Midsomer Murders (TV Series) Tainted Fruit (2001) User Reviews

Quality Midsomer Murders episode.

[poolandrews · 7/10 · 6 October 2008]

Midsomer Murders: Tainted Fruit starts as DCI Tom Barnaby (John Nettles) & Sgt. Gavin Troy (Daniel Casey) are called to the small village of Midsomer Malham where local millionaire Archie Townsend (Terence Harvey) has reported several threatening letters sent to his snobbish & arrogant yet beautiful young daughter Melissa (Lucy Punch). The letters threaten her life & refer to the death of an old man named Neil who died of pneumonia in Melissa's rundown dilapidated leaking cottage she refused to get fixed up, the person who sent the letters think that Melissa is responsible for Neil's untimely death. Then the local vet's is broken into & several powerful & potentially lethal drugs are stolen & shortly after the dead body of Melissa is found with a syringe in her stomach having been pumped full of the stolen drugs. With Melissa dead, the person he was supposed to be protecting, Barnaby has to get to the bottom of all the usual lies, affairs & local gossip to solve a vicious murder but as he investigates there appears to be no shortage of suspects...

Episode 6 from season 4 this Midsomer Murders mystery was the final episode from the fourth season & was directed by Peter Smith & I have to say it's a blessing going back to an early Midsomer Murders episode after a fairly lacklustre couple of more recent seasons. As a fan of the series I have been watching some of the more recent episodes lately as they premiere on telly over here in the UK & by a complete coincidence the previous Midsomer Murders episode that I watched before Tainted Fruit was Down Among the Dead Men (2006) from season nine & strangely both have exactly the same basic plots & motives for murder except they are reversed. In Down Among the Dead Men a guy is killed for what initially looks like because he was blackmailing someone but turns out to be more a case of revenge for past events yet in Tainted Fruit the girl is murdered for what initially looks like revenge but actually turns out because she was blackmailing someone! Spooky eh? To be honest I doubt I would ever have noted the similarities if I hadn't seen them both within the space of a day though. Compre Tainted Fruit to Down Among the Dead Men & there's a big difference in terms of raw basic storytelling, in Tainted Fruit there is so much more going on, the plot is far more intriguing & has far more twists, turns & red herrings, the chemistry between Barnaby & the somewhat bumbling Troy is so much better than his subsequent partners with some fairly amusing banter between the two & I didn't have a bloody clue who did it right up until the end! In fact the final thirty odd minutes has all sorts of twists & turns & you need to pay attention as all the little clues come together & all the little incidents that at first seemed insignificant like the Wellington Boots, the car crash, Adam's phone call, the letters & all manner of clues that come together for a suitably over the top & extravagant motive for multiple murder involving lesbians, drunks, high society & blackmail. In fact it felt like there was more incident in Tainted Fuit than just about the entire last couple of seasons put together! By the way, if you are interested the title Tainted Fruit refers to a rather cynical ending in a metaphorical sense rather than a literal meaning.

Even the pacing is noticeably much better here, the episode starts with Barnaby's investigation into the letters before Meliisa is killed which gets into the crime mystery drama aspect right off the bat & then there are three evenly spread out murders to keep things moving along. The murder scenes are very good in this, I particularly liked all the point-of-view shots from the killer's perspective & we just see their black gloved hands go about their murderous business filling syringes up with deadly drugs or searching through a tool shed & various large hacksaw's (& there's even a chainsaw seen in the background as well) trying to find what they want in pure Italian Giallo film fashion, Dario Argento eat your heart out! As usual the photography is nice & the locations are just so quintessentially English with the Twonsend's stately home in Oxfordshire going on to appear in the series again as the 'Feathers Hotel' in Market for Murder (2002) from season five. I particularly liked the atmospheric opening sequence as the camera pans across a graveyard late at night as it pours down that looks like it could have come straight from any Hammer Horror film.

Tainted Fruit is a great Midsomer Murders episode full of intrigue, mystery, twists, great killer-cam photography, a clever plot that while suitably over the top & memorable works & really does show up some of the latter strictly by-the-numbers episodes of this series that we have been treated to recently.

A very strong mystery with some grizzly murders.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 8/10 · 21 April 2020]

Tainted Fruit is a cracking mystery, it's a clever plot, it has a real sense of mystery, and some great characters.

