It is dark. Fog rolls through the dense underbrush of the English countryside, and a Brazilian tobacco tin sits abandoned in the mud. For fans of British cozy crime, these images are synonymous with one of the most atmospheric hours of television ever produced. Strangler's Wood Midsomer Murders is not just another episode in a long-running procedural; it’s basically the blueprint for what the show eventually became. It first aired in 1999. Back then, John Nettles was still establishing DCI Tom Barnaby as the ultimate grounded detective in a world of eccentric, often homicidal, villagers.
The plot is dense. It’s messy. You’ve got a series of murders that mirror a cold case from years prior, a tobacco company with questionable ethics, and a local forest that seems to swallow people whole. Most viewers remember the "strangler" element, but the episode is actually a masterclass in how small-town secrets fester.
What Actually Happens in Strangler's Wood?
The story kicks off when a young woman, Carla Constance, is found strangled in the eponymous woods. The calling card? A signature ligature and that weirdly specific tobacco tin. This immediately triggers memories of three similar murders from nine years ago. Those crimes were never solved.
Barnaby and Troy—played by Daniel Casey, who honestly had the best chemistry with Nettles—dive into the lives of the locals. You’ve got the Ravens, who run the local hotel, and the executives at Monarch Tobacco. The episode uses the woods as a character. It's oppressive. It feels alive.
The mystery focuses on George Meakham. He’s the retired copper who obsessed over the original cases. He’s ruined. His life is a wreck because he couldn't catch the killer the first time around. Watching his descent is probably the most grounded, tragic part of the whole thing. It’s a stark contrast to the often "fun" deaths the show became known for later on, like being crushed by a giant wheel of cheese or covered in truffle oil and eaten by wild boars.
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The Monarch Tobacco Connection
Monarch Tobacco isn't just a background detail. It’s central to the rot in the village. The company is testing a new cigarette, and the marketing is slick, corporate, and totally at odds with the rural setting. This is a classic Midsomer trope: the intrusion of modern greed into an ancient landscape.
Billings, the marketing man, is peak 90s corporate slime. He’s the kind of guy you immediately want to be the killer, but the show is smarter than that. It weaves his professional arrogance into the personal failings of the other suspects.
Why Strangler's Wood Midsomer Murders Ranks as a Top Episode
Ask any hardcore fan. They’ll tell you this is Top 5 material. Why? Atmosphere. Most modern shows use CGI to create mood. In 1999, the production team just found a really creepy piece of woods and waited for the right light.
The pacing is deliberate. It doesn't rush. You get these long stretches of Barnaby just... thinking. Or Troy being slightly out of his depth. It feels like a real investigation.
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The episode also tackles the "copycat" trope without being cheesy. It asks a legitimate question: Is the original killer back, or is someone using the legend of the woods to settle a new score? The resolution is actually pretty heartbreaking once you realize how many lives were destroyed by a single person's inability to move on from a grudge.
Casting Gems
Look closely at the guest stars. You’ll see faces that went on to be massive in British TV.
- Phyllis Logan: Before she was Mrs. Hughes in Downton Abbey, she was Kate Merrill here. Her performance is subtle and carries a lot of the episode's emotional weight.
- Peter Eyre: As Leonard Pike, he brings that quintessential Midsomer "weirdness" that isn't quite villainous but definitely isn't normal.
The Reality of the "Midsomer Magic"
People often joke about the body count in Midsomer. It's a statistical anomaly. If a real county had this many murders, the army would be called in. But Strangler's Wood Midsomer Murders manages to make the deaths feel significant. They aren't just puzzles; they are tragedies.
The episode also highlights the class tensions that define the series. You have the wealthy tobacco execs and the struggling locals. Barnaby sits right in the middle. He’s the bridge between these two worlds, navigating the polished drawing rooms and the damp, dangerous forest with the same level of polite skepticism.
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Interestingly, the episode is based on characters created by Caroline Graham, but the teleplay by Anthony Horowitz is what really sharpened the edges. Horowitz, of course, went on to create Foyle's War and write some of the best modern Sherlock Holmes and James Bond novels. You can see his fingerprints all over the tight plotting of the tobacco tin clues.
Common Misconceptions About the Episode
Some people get the "three girls" from the past mixed up with the victims in the present.
- The first set of murders happened nine years prior to the episode's "present day."
- Not everyone killed in the episode is killed by the same person for the same reason.
- The tobacco tin isn't just a random prop; it’s a specific brand that was discontinued, which is a major plot point.
Practical Insights for Your Next Rewatch
If you’re planning to dive back into this classic, keep an eye on the background. The set dressing in the Raven household is incredible. It tells you everything you need to know about their financial state without a word of dialogue.
Also, pay attention to George Meakham's maps. The level of detail the prop department put into his "obsession room" is wild. It’s a visual representation of a mind that has been stuck in the same patch of woods for nearly a decade.
Actionable Steps for Midsomer Enthusiasts:
- Check the filming locations: Much of this was filmed in the Buckinghamshire area. Specifically, keep an eye out for the village of Little Missenden, which served as a primary backdrop.
- Watch for the "Horowitz Signature": Try to spot the moment the "fair play" clue is dropped. Horowitz always gives the audience the answer before the detective reveals it; you just have to be looking at the right corner of the screen.
- Compare with the book: If you can find the original source material or similar Graham stories, notice how the TV version softens Barnaby. In the books, he's a bit more cynical.
- Track the Tobacco: The "Brazilian" tobacco theme is a red herring that actually leads to a deeper truth about the suspects' travel histories. Look for mentions of South America early on.
This episode remains a high-water mark for the series because it refuses to be simple. It’s a dark, foggy, and deeply human look at how the past refuses to stay buried, especially when there are trees to hide the bodies.