Of all the series that can be classified as comfort watches, only a handful rival Midsomer Murders for this title. Since its debut in 1997, the British crime series has been one of the most popular television shows globally. The show has beautiful countryside vistas and offers dark humor alongside brutal violence, horrific and ludicrous murders, and a group of detectives who continually and successfully cope with the unexpected while remaining humble and composed in their professional demeanor. With a total of 24 seasons produced thus far and more to come, the series is a rarity in that it has no shortage of both familiarity and appeal.

The show’s charm is predicated mainly on its refusal to be anything other than its own vision. While most high-end mystery/thriller shows strive for complex narratives, provide real social insight, or simply show the world as a bleak and hopeless place, Midsomer Murders embraces all aspects of cozy escapism. The cottages are perfect, the fields are green, and the corpses… well, they’re usually found in ways that suggest the writers are having a lot of fun. This is a world where murder isn’t terrifying so much as theatrical, where the wildest crime imaginable will still be solved in two hours flat. The series is now streaming for free on Plex, making its 24 seasons even easier to binge.

Why the Cozy Crime Formula in ‘Midsomer Murders’ Still Works After 24 Seasons

The show’s enduring consistency is key to its comfort-food appeal. Every episode drops viewers into the fictional county of Midsomer, where DCI Barnaby — first Tom Barnaby (John Nettles), now his cousin John (Neil Dudgeon) — and his detective sergeant tackle a fresh case. Someone dies prematurely. Someone else looks suspicious. More bodies fall. By the end, the real killer is revealed, cuffed, and carted away before the credits roll.

It’s a formula, yes, but it’s one viewers love. Each murder delivers the familiar structure of a classic whodunnit with just enough variation to keep things lively. Throughout its tenure, there have been many “variants.” They included everything from deadly wild boar attacks to drownings in bowls of hard-boiled eggs to, famously, a giant wheel of cheese crushing an unsuspecting villager; the variations have included every imaginable outcome. More recent editions of the series are not without their own absurdity, with an innovative intro scene featuring a masked murderer using everything from crossbows to exploding life rafts to murder their victims.

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The series has been on since 1997.

Why Fans Keep Coming Back to ‘Midsomer Murders’

Image via ITV

As the series has evolved, the characters have been vital to maintaining the overall tone and essence. For lesser series, the transition from Tom Barnaby to John Barnaby would have been an insurmountable challenge. However, the strong family tie between John and Tom helped ease the switch. Viewers welcomed the new actor to the role, and his chemistry with both DS Winter (Nick Hendrix) and Dr. Fleur Perkins (Annette Badland) forms a fun, cohesive trio that enhances the series.

Yet, it’s not just the characters who make Midsomer Murders unique; the stunning English countryside also serves as much a part of the story as any character. Even viewers who live in postcard-ready hamlets get the thrill of touring new cottages, new ponds, and new gardens each week.

Combine that with the show’s knack for early appearances by soon-to-be-famous actors — Henry Cavill, Orlando Bloom, Olivia Colman, Hugh Bonneville, Peter Capaldi — and you get a series that doubles as a time capsule of British talent.

How Free Streaming Platforms Helped Turn Midsomer Murders Into a Global Comfort Binge

Image via ITV

While many procedurals fade after a few seasons, Midsomer Murders has only grown in reach. It remains a major international hit, especially in Germany, Scandinavia, and the Baltics, and its availability on free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) has given it a second life. Channels built entirely around Midsomer run episodes 24/7, which has introduced the series to a whole new audience looking for comfort viewing without a subscription.

ITV has demonstrated continuing enthusiasm for renewing the series; Season 25 is already greenlit for production, and Season 26 will begin filming next year. Both cast members and crew attribute the show’s long life to its proven tone, global audience loyalty, and an innate ability to maintain the series’ original feel and comfort level while making slight adjustments to accommodate changes in our culture. In addition to being produced as a television series, Midsomer is also being staged in theaters throughout the UK.

Stream Midsomer Murders for free now on Plex.

Midsomer Murders

Release Date

March 23, 1997

Network

ITV1

Directors

Peter Smith, Sarah Hellings, Richard Holthouse, Renny Rye, Jeremy Silberston, Alex Pillai, David Tucker, Roberto Bangura, Paul Gibson, Matt Carter, Gill Wilkinson, Moira Armstrong, Baz Taylor, Audrey Cooke, Simon Langton, Nick Laughland, Toby Frow, Leon Lopez, Peter Cregeen, Charles Palmer, Luke Watson