Series Four was definitely a little more varied in terms of quality, but this and Dark Autumn are two well remembered mysteries. The story is a particularly good one, we see a big clash between working class folk and some very wealthy individuals, there is a definite sense of privilege among the wealthy.

The killings are quite brutal, I'd forgotten how nasty the first killing in particular is.

Great acting, some wonderful characters, Lucy Punch is well remembered for her role here, particularly her scene with Ellie Haddington the who is also great. Eleanor David is wonderful, there is a touch of Lady Macbeth about Mrs Canning.

One of the best fourth season episodes

[TheLittleSongbird · 8/10 · 8 January 2017]

The first three seasons of 'Midsomer Murders' were more consistent, with all the episodes ranging from decent to classic. Season 4 became less consistent, with "The Electric Vendetta" being the show's first bad episode and "Who Killed Cock Robin?" only being a marginal improvement.

Season 4 did also have very good episodes, though none among the best of 'Midsomer Murders'. The best of the season being "Destroying Angel", "Dark Autumn" and this, "Tainted Fruit". This said "Tainted Fruit" is probably for most people one such episode that needs more than one viewing for it to be completely understood. The final solution is clever, if not ingenious, with the reveal of the murderer being a real surprise, but there is a lot going on in the last half an hour and a lot being explained so it is easy to miss something on first viewing and the re-wind button may be in order.

Kind of agree also that the third murder was not particularly necessary and the motive being a pretty lazy and overused plot device.

However, the production values as ever are superb. Consisting of gorgeous photography, that particularly stands out in a delightfully ominous opening, and very picturesque and rustic scenery, the idyllic look as always contrasting beautifully with the story's occasional grim elements. The music fits perfectly, and the theme tune one of the most memorable and instantly recognisable of the genre.

Meanwhile, the script is smart, thought-provoking, with a welcome and breath-of-fresh-air return to the quirky humour that "Dark Autumn" just missed. Very little felt inconsequential, almost everything had a point and it was intriguing and maintained attention throughout. The story is as with the best of them absorbing and rich in atmosphere, with plenty of twists and turns and clever and complex plot twists. The characters have an eccentricity absent since "The Electric Vendetta" and very much missed.

Acting is very good, superb in the case of John Nettles, and his chemistry with Daniel Casey (a great contrast as ever as Troy, and the two work brilliantly together), Jane Wymark (love their loving chemistry) and Barry Jackson always convincing and more. Lucy Punch and Eleanor David register strongly in support.

Concluding this review, a very good episode and one of the better ones of the season. 8/10 Bethany Cox

delightfully loathsome cast of characters

[mgl-92037 · 8/10 · 22 April 2022]

This episode is really fine. I enjoy almost all of the episodes, but most of them don't really have believable villains. In this case we have someone who slips into becoming a murderer like joining a new club. The motive is incredibly venal, but due to the fine writing and acting, you buy it. Also, the murderer is probably the least despicable of the main characters.

Bored and Dangerous

[Hitchcoc · 9/10 · 22 February 2016]

A nice return to some quality storytelling. The foundation of this episode is a plethora of ugly interactions among people who are threatened socially and financially. It is a story of interrupted dreams and betrayals. It is a story of arrogance and greed. Here, a young woman finds herself the focus because of an evening of too much drink, carelessly allowing herself to lose track of her whereabouts. The problem is that even though she has this rather pure appearance, she tends to fly off the handle. Soon she becomes anathema in her community, due to fear mongering an harsh gossip. Barnaby and Troy have to put their trust in untrustworthy people. There is a sort of ugly scene where Troy once again lays out his homophobia. Barnaby, the ever respectful policeman, is forced at times to reign in his partner. Actually, this is a good aspect of their relationship, but it does make Troy harder to like.

