Guest Author - Pam Lawrence

In March 1997, the pilot for a show called Midsomer Murders first aired on ITV. Ten years and ten series later the programme remains one of the most popular of ITV's drama shows, and DCI Barnaby, amiably portrayed by John Nettles, one of the most beloved TV policemen of all time.

For some strange reason, when Michael Grade recently assumed the helm at ITV, there were worries that the show would be axed. Fans should now be relieved, as series 11 will be on screen as part of ITV's strong autumn line up. Producer Brian True-May has been quoted as saying that the show has been guaranteed 14 new episodes over the next two years meaning a total Midsomer canon of 70 episodes, or 140 hours of murder and mayhem.

Unfortunately the show is no longer in it's comfy zone of Sunday night, but it really doesn't matter when it airs- it always hammers the opposition. Even on a Tuesday night, up against the Beeb's Holby Blue, it was no contest.

Not bad for a show that star John Nettles reckoned would run for five episodes, the number of titles then viable by author Caroline Graham. Like another ITV classic cop, Inspector Morse, DCI Barnaby and his team were taken directly from a beautifully written sequence of books .

The Killings at Badger's Drift was the first Barnaby novel, and, incidentally an exceptionally good read. It was selected by the Crime Writer's Association as one of the top one hundred mysteries of all time. (If you have enjoyed Midsomer, you really, really should check out the novels. Great summer reading) It was this story that was adapted as the pilot for Midsomer.

The quirkiness of Graham's characters translates beautifully to the small screen, and the insular, fictional county of Midsomer provides a real Christiesque feel. The show, with typical self deprecating humour, manages to strip away the outward trappings of wealth and snobbery to reveal pettiness and downright murderous behaviour.

The viewing figures for the show really speak for themselves in terms of its continuing viability. More than 13 million people tuned in to the pilot, and an average of 9 million plus have watched subsequent episodes.

Not just a UK phenomenon, the show has been sold around the World to places as diverse as Turkey and South Korea. My guess is that foreign viewers are captivated by many things about the show- the beautiful locations, in picture postcard English villages, the quirky eccentricity of the characters (again, so typically English in the minds of so many) and, I reckon, the fact that, in spite of the high body count and dark themes, that quintessential humour.

Midsomer Murders captures an essence of Englishness that is no longer how the people live, but how they once did; an almost contemporary piece of nostalgia. And we all know how well the Brits do nostalgia (Hearbeat anyone ?)

US viewers can catch some early episodes of the show throughout July on the Biography Channel.