Midsomer Murders (TV Series) Second Sight (2005) User Reviews

Despite the silly ending, it's actually pretty good.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 6/10 · 12 October 2019]

Yesterday I watched The Fisher King, and found it incredibly boring, Second Sight is far from boring. The opening is very dramatic, a death on a stormy night, that sets the tone for the episode. It has a creepy, otherworldly vibe throughout, with psychics and fortune tellers galore. Naturally sceptical, it takes a man of Barnaby's character to sort out the charlatans from the genuine.

I get why people don't like this, and like others already have, must slate the ending, which was a shambles, and in very bad taste. There were many psychic elements that I would put down to coincidence.

Some nice performances, the best I thought, Wanda Ventham, who played the flame haired Gypsy with style.

It's watchable enough, some elements I didn't like, some I did, but at least it can't be deemed boring. 6/10

Quite the Hodgepodge

[Hitchcoc · 6/10 · 22 March 2016]

When one is dealing with people who are a little off, it makes a rational evaluation of the plot hard. First we have a man who dies, his face covered with burns. Apparently, there is a brother who is doing experiments on the brain (I think). But we find out that it is not the burns that killed him. Cut now to a group of people who claim to be clairvoyant and a little baby girl who is going to be a sort of savior. Throw in a family that can't figure this out and a parish priest who has some sort of agenda. Meanwhile, Barnaby has to sort through all this stuff in order to find the murderer. Of course, along the way, following along with this series, a couple of other murders soon follow. The whole thing is so scattered and the conclusion so unsatisfying that one gets lost in the muck. There are moments of entertainment but we need to have some sort of verisimilitude to make it work.

MM craziest episode yet

[vitoscotti · 7/10 · 12 November 2019]

I also don't like as usual the vicar always being a crazed killer. The baby screaming was creepy. But, the whole episode was bizarre. I like there was little slow paced build up. The Barnabys and Scott were onscreen almost right into it. Cully is going away. I hope not for long. The esp not being a con was unusual for a detective mystery. MM plots aren't typical cops and robbers. This one was really off the beaten path. Barnaby showed frailty dealing with special powers. The victim could of staggered around after the blow to the head. But, six drunks needed to hold him down in his condition a reach. Over the top, but a very enjoyable story. Vito S 11-12-19

Enjoyable, but not great episode

[wjspears · 7/10 · 23 December 2020]

I disagree with the consensus of reviewers here, that this episode of Midsomer Murders was awful.

It was a little bizarre, I'll grant that. But I found "Second Sight" entertaining with its odd characters, sympathetic characters, and those characters we just weren't sure about--pretty much what I expect from any Midsomer Murders mystery.

It seems to me that more than some of the negative reviewers were "put-off" by the paranormal theme, and impatient with the validation it got. I am more or less agnostic on the subject, so I just took that in stride. The show certainly revealed several charlatans in the course of the episode.

(One part that I did find a wee bit incredible, was Sergeant Scott playing Texas Holdem Poker, and never noticing that there was a large mirror behind him above the bar).

(I also sympathize somewhat with Christian fans of the show, who complain that vicars, and religious folks in general, always seem to be hypocrites at best, and murderers at worst. A little bit more balance would be nice).

I don't agree, though, that Barnaby and Scott were more interested in whether second sight was real, than in who the killer was. Or that it was obvious who the villain was. I was never sure who the killer was, or why the family members were being murdered.

If the theme of clairvoyance and ESP "turn you off" than you should probably pass on this episode. But if you do pass, I think you will be passing on a pretty decent edition of Midsomer Murder Mysteries.

Science v Religion v Insanity

[Johnny_West · 10/10 · 15 April 2022]

This show is hard to digest the first time, because it really has everything tossed into it. The primary conflict is science versus religion. The investigation starts when John Ransom, a local known for having "second sight" gets beaten up at a bar and drops dead, with burn marks on his head.

Ransom's only family are also the eccentric town scientists who investigate "second sight." They are a father and son team who pay the locals to conduct second sight experiments on them using an electric skull plate that shocks their brains and leaves scars on their skulls as part of the investigation of "second sight." The fact that nobody had killed these kooks before is probably the most shocking thing about this episode.

