Starring:  John Nettles, Jane Wymark, Daniel Casey

Written by: over twenty writers

Created by: Caroline Graham

Year: 1997–2012

Plot: Fictional county of Midsummer, despite its idillic meadows, friendly pubs and picturesque villages, is a viciously murderous place. Veteran DCI Tom Barnaby and his dim-witted assistants pursue truth an justice.

Pros: The essence of what it means to be English.

Cons: You could drive a cadillac through the holes in the plot of some of the installments.