One of the most classic and eccentric Midsomer Murders

[znatokdetectiva · 7/10 · 22 September 2020]

Season four got off to a great start, even though the charming chemistry between Barnaby and Troy, as well as the very atmosphere of the Caroline Graham books, disappeared. "Garden of Death" was a great start, and "Destroying Angel" continued this high standard. "The Electric Vendetta" was the first failed episode of the show, and "Who Killed Cock Robin?" was even worse, and is probably the worst episode of all Midsomer Murders. Significantly improved the position of "Dark Autumn", a brilliant episode that is in my personal top 10 episodes, in my opinion. The season ends brilliantly with "Tainted Fruit". This is one of the most classic Midsomer Murders. It has everything that makes the show one of your favorites: eccentricity and fantastic characters, a classic atmosphere (not like in the Graham books, but close), an original plot and extremely unusual murders. Medlar adds humor to the episode. This episode can not be liked by everyone, because even I liked it only from the second viewing. This episode requires the viewer to fully understand the story and fully immerse themselves in the atmosphere. The characters, as already mentioned, are fantastic and very eccentric. Adrian Rawlins plays one of his best roles perfectly, I really like that rascal Adam Keyne, and the killer is quite an interesting character. Overall, a fantastic and very classic episode. 10/10

Barnaby & Troy on the case

[blanche-2 · 8/10 · 17 February 2014]

Plenty of people have a reason to want Melissa Townsend dead. She's received threatening letters, so Barnaby and Troy investigate. There's a robbery at the local veterinarian's, and shortly after, Melissa is found dead with a needle in her arm.

Unfortunately for our dynamic duo, the various suspects end up dead themselves. As Barnaby digs deeper, he discovers blackmail, extramarital and same sex affairs -- in short, the stuff of murder.

Good episode as Barnaby and Troy investigate the rich and not so rich, best friends, and enemies. The young woman who plays Melissa, Lucy Punch, comes across as a vapid rich girl, but there turns out to be more to her.

Some of these episodes are better than others, but for the most part, I've enjoyed most of them.

Stately paced but enjoyable and involving nonetheless

[jamesraeburn2003 · 7/10 · 25 January 2022]

When Melissa Townsend (played by Lucy Punch) receives death threats and is later found murdered, DCI Barnaby and Sgt Troy (played by John Nettles and Daniel Casey) are called in to investigate. They discover a complex web of lies, adultery and blackmail, which leads to two more murders before the detectives can apprehend the culprit...

Rather stately paced, but nonetheless an enjoyable and involving whodunit from the Midsomer Murders series distinguished by fine acting by a good cast, including Sarah Mair-Thomas, Claire Price, Ann Bell, Terence Harvey and Adrian Rawlins. It is solidly directed by Peter Smith and David Hoskins' script is well structured and plays fair with the audience leading to a satisfactory (if none too surprising) denouement. The production values are of the high standard we have come to expect from this show and the well chosen rural Home Counties locations add an atmosphere of the mysterious to the proceedings.

A wonderful ending to the fourth series

[hossychristie · 8/10 · 11 October 2023]

"Tainted Fruit" is a wonderful last episode of the fourth series of Midsomer Murders and in my opinion, the second best episode after the classic Midsomer Murders episode, "Destroying Angel".

"Tainted Fruit" is set in the village of Midsomer Malham, and starts when Neil Laxton dies from pneumonia, at his home. Sally Rickworth, the district nurse, has been taking care of him. Upon her late arrival, Joan Farley comes along, and after she has been there for just a minute or two, she says they all know who has killed him.

Barnaby and Troy are investigating the threats that 22 year old Melissa Townsend has received lately, and on their way to Midsomer Malham, they almost collide with the multi-millionaire, Frederick Bentine-Brown. A party is being held at the tennis club, where Joan Farley throws a glass of wind on Melissa's white dress. Melissa asks Adam Keyne to borrow his jacket, throws her dress back at Joan Farley and demands that she cleans it for her.

After being tired of attending the tennis club events, Georgina Canning, crashes her car, and to get away with it, she places Sally Eickworth in front by the deiver's seat, making Sally believe that she passed out because she was drunk. Melissa discovers Georgina's action and calls Adam. They want money and starts to blackmail Georgina. Shortly after receiving the blackmail, Melissa Townsend is killed, when Georgina sticks a syringe containing a barbiturate, in Melissa's abdomen. Adam Keyne is also found murdered, after he is lured to a barn to collect something at the beam that has been tampered with. Raif Canning watched his wife taking the tools out of the shed, preparing the murder of Adam Keyne, and Georgina decides to kill her own husband, even though she never really wanted to do it.