The primary quack scientist, Gregory Ransom (played by Geoffrey Whitehead) could care less that his son John has died. The other son, Max, manages to care even less than that. What a family of pathetic weasels.

Into the mix is the local priest, "Preaching Pat" (played by Will Keen), who is another weirdo. He has to build up a flock in his church within one year, or else he gets demoted. That part of the story subtly drills home the fact that religion to some degree is a business.

Preaching Pat has to make some sales, or his franchise will be shut down. That proves to be a crucial issue in this story, since Preaching Pat feels like he cannot win over converts as long as the people in Midsomer Mere believe in "second sight."

Into the mix is Romany Rose (Wanda Ventham) and her claims that clairvoyance is second sight, and her boyfriend the sleazy bookie (Bill Stewart). They keep popping up through the episode, to confuse the attention as to who the real killer might be.

Barnaby, Sgt. Scott, and Dr. Bullard spend the episode in a thoughtful pseudo-investigation of second sight by learning some background and history at the local bar with the locals. This town has way more weirdoes than usual, and at least a few of them should have been taken off to a mental hospital long before now. I really enjoyed the wackiness and insanity of this episode. I think it is a pretty intense episode as far as the characters and the story goes. It seemed like the wealthy town scientist/eccentric had mistreated and bullied a whole town for many years. I felt sad for many of them.

Barnaby almost seems amused during most of it, and I think he is intentionally gaslighting Sgt. Scott about second sight. A lot of the acting of John Nettles is very subtle. He is an interesting actor who lets his expressions and body language do some of the acting. On a second viewing I often get another way to look at what Nettles was conveying in an episode. In my humble opinion, Barnaby is a hardcore skeptic about everything, and he never believes in second sight, but goes along with it to understand what the townies are thinking, and to find the killer. That is always the only thing Barnaby cares about.

I don't understand the hate for this episode.

[sunnydale2004 · 10/10 · 22 April 2024]

Honestly it was a great episode I loved the storyline. I'm also a massive Owen Teale fan as well. The storyline was definitely different but it worked it showed just how amazing Tom Barnaby really is at his job. Most police are closed to anything they don't understand. Seasons 7 & 8 showed Tom Barnabys depth as a character. I believe that kind of writing is what makes Midsomer Murders so great. Don't judge this episode so harshly it's not a documentary it's a fictional story. Every murder that happens in Midsomer is always creative and has many moving components. I really really enjoyed this episode.

Very much below par in my opinion...

[Mastermindthaone · 3/10 · 20 April 2011]

I am currently watching the entire show in chronological order, and I enjoy most of the episodes a whole lot. Unfortunately this is NOT one of them. The story is weak to say the least, and just like the previous reviewer, the identity of the murderer came as no surprise at all to me either. As the previous reviewer also stated, Barnaby seems to have very little interest in solving the murders, but a whole lot of interest in whether second sight is for real or not. Scott on the other hand seems almost mentally absent the entire episode...even when someone is threatening to kill him, he doesn't utter a word?!? Very strange as he is usually quite a loudmouth who doesn't take no c##p from anyone but Barnaby. The worst part though, is the VERY obvious plot-hole that makes no sense at all. In the start of the episode the first kid who dies, swings right and left to hit whoever he can, and is then held down by 6 men. When they release their grip on him, he's apparently dead. Good enough, but at the end it is revealed that the murderer gave him a deadly blow with a large candlestick??? So the kid gets a deadly blow over the head, and naturally decides to go out and pound someone else in the head, during which he dies...YEAH RIGHT!! That really ruined this episode for me...

No second sight needed for this one.

[runsfast2002 · 3/10 · 29 June 2014]

If you've seen more than a dozen episodes of Midsomer, you'll know who the killer is as soon as you see the vicar on the green. In Midsomer, the majority of the vicars are either mad, murderous, or both. At least Emma and Ben Kirby, who go to church, are portrayed as normal.

The main plot has to do with two families in a village, one which has the "gift" of second sight and the other that does not and the efforts by some of the non second sighters to study those who have it. Why it's just the Kirby family that's highlighted as not having second sight and none of the other families in the village isn't made clear. Does the village really just consist of two families?

