that at my advanced age and degree of world-weariness I can still discover that there is a whole fetish I didn't know was a thing and I pride myself being a monster of depravity to rival the baby-eating bishop of Bath and Wells. The TV series has been released on a BBC box set.
I very highly recommend this series as subtle comedy of manners with a detection theme. Just don't expect the wrong thing.
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