Midsomer Murders (TV Series) The Night of the Stag (2011) User Reviews

This episode had potential, but uneasy in many parts

[safenoe · 6/10 · 7 March 2016]

The episode started with a touching backstory about how one village saved another many, many, many centuries ago saved another during a famine, and they have forged strong links ever since.

I appreciate Midsomer isn't expected to be a moral arbiter or maintain even-handedness in its depiction of certain characters. But somehow the depiction of the Reverend Norman Grigor was over-the-top, very stereotypical and way too predictable. I don't have ESP but I could see it coming that the Reverend, depicted as staunchly teetotaler, would succumb to alcohol before too long, and it did with full force.

The ending was very shocking even by Midsomer standards...really, "refreshing the gene pool"? Obviously the men wanted to revive the night of stag with much relish, but it borders on rape if not more. really sad and horrifying.

What's the Buzz About

[ummajon2003 · 7/10 · 13 June 2021]

The opening scene of the (now infamous) episode is intriguing, a man being chased in the darkness of the night. We've got a cider festival and cragilly drunken characters, balloons, flower crowns, and local honey. But wait--it's not just any old festival, it's a literal puke fest. Guest actors are convincing, except maybe Greg Hicks as Rev. Norman Grigor--he is a tad too melodramatic in portraying his zealous character. On the other hand, Bernard Lloyd was a delight to watch as Byron Street. I personally did not appreciate the Barnaby's smug attitude about "working in the orchard" as being a waste of life and brain, but that's the sort of cultural superiority our "educated" society accepts without question.

Anyway, the first half is interesting enough, and things start getting sinister around the 40 minute mark--a "creepy old man" vibe sets itself up. DCI Barnaby is still seeming capable, after all, he understands "lateral thinking," as our Tom used to say. The character of Rev. Conrad Walker is a good representative of what a man of God should be: devout and reasonable.

What once was a fertility refresher/ritual (hey, the bees do it too) has become corrupted by the evils of alcohol and an abusive father AKA the psychotic Queen Bee rapist of Midsomer Abbas (played too convincingly by Warren Clarke) and his fellow drunken snakes. And people wonder why I don't drink. Very dark indeed as it's not just one evildoer, but the violent mob mentality that justice is up against. But there have been much darker episodes such as the recent "Echoes of the Dead." And for the viewers saying the rape aspect was ignored: Why did Rev. Walker get killed? He tried to stop it happening. Why did Jones and Barnaby rush to the village: They tried to stop it happening. Who stopped it happening? Barnaby and Jones. The point is that justice is served, the bad guys don't get their way, but put away to rot.

Not a very good episode

[wjspears · 5/10 · 2 February 2022]

The episode has its pluses. The first murder manages to be both gruesome and odd at the same time. And some of the characters are fairly interesting, such as the beekeeper.

But all that is offset by the over-the-top bunch of evil doers, who seem like they belong in some isolated backwoods mountain movie, and not in a Midsomer Murder mystery.

Too much of it was implausible, because of how the area is portrayed. Townspeople remain silent as deviant and violent behavior goes on around them--even when some of it is endangering their own daughters.

This isolation was taken to eye-rolling heights when, in the last several minutes, Barnaby and Jones are captured, by the bad guys. In front of many of the townspeople, they make known that they intend to murder the two policemen and bury them.

The scene obviously is trying to mimic classic Westerns. But It can work in westerns because civilization has not yet established itself in the Wild West. That is hardly the case in 21st century Midsomer.

Beyond that--as another reviewer points out--given the scenario that the evildoers as set up, why would they then allow Barnaby prattle on, and sow doubts about their leader.

It is, again an attempt by the writers to capture the action of the classic Westerns. It might have worked, if the episode had been played "tongue-in-cheek". But this episode was far from "tongue-in-cheek".

night of the stag

[klpeach · 8 August 2021]

This had to be the worst MM episode of them all. Not worth watching.

The Night of the Stag

[coltras35 · 6/10 · 24 June 2023]

A VAT inspector goes missing as he hunts for an illicit cider still responsible for brewing The Beast, a potent local drink. At the Midsomer Abbas spring fayre which celebrates its friendship with Midsomer Herne, Barnaby and Jones sample the local cider, while temperance preacher Norman Grigor calls on residents to repent of their drunken ways.

Suddenly, Barnaby is violently ill as the body of missing man Peter Slim is found floating in the cider vat. Pathologist Kate Wilding says the victim's injuries look like he was shaken to death by a giant, and as their inquiries continue, they discover the area is steeped in bizarre local traditions.