There are hints now and again of a good story, but it takes more than hints to make a good mystery and this one isn't anywhere close. The motive doesn't make any sense, there is no way the first death could have happened as shown in the flashback, and what did rewiring the chair have to do with anything? I'm a huge fan of this show, but this episode doesn't deserve a second glance.

Average Midsomer Murders.

[poolandrews · 5/10 · 30 November 2007]

Midsomer Murders: Second Sight is set in the small village of Midsomer Mere where local layabout John Ransom (James Hoare) is thrown out of the local pub The Luck in the World by landlord Jimmy Kirby (Sean Chapman), John becomes very violent & some of the lads are needed to restrain him. While struggling out on the village green John drops down & dies, DCI Tom Barnaby (John Nettles) & Sgt. Dan Scott (John Hopkins) are on the case. The pathologist Dr. Bullard (Barry Jackson) says that John's brain had been fried by electrical currents & there are scorch marks all over his scalp, his father Dr. Gregory Ransom (Geoffrey Whitehead) & his brother Max (Joe Anderson) are known amongst the village for conducting bizarre experiments into ESP & trying to develop a technique to unlock a persons 'second sight' so they can into the future. Was John's death the result of the experiments or simply a pub brawl? Soon after Gregory is also found dead, probably murdered as things get more sinister by the minute...

Episode 5 from season 8 this Midsomer Murders story was directed by Richard Holthouse & is alright if nothing overly special by this show's usually high standards. The script by Tony Etchells has a few aspects that didn't quite do it for me as a big fan of the series, for a start when the killer is revealed I must admit it didn't come as a huge surprise & their motives are tenuous & flimsy to say the least. They are the sort of motives the killer in a cheap horror flick might have & not in the sort of high quality murder mystery drama that Midsomer Murders usually is. Then there's the fact most of the time I never felt Barnaby or Scott were investigating the murders at all & were instead much more interested in trying to prove or disprove the phenomenon of second sight which allows people to see into the future, again I didn't think this aspect of the story was suited to the type of show Midsomer Murders is. I'm not being funny but if I had second sight I'd use it to win the lottery. Three different times. In a row. When Second Sight actually concentrates on telling a murder mystery then it's as good as most Midsomer Murders but for me it didn't do it often enough & the strange supernatural elements about second sight & all that nonsense dominates the story far too much. At almost 100 odd minutes in length & a pretty complicated storyline to grasp you really have to pay attention & take everything in otherwise it'll leave you behind & the ending won't make as much sense as it should.

In this episode we are treated to a good old fashioned British thunder storm with thunder & lightening at the end, it creates a nice moody atmosphere I suppose if nothing else. The St. Martin's Church in Second Sight was in reality The Holy Trinity Church in Penn Street in Buckinghamshire, the 'The Luck in the World' pub featured in this episode was actually located in Warborough in Oxfordshire & was the same one used as 'The Six Bells' in Midsomer Murders episodes Bad Tidings (2004) & Sins of Commission (2004) both from the previous season! The school where Barnaby sets up an office is in reality Worminghall Village Hall in Worminghall also in Oxfordshire. As usual this has high production values & is extremely well made. The acting is good too with a small role for Wanda Ventham who appeared in a couple of low budget British horror flicks The Blood Beast Terror (1968) & Captain Kronos - Vampire Hunter (1974) in her younger days.

Second Sight is an OK Midsomer Murders, I thought all the silliness about second sight & seeing into the future got in the way, this is alright & there's still three murders but they almost seem like an afterthought. Good but by no means a classic.

Jumped the Shark

[Hughmanity · 3/10 · 29 March 2019]

I've been watching Midsomer Murders in chronological order and have enjoyed most of not all the episodes up to this point. The one constant of the show is that these people live in the real world governed by the laws of science, not a fantasy word of superpowers and such. Well, no more, because for some unknown reason the writers decided to jump that shark for the sake of this utterly ridiculous plot around ESP.

I kept waiting for Barnaby to uncover the ruse and expose the 'second sight' card readers and fortune tellers for their magic tricks, and was very surprised when the climactic scene involved a character evidently showing that it was all true, that they could in fact see the future and read cards with no problem at all.

