Midsomer hides secret clues for loyal viewers

OVER the course of 116 episodes, 22 years and countless ever-more-innovative deaths, Midsomer Murders leaves fans around the world with the simple satisfaction of a puzzle well solved.

However, if viewers want to get the most out of its 20th-anniversary series, they will have to pay close attention.

The writers of the ITV detective drama have promised hidden treats for loyal fans, by placing clever references to previous episodes when it returns on March 10 with an episode called Death of Small Coppers.

The insertion of in-jokes and hidden messages, known as “Easter eggs”, are increasingly popular on television in the internet era, with fans swapping their discoveries on social media.

Michele Buck, the executive producer of the show, said: “We hope fans will relish the 20th-anniversary series and enjoy watching out for the hidden hints to past episodes they have watched and loved.”

Guest stars will include Elaine Paige and Ann Eleonora Jorgensen, a Danish actress who appeared in The Killing.

The author Anthony Horowitz, who has written many of the episodes of Midsomer Murders, once said villages were ideal settings for novels and dramas because they are riven with petty jealousies, bitterness and mutual mistrust. The long-running series has certainly tested that idea to its extreme limit, notching up close to 360 deaths over more than 20 years, making the sleepy area one of the most violent places on the planet.

For viewers who enjoy sleuthing, the 20th series is to contain hidden clues with references to past episodes, a practice known in the internet era as hiding “Easter eggs”. What next? Maybe producers will follow Charlie Brooker’s innovative Black Mirror and have interactive plots with different endings.