A steady and passable MSM episode which features an OTT Elmer Gantry-like Reverend who opposes the local illegal firewater, a typical bizarre death in a vat, a humorous scene where Barnaby and a few others get sick due to drinking the cider and it's because it was contaminated with the dead man, and some nice scenic views of the field. Personally I prefer Neil Dudgeon over John Nettles who squinted a lot and went out of breath even when climbing out of the car, but the main appeal of the show is the eccentric characters, the setting and grand yet bizarre death scenes.

Drowned in a vat of cider

[Tweekums · 8/10 · 12 October 2011]

Neil Dudgeon is settling nicely into the role of DCI Barnaby and this episode sees him investigating a case that is bizarre even by the standards of Midsomer! The episode opens with a man being pursued and eventually cornered by a group of men with dogs… the next scene sees Barnaby and Jones at a fate in Midsomer Abbas searching for a missing tax inspector. While they are there the man turns up in a vat of cider; but not before Barnaby had had a drink of it! The locals are a strange bunch to say the least and if the rumours of an illicit still are to be believed they might have a motive for wanting to kill a taxman. Of course there are a few more motives to be uncovered as well as a sinister ritual known as 'The Stag' that hadn't been carried out in over a hundred years but is about to happen again.

This episode might not have had a high body count but it made up for that by having a delightfully bonkers storyline and an equally strange group of characters. As usual for this series regular cast members and guest actors alike perform well. I wasn't too surprised at who was eventually unmasked as the killer but to be honest at one point I thought the whole village could be in on it as they seemed an even more closed society than the people of Summer's Isle in The Wicker Man'! I expect fans of the series will enjoy this and first time viewers may to although they may find it a little strange compared to other murder mysteries… CSI this is not!

What a fantastic history lesson.

[stailby · 10/10 · 4 May 2021]

Fabulous story line and brilliantly cast and acted.

Some of the new woke may not like the subject and try to cancel culture but this is excellent. What beautiful scenery to boot.

Terrible and offensive

[markfranh · 1/10 · 26 March 2012]

In all the years of Midsomer Murders, they've made many good episodes and a few poor ones that disappointed. But this is the first episode that I can truly say was absolutely dreadful to the point that it left both my wife and myself with really bad tastes in both our mouths and that we both felt deeply offended by it. Angry and embarrassed for the actors who had to take part in it, in fact. I hope the producers in the U.K. received numerous letters and emails of complaint after it aired thereabout the content and the story-line as it was so awful. What were Dudgeon and Clarke thinking in agreeing to take part in this drivel? It was beyond belief.

I won't say more as it may be viewed as a spoiler but I'll close by saying that I can think of better ways to pass an hour and a half: like resting on a bed of nails while someone piles weights on your chest.

Sorry, but rating it a 1/10 really is giving it too much credit.

Don't listen to all the prudish people, it's great

[federicasegreto-08116 · 8/10 · 20 February 2024]

It's a very nice episode, of the good old kind like the early episodes. The villains are suitably villanous, at least one of the murders is very creative, the seemingly unrelated subplots converge nicely, and there is a very satisfying confrontation at the end. Bonus points for village fete and bucolic countryside. I liked the beekeeper with his bees, and the way they symbolically tied the episode together. I LOVED the over-the-top temperance preacher, he was hilarious and spot-on. And notice: the only potential rapists in the story are the villain-in-chief and his ridiculous buddy-buddy, neither of which succeeds in raping anybody. If people paid attention they would notice that the women of the opposite village open their doors for the men when they arrive on the stag night, and literally and rather enthusiastically jump into their arms. Is it adultery? Possibly. Do their husbands approve? Probably. Do we care? Not in the slightest.

Terrible

[breciabloom · 1/10 · 20 September 2017]

I am generally a great fan of this show. I have found it consistently imaginative, engaging, and beautiful.

This episode, however, I found thoroughly distasteful. I did not mind the pagan symbolism; rather, it was the suggestion/depiction of attempted rape, perpetrated by the main villain, and the utter lack of regard for the survivor of that assault which left me absolutely disgusted.

At the climax of the episode, the villain is arrested for murder, which is all well and good (as he was indeed behind the murders) but not one mention is made of the fact that on the very night of his capture and arrest, he tried to force himself upon his daughter's friend. No one cares, apparently, that this evil old pillock almost raped a girl his daughter's age. Once the scene is done, no mention is made of it again, by the police or anyone else. It's as if it doesn't really matter.

