They might have done. They were curious about the ancient mystery. Also, did investigating the graveyard really make a difference? It meant they found the body, but it would probably have been found sooner or later anyway. It's not like the graveyard was important to him - he only found out about it himself a few hours earlier. Nor were there were any bad consequences for him. Creek found out, but he had no proof, and apparently was happy for the husband to be murdered anyway.


I agree with a lot of the other criticisms of the show. One other thing that bothered me is that no-one tried to talk to the old guy. He could signal with his eyes, so they could have found some way to communicate. He must have been disturbed by the black guy putting up cameras around his home without permission, and would have wanted to expose that. Nobody thought the old guy was evil or anything.

And when he does signal, it is to indicate a letter 'Y' that no-one can see except him.

With the technology nowadays you can get devices where you can spell out letters and words using your eyes.

The biggest saving grace of the episode was Warwick Davis. He was the best thing in the plot and was a welcome addition. The rest was watchable, but not in the league of JC in the past.

The problem with these letters and the persona that he created was that (as far as we are concerned) there was no actual other possible culprit and yet the police just gave up. And "Anti-Money" being a self-incriminating device is kind of ridiculous and definitely something that would have been important in a serious investigation. But the whole Striped Unicorn case seemed like it was supposed to be quite frivolous.

Not really sure why they introduced a murdery character from Jonathan's past just to kill him in fire. Seemed like a bit of filler to try to create drama where it was lacking.

Who was the man with the knife?
I can't remember ever seeing him in an episode.

The lad who played young Jonathan looked remarkably like Alan Davies would have been at that age I think. Does anyone know if he was played by Alan's own son?

I did not enjoy it

I enjoyed it - not as much as the original first series but a lot better than the last.
I was almost convinced at the beginning that the man was Vincent Price then realised it couldn't be!
I thought Jonathan was not so much on the ball this time. I like others got Antimony straight away but didn't connect it to the husband just the poison. I also got the missing pages straight away. I was still pretty convinced that the housekeeper had something to do with it until the missing pages were found then I thought it was the security camera guy.
The comedy was good and Warwick Davis fitted right in but I would have preferred to see more of Jonathan than him as he seemed to take over.
Loved the bit about "go and pick some cotton " and Jonathan's reaction. Also the vodka ice cubes were good. I thought his wife was fine in it and don't really understand the criticism of her.
The only thing that was off was the burning alive of the guy in the pit. Rather too offhand I thought as it is a terrible death.

He never appeared in the episode where he was the killer

She deleted a telephone message meant for JC, deflected her friend when she was about to tell JC about the case, moaned about him bringing his belongings from the windmill to their house (as if it was only her house), moaned constantly in fact about him getting involved in weird situations. As he's been doing forever.

Why did she marry him if she dislikes him and his lifestyle so much?

And she constantly makes stupid and unhelpful remarks when he's on a case.

Also they have zero chemistry, she has zero personality, and I can't imagine them ever being attracted to one another.

(Why did the writer not give him a nicer wife?)

However she did go with him to the creepy house and did stay even after getting into bed with the dead man, not rushing off to the nearest hotel. She tries to work out the clues and does take an interest. She even crawled on her hands and knees to find the cellar entrance and went down! I don't think I would do that. She was also sympathetic about his brother.

BTW have we heard about his brother before and what happened to him. I must admit I did not get the significance of the globe falling open showing the pixie notes.

[quote=cris182;84995100]He never appeared in the episode where he was the killer



Oh, right, thank you...what was the episode and how do you know? Did I miss something?

Exactly this

. As you said, in an earlier post, she prevents Jonathan from being Jonathan, which is surely the whole purpose of the series.

I read an interview with Alan Davies re this episode and he mentioned that he and the actress who plays Polly have known each other for years...sadly though they don't seem able to transfer this friendship/contact to the screen.

The only good thing I can say about last nights episode is that it was marginally better than the awful mini series of a few years ago
Jonathan looked more like the person from earlier episodes, casual clothing rather than the awful suit...and a country house setting, not him in a London office.
Apart from that, Polly began to irritate me from her first appearance and nothing improved thru the episode.
Sadly, I don't suppose they are going to change the set up now.
If they do make any more I will watch them....but more in hope than expectation.....
And, today, I got out my box sets and indulged, just to remind myself how good this programme used to be.

