Midsomer Murders, "Judgement Day"

New episode out now! We took our first foray into the world of Midsomer Murders with the series three episode “Judgement Day”. We discuss the traditional high body count in Midsomer County murder cases, complain about the slightly confusing timeline, create actual suspect lists, try to psychoanalyze the murderer, and extensively discuss young Orlando Bloom. We get into the show’s dark humor and longevity, as well as the whitewashed portrayal of English country life. Katy complains about her coworker, Carrie gives relationship advice, Maddy gets lost in men’s names, and Mack shares his weird allergies. We also wonder if just everyone has racist dolls, tear apart late ’90s fashion, discuss how the attractiveness of actors can take away from the story, hate on the Charmin bears, share church festival memories, and reveal who among us loves the theremin. Enjoy!

TW: Racism, accidental disfigurement, the police, laboratory animal research

Show Notes:

• Why do butchers wear white? According to Quora answers, it’s a combination of tradition, and so they can be bleached/cleaned. The whiteness makes it easy to see if there are leftover contaminants after cleaning as well as being able to know when to get a new one while working; you can see easily if you have gotten something non-food safe on them.
  
• The death penalty was abolished in the UK in 1965. Wiki.
  
• The play Katy was thinking of was Hangmen by Martin McDonagh.
  
• The last execution by guillotine in France was in 1977. 8 Things You May Not Know About the Guillotine
  
• The Morris Ring website explaining the Morris Dance, a traditional folk dance
  
• Apparently the Briefcase Men stopped appearing in America’s Thanksgiving Parade in Detroit after 2014? Katy always thought she slept in and missed it but that’s why they haven’t been around in a while. The parade drill team was first created as a marketing ploy for a haberdashery in 1985 and were always 16 men because that’s how many men signed up when the hat shop owner first advertised. See the Detroit Free Press article here and see their 1993 Thanksgiving Parade appearance here.
  
• The theremin - A short introduction to a unique instrument, Somewhere Over the Rainbow, Claire de Lune