Shame on the writers, shame on the producers, and shame on the director. Shame on everyone involved in airing this piece of garbage. Lazy, cheap-shock, bigoted, sexist drivel from one end to the other. Shame on you!

Yes it's that bad.

[volare12 · 3/10 · 25 March 2019]

I concur with the majority of reviewer ratings here, which puts this episode at 3 or below. This story is just ridiculous - it WOULD be tasteless, except that it's completely unbelievable, and thus impossible to take seriously in any way. The villain can be spotted from outer space, and the supposed motivation for the crimes makes no sense whatsoever. The one subplot, concerning a temperance league led by a *very* annoyingly overacted clergyman who's a recovering alcoholic (of course!), serves no purpose at all, not even as a red herring. As for the main plot, it's simply ludicrous and not even worth synopsizing. The nadir comes near the end when Barnaby and Jones are both cornered, and instead of killing them off immediately, the main culprit, who has shown no qualms about indulging in murder and rape, graciously allows Barnaby to ramble on in an absurdly self-righteous rant aimed at getting the culprit's allies to turn against him - thus buying enough time for someone else to step in and save the day. Yeah, right.

I'll give one point for the novel - if extremely unpleasant - way the first murder is committed, a second point for the lovely photography of the villages at nighttime, and a third point for the writer at least allowing Jones to be a good and intelligent detective who contributes to the case for a change, rather than the ineffectual buffoon he's been relegated to acting like lately. While not worthy of an additional point, a scene where Barnaby is tryng to teach Sykes to fetch a sock is delightful - Sykes can do no wrong. There is also laughter (unintended, i would guess) to be derived from seeing the village men's costume accoutrements as they attempt their oh-so-serious mission. But despite these minor pluses, I would be hard pressed to find anything to recommend about this episode. My advice: stay far away.

A disgrace

[TheLittleSongbird · 3/10 · 2 March 2017]

When in its prime (a vast majority of Seasons 1-9), 'Midsomer Murders' was a great show and one that is watched and re-watched frequently. Seasons 10-13 became more uneven, with three of the show's worst episodes coming from Seasons 11 and 13, but there were a few solid episodes and "Blood Wedding" and especially "Master Class" were gems.

After John Nettles retired and Neil Dudgeon and the new character of John Barnaby took over, 'Midsomer Murders' just hasn't been the same, most of the reasons being detailed later in this review. Not all the John Barnaby-era episodes are awful, but too many were average at best and some were lame. Most of Season 14 was disappointing, with two low-points, one was "Echoes of the Dead" and the other being this "The Night of the Stag". Also two of the worst ever 'Midsomer Murders' episodes along with "Blood on the Saddle", "The Made-to-Measure Murders", "Shot at Dawn", "Second Sight" and "The Electric Vendetta".

The production values as usual are wonderful, the idyllic look of it contrasting very well with the story's grimness, and quaint and atmospheric photography. The music fits perfectly, with some lush jauntiness and sometimes an ominous quality, and the haunting theme tune one of the most memorable and instantly recognisable of the genre.

First twenty minutes were also decent with a creepy opening sequence and it doesn't feel too much like set up.

Unfortunately, while the acting is usually a strength in 'Midsomer Murders' this is a rare case of the acting not being good enough to compensate. Nobody here stands out and are saddled by sloppy writing and characters far too obvious, bland and hammy. The one person who stands out in a bad way is Warren Clarke, who once again like he did in the Marple episode 'Why Didn't They Ask Evans?' show that when his material is bad (risible here in fact, especially in the final third) that he overacts to a jaw-droppingly embarrassing degree and it was far too obvious that he was up to no good.

Neil Dudgeon is stiff and dull and Jason Hughes' material is far too dumb for him to do anything with it. Chemistry between the two is little to none. Barnaby's family life doesn't interest.

Worst of all are the script and story. The script is one where it beggars belief that it was approved beyond first draft when it should never have been passed, so much cringe-worthy moments with lots of gratuitously nasty and over-the-top content completely out of place within this show. The story started off decently, but then comes run of the mill at best and at worst silly, simplistic and predictable complete with gratuitous violence, before descending into severely over-the-top distaste at the end.

The final solution was not a surprise at all with the responsible being far too obvious and the motive being so ridiculous that it makes the jaw drop, 'Midsomer Murders' logic of revealing those responsible these days is seemingly that the most pantomimic character is the murderer.

In summary, a disgrace and one of the show's all time worst. 3/10 Bethany Cox

Disgusting to say the least

[robertgahr · 1/10 · 15 June 2016]

Barnaby and Jones investigate the murder of a local revenue agent where the phrase "shake him like a British nanny" is somewhat apropos. As far as a murder mystery it was rather run-of-the-mill but the second act really stank.