Why would the writers cross this boundary? Can I now expect other super powers to come into play? Will Barnaby soon be able to fly? Will Scott possess super strength or mind reading ability? It's all on the table now that this ridiculous episode was allowed to air.

Shane on the writers for not recognizing the line of suspension of disbelief that had already been well established by EIGHT SEASONS of Midsomer Murders. They just had to jump the shark.

One of the sillier episodes, could be considered a parody.

[roedyg · 5/10 · 25 March 2015]

This episode is unique in that the supernatural plays a major role. Both Barnaby and Scott start out as sceptics, but become believers. (I don't approve of injecting woo into realistic dramas. It leads the public astray and dresses them to be conned.)

It has a cast of eccentric characters:

A hermit obsessed with meticulously recording air pressure, who can make slot machines pay off.

A handsome young mad scientist who puts people in a Faraday cage and shocks them to train them to have second sight.

An insufferably vain, priggish, self-righteous vicar.

A baby, who, any time she cries, it portends doom.

A barkeep who has dozens of ways to rip off his customers.

The ending is so classically melodramatic. All that was missing was the pipe organ and the howling werewolves.

There is one special effect that is quite impressive. A truck crashes through the wall into a schoolroom.

Nothing told me, this episode wasn't going to be good :)

[harrykivi · 3/10 · 28 April 2020]

"Midsomer Murders" has been one of my favorite TV shows since I was a teen, but I've always thought the shows best period was when John Nettles stood around. After Nettles left and Neil Dudgeon took over, "Midsomer Murders" hasn't been the same.

During John Nettles era, there were a number of bad episodes. The horrible "The Electric Vendetta" and very weird "The Straw Woman" come to mind immediately. "Second Sight" is known for being one the shows absolute worsts. The first time I watched it, I thought it was not great. The second to fifth time haven't been so positive. I don't loathe "Second Sight"( there are far worse "Midsomer Murders" episodes), but it is not a good one at all.

Let's start with positives.

. The production values of this episode are great. The direction is smooth (mind few rough edits) and music fits to the scenery as always. The supporting cast is fine for what is given to them. Bill Stewart and Wanda Ventham are particularly enjoyable, even though John Nettles steals every scene he is in.

. "Second Sight" has some entertaining and suspenseful moments, which offer intrigue and charm. Appreciated lovely scenes with Joyce.

But...

. The story of "Second Sight" is unfortunately a convoluted mess with plot holes and weirdness. Everyone has mentioned the explanation to the first murder, which makes zero sense, but the characters of this story are either underdeveloped or over the top. The latter concerning Will Keen's Pete, Joe Anderson's Max and Owen Teale's Mal. Even though the actors are giving okay to decent performances, the characters feel black and white with not much depth to them.

. Agree that the story has too much of the "second sight" aspects to it and lacks of mystery. Even Barnaby, whose actions are bizarre in this episode, seems to be uninterested in investigating the murder. When I was watching "Second Sight" (which is a pretty accurate title for this episode, because that theme's definitely the main focus), I kept asking: "Where's the mysterious part?" Dan Scott as well seems to be out of character here with his modesty.

. The subplot about Cully Barnaby going to perform away from Causton felt a bizarre direction to take. Not for the character, but it took me out of the story multiple times, because it doesn't fit with the stories grimness.

. Finally, the solution of "Second Sight" is not very satisfying. The murderer isn't hard to figure out (as soon you have seen the priest, you know he's not as innocent as he seems) and the motives as well were uninteresting.

Overall, not the absolute worst of "Midsomer Murders", but pretty close to that.

3/10 HK

A 'Midsomer Murders' low-point

[TheLittleSongbird · 3/10 · 1 February 2017]

What a real shame. Have been a huge fan of 'Midsomer Murders' for a long time, and while it is nowhere near as good now and there are a few not so good Tom Barnaby-era episodes it has been watched and re-watched with great pleasure.

'Midsomer Murders' was no stranger to disappointing episodes prior to "Second Sight". "The Electric Vendetta" was the first bad episode to me, being over-stuffed, underdeveloped and convoluted, and "The Straw Woman" left a sour taste in the mouth in many ways. There are a few others that scrape the just-about-average rating.

