Death in the Slow Lane is the first episode of the fourteenth series of the popular British crime drama Midsomer Murders and first aired 23rd March 2011. John Barnaby makes his first appearance after taking over from his cousin Tom who retired at the end of series thirteen.
Synopsis
New DCI John Barnaby arrives in Midsomer and is bemused by the quaint villages and their quirky residents. But when a local DJ is killed by the hand crank of a vintage automobile at a traditional girls' boarding school, he soon discovers that murder and deception are never far away. As the death toll rises, could Barnaby's first case also be his last?
Plot
DCI John Barnaby arrives in Causton on his cousin Tom's retirement. DS Jones misses his old boss and the two men do not gel, especially as Barnaby seems dismissive of Jones' efforts to restore a vintage car once driven by local racer Duncan Palmer for a classic car competition hosted at her school by frosty headmistress Harriet Wingate. Palmer faked his death in the 1960s but was actually found dead in Midsomer some years later. His old team-mate Peter Fossett is judging the contest and the entrants include Peter's brisk, bossy daughter Kate Cameron and her ex-husband Jamie, now in love with Harriet's shy daughter Jessica. Kate will do anything to win, enlisting the help of the other judge, radio D.J. Dave Doggy Day, who is found murdered. Soon after another young man is killed, who turns out to be involved with Kate's precocious schoolgirl daughter Charlotte in drug dealing.
Cast
- Neil Dudgeon as DCI John Barnaby
- Jason Hughes as DS Ben Jones
- Barry Jackson as Dr George Bullard
- David Warner as Peter Fossett
- Edna Doré as Granny Brightwell
- Susan Engel as Harriet Wingate
- Lucy Briers as Jessica Wingate
- Tim Dutton as Jamie Cameron
- Samantha Bond as Kate Cameron
- Clara Paget as Charlotte Cameron
- Luke Allen-Gale as Dave Doggy Day
- Sid Mitchell as Thomas Brightwell
- Gwyneth Keyworth as Bethan
- Daisy Keeping as Nerys
- Darren Clarke as Daniel
- Barry Aird as Jock
- Cate Fowler as Mrs Carter
- Francine Morgan as Deirdre
- Nicholas Asbury as Henry
- Grahame Fox as Nick the Money
- Jack Bence as Freddy
- Josie Kidd as Peggy
- Leah Whitaker as WPC
- Richard Clifford as Hugh Snape
- James Richard Marshall as Young Peter Fossett
- James O'Donnell as Duncan Palmer (uncredited)
- James Philip Shaw as Unruly Youth (uncredited)
- Nick Thomas-Webster as CID Officer (uncredited)
- Chris Wilson as Police Officer (uncredited)
Galleries
Body Count
Prior to the Episode
In the Episode
Body Count Notes
- All the murders took place in or around classic cars.
Supporting Cast
Episode Images
Videos
Notes
- First appearance of Sykes the dog.
- Sarah Barnaby does not appear in this episode as she is still teaching class in Brighton.
The following actors and actresses who appeared in this episode have also appeared in the following episodes
- Samantha Bond - Destroying Angel and Shot at Dawn
- Susan Engel - Sins of Commission
- Francine Morgan - Picture of Innocence
- Barry Aird - Shot at Dawn