So, a bunch of fat, ugly, drunken neanderthals dress up with antlers and go "a courting" to the neighboring village. Though apparently in the one village some of the local sluts actually welcome the attention there were also a couple attempts at outright rape (including the leading "stag" offering up his own daughter). If that is what passes for local culture I say evacuate the few decent folks and just napalm the rest. Who scripts this crap?

Awful

[Sleepin_Dragon · 3/10 · 26 January 2016]

I watched Night of the Stag during its original transmission, it's the first episode of the series I switched off before the end as I couldn't bare to watch it. I find myself agreeing quite a lot with the other reviewer on here, I find the whole thing in very bad taste,

I originally had a score of 1 out of ten, on rewatching I've upped it to a 3, the first twenty minutes or so weren't so bad, but after that it turns into a complete and utter mess, I can't even believe it made it through an edit, the last fifteen/twenty minutes are literally unwatchable, even Warren Clarke couldn't save it. The village used looks very pretty, it is the best thing about it.

When this went out I was in fear that Midsomer Murders had run its course, there were definitely a few eyebrows raised after this went out, how contrasting to next week's 'A Sacred Trust,' which is a belter.

A miserly 3/10

Oh dear.

[Manda-15 · 1/10 · 10 April 2020]

This episode...oh man it's just bad, bad TV. I took a poll on a MM Facebook page asking which episodes fans found hard to watch or didn't watch again after they first saw it, and this topped the list. It seemed to revel in and glorify rape culture, especially when it came down to Esme and Alice, who were very UNWILLING participants in this "ritual". I mean even at the end, Samuel was only charged with murder. He should also be charged with attempted rape, but even though he was arrested in the middle of attacking Esme, nothing more was said about it.

Will make many MM viewers stop watching

[vitoscotti · 2/10 · 17 October 2021]

First 3/4 was mildly interesting. But, the end went "Bullwinkle". So utterly ridiculous. The actors had to be embarrassed taking part in this rubbish. Worst MM by far. This is an insult to the John Nettles era.

Totally off the rails

[Johnny_West · 3/10 · 21 March 2022]

This seemed like a story from a different TV series. Starting with everyone puking at the beginning of the episode due to the beer having gone bad thanks to a dead body in the vat. I have to think most people would notice sour beer when they taste it, not several pints later. I know I would.

That was the first hint, seeing everyone throwing up. Not a typical beginning to a Midsomer Murders episode. Then it just got weird, as some of the married women were clearly looking for extra love from other married men, and it was leading up to the town elders calling for a Stag Night.

It was obvious to me that the dirty fat old guys wanted to attack the young women, but the old fat girls were thinking they were the objects of attention. Maybe that point was intended as humour, but it came across as nasty and gross that everyone was willing to participate, no matter the consequences.

The ending and revealment of the murderers was anti-climactic. The villagers and their life priorities were pretty disappointing and low class, from Stag Night to killing tax men. The final scene was way over the top, and really over-acted by everyone. It seemed like they were trying to turn a really awful bit of fiction into MacBeth, and everyone worked extra hard to seem a lot more terrified, passionate, sincere, and excited than they needed to be. Seemed like a train-wreck.

When John Nettles was on as Barnaby, this kind of thing would never happen.

Probably my least-favorite episode

[golfwidow-22101 · 2/10 · 15 August 2018]

Weird camera work and a dead body in a cider vat make this episode doubly-nauseating, as well as easier to solve: anyone drinking the sweet cider at the fair was obviously innocent.

This stag needs to be put down...

[sherondalewis-20531 · 3/10 · 1 July 2022]

I love watching Midsomer and, I know that during the Tom Barnaby years, there has been some not too great episodes ("The Electric Vendetta", "Blood on the Saddle", "The Made to Measure Murders") to name a few (yes, I know there are a LOT of ppl who didn't like "The Straw Woman" or "Second Sight" but I didn't mind those). In fact, "Blood on the Saddle" was my LEAST favorite....until THIS. OMG...wow.

Basically, you have a village run by some bootlegging, blowhard, bully pub owner who's everyone is in some sort of fear of and is like the "leader" of said village, with his 2 co hort goons, Dumb and Dumber, doing said bidding.