"Second Sight" was to me, and it was always the case since first encountering it, the worst episode to be made at time of airing, and to this day it's still one of the show's worst. After being impressed hugely by the previous episode "Bantling Boy", to see the show reach low-point depths in so short a time beggars belief.

There are a few redeeming values. As always, the production values are top notch, with to die for scenery, the idyllic look of it contrasting very well with the story's darkness, and quaint and atmospheric photography. Love the house, like a character of its own. The music fits perfectly, and the theme tune one of the most memorable and instantly recognisable of the genre. The acting is good enough considering what's given to them.

Unfortunately, the story is an absolutely shoddy mess. It is the first 'Midsomer Murders' episode to not feel like a 'Midsomer Murders' episode at all, with the mystery aspects (of which there isn't enough of, and it plays second fiddle to the second sight aspect) being both convoluted and dull, as a result of trying to cram in too much and neglecting to properly explain it. The execution of the second sight stuff is even worse, that gave the episode a continually weird vibe that didn't belong in any way and not only it take over everything else (or so it feels) but it very rarely made sense.

It is agreed that the killer's identity was not the kind to leave you floored, to put it mildly. Worse though were their very flimsy and bizarrely senseless motives and the ending when "explaining" the first murder clearly completely forgetting what happened because what was shown in the explanation didn't add up at all. Thought that on first viewing a long time ago (watching it around dinner time after school during GCSEs when ITV were doing re-runs) and after two further viewings (to check as to whether my initial thoughts were still that it's one of the show's worst episodes) it's still a head-scratcher.

Really was irked by the attitudes of Barnaby and Scott, another thing that bothered me on first viewing, towards the case here too. Barnaby seemed to forget what he was meant to be investigating, because seemingly everything he was trying to prove was completely irrelevant to the mystery, and Scott didn't seem to be functioning as a human at all. Their usually delightful chemistry is nice enough, but marred by the bad writing for it to really shine. The script is, to sum it up in one word, weak.

Overall, a huge disappointment and a 'Midsomer Murders' low-point. 3/10 Bethany Cox

The Worst of a Great Show

[connor-13 · 1/10 · 15 August 2013]

Like the other reviewers, I am a huge fan of this series, but very disappointed in this episode. I love the characters, the writing and the great details on English country life. I even have a lot of fun trying to recognize British cars that we never see in the US and the repeated patterns in the plots (how many times do they have to have three victims?). The idiotic psychic plot line and even the writing were terrible. It appears that they threw this together over lunch and filmed it nearly in real time (except of course for the weather). It reminded me of times when my students hope they can get by on their charm instead of actual substance (and I teach future engineers!). If the Midsomer Murders team has any standards at all, they should delete this one and never show it again.

Awful rubbish, not befit for such a good show

[nathanbatten · 2/10 · 10 February 2023]

Do you enjoy watching an intriguing murder mystery plot, with a clever twist, and an interesting conclusion? If so, don't bother watching this poor excuse for an episode.

The whole episode plays out like it was actually written by someone who thought they were writing the screenplay for Paranormal Activity, but at the last minute realised they were *actually* supposed to be writing a Midsomer Murders episode.

It was immediately obvious that the murderer was going to be the vicar. The 'innocent parish priest act' would only fool someone who had an intellect comparable to an avocado, and the final revelation that he was the murderer was about as shocking as interesting as Prince Harry's latest book (i.e., not at all).

What was most frustrating about this episode was that it made no sense. All the elements are being set up as if they are going to come to a satisfying resolution. What sort of fraudulent activity is going on to explain 'second sight'? What connects the murders? What is the motivation of the killer? The problem is the 'answers' to these questions are as dull and nonsensical as the premise is unbelievable.

What is this 'second sight' thing all about? Turns out it just so happens that some people in this rural English village are given the paranormal power to see into the future. Oh well then, that explains it all! You'd think you were watching an episode of some freak cult paganism, not what is normally considered quite an eccentric and charming English programme.