They could do with ditching the wife (from and investigative point of view anyway) and using Warwick Davis as his sidekick. Problem is with Grantchester and Father Brown floating about it could be one sleuthing clergyman too many. As much as Warwick actually suits being a vicar I suppose they could have him losing his faith or giving up active ministry as an interesting side theme.

I'm surprised by the negative reaction to be honest.

While it was far from being the strongest episode, I thought it was so much better than most of the recent episodes - the miniseries was admittedly dire.

As regards the plot holes - Jonathan Creek has never been the most logical programme on the telly, it's always had an element of escapism. Yes, it does take coincidence for a lot of the mysteries to work. Yes, it is illogical that the killers go to all the trouble of coming up with an overblown 'cunning plan' to do away with their victim or cover up the crime, but that's always been the case. The show relies on the fun of the mystery, it's never been massively concerned with establishing the reason to go to all the effort or to explain away the potential failure ratio .

I agree that Polly isn't the best companion (though she was much better this time around) and I still don't think the show is as strong as the early series, but I did genuinely feel it was a move in the right direction.

This about sums it up for me - I'd not liked Polly previously and couldn't see them as a couple, but in this episode she did have a point that his previous involvement in solving crimes leading to conviction might just have fatal consequences . . .

For me, the show is about trying to pick up the clues and come up with possible solutions - however far-fetched they might be

I loved the humour in this episode, Nina picking cotton, Warwick Davies dialing the helpline for the exorcism, the buttons

Not as good as the early ones, but better than the more recent ones, and an enjoyable hour and a half's TV

sorry not read all the threads, but I was expecting it to be poor as have been his recent one offs (for me nothing beats the C Quentin series). But I did think that this was clearly the last JC and if anything maybe Warwick would be the spin off.

The reason JC and wife went to the old house was to hide from the man who was seeking revenge on JC as the police didn't have enough resources for round the clock protection.

The man seeking revenge discovered their location by asking the neighbour who knew where they were because of her taxi driver husband.

[quote=gemini666;84995849]
Cos Warwick Davis told us....Talked about the House of Monkeys case with the scientist falling on a samurai sword and how he had befriended the guy in jail,that he'd found god and was "grateful" to Jonathan for saving him but was now released...Cue alarm bells lol

I thought it was one of the better specials, all of them could be pulled apart at the seems if you tried, even the early ones.

I did like all the past references, closing the door on the windmill, bringing up past cases and even giving Warwick an old Volvo estate to drive.

The worst one without doubt being the Judas Tree a good number of years ago now that I can only remember some carp about injecting a tree and a woman falling out a window trick.

Correct, also the husband didn't actually have to set up poisoned ball to fall into his wives drink at all, he could have poured her the drink and slipped the poison in. He only had to set up the scene where by it could have happened, so that JC would spot it.

I agree that Polly is a bit annoying in the fact that she's actively trying to keep Jonathan from going near these puzzles, when we as an audience desperately want him to solve the mysteries.
But rewatching the first couple of episodes, I can't understand the undying love fans seem to have of Caroline Quentin's character. Yes, she pushes Jonathan into the cases, but aside from that she's annoying, loud, constantly eating and speaking at the same time and entirely unsympathetic.
I think it's an unpopular opinion, but I think Sheridan Smith was the best companion. Lot of spunk and character.

Fair point. Another thing about that case, surely she could've heard the poison ball roll along the book-shelf or at least hear the 'plop' as it fell into her drink.

I'm in the "not quite vintage but a lot better than many recent episodes" camp.

My thoughts: Mr and Mrs Creek need to "consciously uncouple". The wife is just too bland and she doesn't really work as a foil.

Jonathan needs to live somewhere a bit more atmospheric. Perhaps not back to the windmill but possibly he could live in a watermill or a gothic church conversion. (found for him by the Warwick Davies character).

Warwick Davies's character is great and needs to return. I agree about the surfeit of vicar detectives but he could be popping in and out. My suggestion is that he helps Creek get over his divorce/separation by introducing Creek to his niece (who turns out in a reverse cliché expectation to be a gorgeous 6ft ex-model) and she becomes Creek's new accomplice.