He kills the tax man, not because he was about to find out the man's schemes, BUT, because he got married to a village girl-a village girl who was supposed to ONLY marry someone in that village or in the neighboring village. So, guess who has to die? The innocent young married tax man. The Rev (a recovering alcoholic) because he performed the ceremony, and ANY one else that got in his way. Then, framed an innocent drunk and made HIM sign away some deed. Yea... But wait, that's not what makes this cringe worthy. In said village, the pub owner (played by Warren Clarke) and in all of his disgustingness, also wants to promote a "stag night", where both village have their men go over to the other side and go a "hunting" (i.e. Rape) because that's what they did back in the days and the village idiots agree what great fun to be "taken advantage" of because, why not? Worse, one of the characters is a woman who is loud, brass, kind of a whorey slag/Tart, who banishes her sweet daughter (besties and MOH to the loud mouth "leader") so SHE can be "handled" by said loud mouth. While HIS daughter is at home (and when he encounters the lone man who made it over the hill because there were some people who thought, like I did that, that this was insanely stupid) HE tells he should get his reward: HIS OWN DAUGHTER! Are you kidding me?

Anyway, lead bully of disgust passes Older Sad Sack Slag, and goes to "hunt" for her daughter (and to get "back" at her for being married to an outsider). The mother is upset (of course) but...eww.

Then the ending. All the town's people are around to arrest Dumb, Dumber and Bully and one pulls out a shotgun. To kill them. They were going to kill a DCI and a Sargent. In front of people? And no one was going to stop them? I was actually waiting for them to form a circle and sing/chant and do some Wickerman ish (the classic with Edward Woodward not the awful remake). And, again, John talks and tries to reason with these people (because he studied psychology so of course he has put it to good use).

They finally got the Blowhard Bully after the daughter admitted to everyone his intent. And then the villagers? They walk away. Hopefully from the shame they allowed this from ever happening. Not consoling the 2 young girls that were about to be raped. Not the sorry, shaggy, mother. After watching this the first time, I make it that ONLY time watching this mess.

Jason Hughes is great but, really didn't do much here. Neil Dudgeon...eh. Warren Clarke, was disturbingly sick as the Bully Pub Owner/Wannabe Rapist/ Murderer.

Anyone who likes this particular episode...wow. As for me, when this ever comes on, I will find ANYTHING else to watch.

Yuck

[deirdrechalmersdc · 1/10 · 18 February 2021]

Lovely tale of inter-village rape night. Avoid. Midsomer seems to want to "modernize" the quaint village tales of jealousy, lust and financial wrong-doing with psychos and serial killers. This is a new low.

What a dreadful place

[gourbi · 1/10 · 11 June 2018]

My wife and I, we had planned to visit the region of Midsomer next year in spring. But after hearing on telly about these terrible events which took place in Midsomer Abbas, we decided against it. Who, honestly, would like to spend their holiday in such a dreadful place full of cavemen, I ask you? So, we finally changed our mind, and are now planning to spend a nice time in Shetland, where things should be rather peaceful, I believe...

Disturbing. Rape has nothing to do with Woke

[dazza-80955 · 2/10 · 15 September 2022]

Good start but cranky

. But the final 30 minutes is hard.

There's nothing enjoyable watching drunks race off to rape young girls.

It has nothing to do with the woke movement as another reviewer gas claimed.

It's difficult to believe that such happenings occurred hundreds of years ago, but today..!! Unless the entire villages are full drunk on Apple cider.

How did this get past the production meeting. Certainly my least favourite thus far.

At least theres a novel murder. An apple shaker. Didn't look too realistic in the flashback though.

Neil Dv must've been wondering what he signed up for. It's a shame George Bullard has left. I liked him. I wonder what happened to his GP wife. Suddenly she was gone.

The new pathologist, soko, crime lab etc etc - not sure. Too young too cocky.

An awful episode.

[harrykivi · 2/10 · 10 January 2023]

"Midsomer Murders" has had its fair share of bad episodes. "The Night of the Stag" is easily one of the worst episodes of the show, if even not the worst. I cannot believe it's written by the same man, who wrote the masterful "Masterclass".

Let's start with the redeeming qualities.

. The production values of the episode are great. The direction's fine and the music fits the scenery. The regular cast does the best they can with what they have.

. The murders are imaginative and the first twenty minutes or so are, agreed, not too bad.

But....

. This is one of the few times in "Midsomer Murders", when even the acting is not very good. Most of the performances here are either generic or dull. Warren Clarke in particular is too much at times. The mystery is a dreadfully boring mess with over the top subplots, which take itself way too seriously, lifeless characters, weak dialogue and incredibly silly story. The solution (Samuel is the killer) was very obvious and the motive for the murders is convoluted at best.

Overall, an awful episode.

2/10 HK.