"Tainted Fruit" is a wonderful last episode with red herrings, twist and turns. The murderer's identity is a shock and this is that kind of episode where you need to pay full attention. Blackmailing has been a central Theme in Midsomer Murders, and manages to be very intriguing in this episode. The final solution, with Georgina turning out to be the killer is clever. I do agree with the reviewer saying this episode needs to be rewatched, because there is a lot going on in the last part. I felt the same with the series 3 opener, "Death by a Stranger", and I feel the same about the "Tainted Fruit" episode, the last from series 4. The last murder of Raif Canning felt unecessary and did not add a lot to the plot. In this episode, we see the culprit and her point of view in first person, when she start to fill up the syringe with the lethal drugs, and when she finds the tools in the tools shed. But what I certainly like the most, is perhaps the opening scene, when the rain falls down and we are looking at a grave yard and afterwards with the scene of Neil Laxton's death.

In this episode, I feel that Adrian Rawlins, Ellie Haddington, Eleanor David, Claire Price, Miles Richardson and Benjamin Whitrow, leave the best impression from the supporting cast.

"Tainted Fruit" is a wonderland last series four episode and is easily the second best episode of this series, after the classic Midsomer Murders episode "Destroying Angel". 8/10 Hossy Christie.

Good Ideas, Confusing Execution

[henry-plantagenet-04 · 6/10 · 1 November 2016]

Warning: Contains massive spoilers, including murderer's identity. First off, I would like to say that I am a fan of Midsomer Murders old and new. And this episode actually some good things in it. The cinematography in this one is gorgeous, and these are some of the best settings chosen for the atmosphere of the episode. There are also some really good performances, specifically Lucy Punch as the truly despicable Melissa Townsend and Eleanor David as the socially ambitious Georgina Canning, and an unusual motive for murder: social status. The mystery even mostly congeals at the end. That said the main problem is coherence: I found it incredibly hard to follow what was going on, which could be just attributed to being a beginner, but I've watched many episodes of this show, and I usually can follow them, but this one was just all over the place. Even though the murder's motivations made sense, so many other things did not. Why was Georgina Canning drunk the night of the party, and why did she drive Sally Rickworth? Were they in any way close? Why didn't she go back with her husband? Was Sally Rickworth a lesbian? Why did she suddenly want to hook with Frederick Bentine-Brown? Why was she having an affair with Melissa, if she knew Melissa broke up her marriage? How could she even stand Melissa? How did Georgina get the chemicals from Joan Farley's place? Why did Joan wait for so long to bury the stuff she still had? In addition to that, I guessed that Georgina was the murderer about 50 minutes in, even though I had no idea why, and I was right. On top of that, they threw in her killing her own husband because "stumbled on some evidence"(a plot device I never like in these mysteries). His death brought nothing to the story, it didn't even prolong the run time, because it didn't provide any useful clues, except exculpating Joan Farley, in a scene so clumsily written it made me cringe. Then there was Melissa's habit of calling Sally "the Medlar", presumably this was supposed to insult her for being a lesbian. But what kind of vague insult is that. She'd have had to do research to figure out what it meant, and even so based on the description of the fruit alone, I don't think it would have sprung to mind.

An episode I can't give 8/10.

[harrykivi · 7/10 · 26 February 2020]

"Midsomer murders" has been one of my favorite shows for many years now, but there is no doubt in saying that the series' high time was in 1-13 seasons. After John Nettles left, "Midsomer" hasn't really been the same nor story or character-wise. Let alone the fact: I haven't seen a great "Midsomer murders" episode in a LONG time. (Only exceptions are "The village that rose from the dead" and "The Christmas haunting").

The fourth season of "Midsomer murders" is up and down for me with "Destroying angel" being wonderful and "The electric vendetta" my least favorite episode of all time in this series. That being said "Tainted fruit" is one of the better ones of that season.

Positives first.

. The production values are usually wonderful here with good direction from Peter Smith and magnificent music.

. The story of this episode is very complex. Twists, turns, red herrings keep coming and there's even some humor to be found here, which is always nice.

. The cast fares very well too. Always had a soft spot on Lucy Punch, who has a fun character to play. Elanor David being pretty good as well as a socially active woman.

. The solution is clever with the identity of the killer, motives working well for the episode.

But...

. I do agree that the third murder did not feel necessary and is by now an overused plot point in murder mysteries.

. Lots of clues come together in the last 15-20 minutes, which means that something could be left unnoticed. Also feel the writer himself piled too much info in these minutes so he forgot about some untied endings.

"Tainted fruit" for me started very well, but at the end the writing got a bit sloppy.

7,5/10 HK