Death in the Slow Lane is the first episode of the fourteenth series of Midsomer Murders and first aired 23rd March 2011. Neil Dudgeon makes his first starring appearance as John Barnaby.
DCI John Barnaby arrives in Causton on his cousin Tom's retirement. Jones misses his old boss and the two men do not gel, especially as Barnaby seems dismissive of Jones' efforts to restore a vintage car once driven by local racer Duncan Palmer for a classic car competition hosted at her school by frosty headmistress Harriet Wingate. Palmer faked his death in the 1960s but was actually found dead in Midsomer some years later. His old team-mate Peter Fossett is judging the contest and the entrants include Peter's brisk, bossy daughter Kate Cameron and her ex-husband Jamie, now in love with Harriet's shy daughter Jessica. Kate will do anything to win, enlisting the help of the other judge, radio D.J. Dave "Dogboy" Day, who is found murdered. Soon after another young man is killed, who turns out to be involved with Kate's precocious schoolgirl daughter Charlotte in drug dealing. After Barnaby has discovered that Duncan Palmer was Jessica's father, he confronts the killer, but has cause to show respect for Jones who rescues him from being another victim of Death in the Slow Lane.
Tropes:
- Artistic License – Cars: Kate Cameron's Alvis would not be in an auto show for "classic cars" as it has a modern, noiseless radiator "Flex Fan."
- Car Fu / Impaled with Extreme Prejudice: D.J. Dogboy is killed when the murderer puts the vintage car he had just started in gear, causing it to move forward and resulting in his being impaled on the crank handle.
- The Dog Bites Back: Nerys and Bethan at first seem to accept being used by Charlotte, but knowing how she mocks them behind their backs, they only feign ignorance while they secretly record the evidence that she is actually a drug dealer and quickly show it to Barnaby.
- Gone Horribly Wrong: D.J. Dogboy's murder was probably unnecessary, since he, apart from an initial shock, seemed to have no intention of turning Charlotte in. However, Peter Fossett killed him anyway and in doing so not only he led Barnaby to arrive and, in the course of the murder investigation, learn the truth about Charlotte's drug dealing anyway, but the DCI eventually discovers also other truths that might otherwise have remained hidden, namely that Peter had sexual relations with his (non-biological) daughter, that he is Charlotte's biological father, and most importantly that he is the murderer of Duncan Palmer.
- Parental Incest: Played with. A scene between Kate Cameron and her father, Peter Fossett, heavily implies they're sleeping together. They are, but he's not her real father, and they both know it. That said, he did raise her, so there's still the same unhealthy dynamic involved.
- Secretly Gay Activity: When John Barnaby moves to Causton, he is approached by a man from the local rugby club who tries to entice him into joining, and explains how several members get together to enjoy each other's company. He beats a hasty retreat when John asks if his wife would be welcome at these evenings.
- Stepping Out for a Quick Cup of Coffee: John and Jones are questioning a particularly uncooperative suspect and Jones gives John a pointed look. John proceeds to look very intently out of a window for a minute, giving Jones the opportunity to rough the suspect up a bit until he opens up, at which point Barnaby turns back around and thanks the man for his cooperation.
- Unwilling Suspension: Happens to Barnaby after he is knocked out by the murderer. The killer plans to drop Barnaby onto a sharp set of plough shears at the end of their conversation.
- Vehicular Sabotage: The murderer kills Thomas Brightwell by shearing through the steering linkage on the car he's driving, causing it to crash while going round a sharp bend.
- Villainous Breakdown: Charlotte's reaction when John reveals that Nerys and Bethan taped her getting dressed to go to the nightclubs to sell drugs, and when she talked to her mother about it. She tries to attack them as they laugh at her.