Why did the vicar end up murdering three people? Well, for the wonderfully convincing reason that the Bishop had told him he needed to move parish! I mean, seriously. They tried to spin this into some dribble about how "preaching Pete" couldn't successfully turn the church around and how he was miserable about this, but I'm not sure what he expected to achieve in terms of congregation numbers by kidnapping a mother and forcibly baptising a child whilst offing members of the parish.

Not to mention you have the random running, hiding and being mysterious act from a bunch of dull individuals whose whole characters seem to be to be as emotionless as they possibly can. No one seems bothered by the fact that people keep being killed off, and the supposedly rough 'pub lads' are so grossly exaggerated and caricatured they end up entirely unbelievable.

The whole vibe is off too; if I wanted to watch some weird demonic ghost story, I probably wouldn't put on an episode of Midsomer Murders. Such a shame as there are many excellent episodes of this show, but this one lets it down so much.

Silly anti Christian plot

[sherrisouth · 5/10 · 14 January 2016]

I usually like Midsomer - though I often wonder why no black or Indian actors on the show - this plot was ridiculous and definitely anti Christian. A baby, who cries when she has ESP experiences, killed by baptism? A crazy minister... really? A man who can pull up a large granite tombstone? Implication in this series seems to be that any person who has any spiritual life at all is disturbed and usually the killer. The hero is the one who never goes to church, supposedly because he is 'enlightened.'Since when would ESP be considered pagan? I cannot make the connections. Very disappointed to have wasted my time and watched this drivel. Writer should be fired.

Not really looking at the first time around..

[sherondalewis-20531 · 4/10 · 16 February 2023]

I love MM. Love the whole show. Love the original cast of this great show more than the John Barnaby Era (no disrespect to John, Sarah) and Fleur is a riot!

But, there are some episodes that is below par. And this is just that. Mind you, to me, the WORST would be "Night of the Stag". This is nowhere near as bad but..yea. I agree with some comments as how you can easily sense who the killer is. But, what I don't get is, if you have Second Sight, and know that someone is on danger, one of them being your illegitimate son and a baby involved, WHY would you not use said abilities? The guy uses it ONLY after Barnaby pleads with him to help him catch the person (another evil, murderous Vicar, in a not so well established parish) who kidnapped a mother and child!! Are you kidding me? And earlier, as someone said in another comment, Scott (who bullied and warned the old man about ever crossing him in the episode "Maid in Splendour") was told by said guy that he was "going to kill him for touching things" didn't say anything. Why? Why didn't they allow Scott to stand up to him? And then, there's the flashback as the guy, running to save a military truck from crashing into a school, running in and say, "Let's play a game who can..." What? First off, you mean some giant guy comes running and the teacher doesn't blink an eye? She let him take over and get the kids outside? Yes, he saved lives but, come on now. "Everybody, you're in danger, get out now!" But..maybe that's me. That scene just made no sense to me..and I have seen this episode more than once! And another thing I don't get. How DID the first victim, who gets hit on the head by the Vicar, hoe did he manage to still fight people? Was he hit on the head first, them go in the bar, start a fight or, go in the bar first, THEN, he goes outside, gets hit on the head, then goes back in...you get the idea.

Just...I personally wasn't rooting for anyone in this episode. Even the baby was annoying!! Maybe the parents I felt pitty for!

As for the the other story, Cully wants to get in a van, traveling and acting, to Joyce's chagrin. And who would blame her? Cully went to Poland to act, to Perth (Scotland), and had Nico, an actor/bf. Now, she is doing this? I get why Joyce was non too thrill.

I was non too thrilled with this episode but, again, I would watch this more than "Night of the Stag" because once was enough for that horrible mess!

Bonkers plot and awful screaming baby

[stuartdhowden · 2/10 · 7 November 2020]

The baby should've been murdered early on. They got it wrong here

Jumping the shark

[andreas-36982 · 1/10 · 11 July 2020]

One of the, if not the worst episode of Inspector Barnaby. While the series has been playing with the mystic and the occult before, here it goes as far as establishing the existence of magic into the Barnaby universe, even making it a central element of the plot.

Don't waste your time...

[dpn-47996 · 1/10 · 13 October 2018]

...on this episode. The script writer should be banned from penning further scripts. While the 'mad' vicar might be offensive to some I've known several (in Evangelical circles). I found the distressed baby particularly distasteful.