Last Year's Model is the eighth episode of the ninth series of Midsomer Murders and originally aired on 17th September 2006.
Nearly a year after arresting Annie Woodrow for the murder of Frances Trevelyan, DCI Barnaby and DC Jones attend her trial. Annie and Frances were old friends dating back to their school days and she vehemently denies having anything to do with her death. The Crown alleges she was infatuated with Frances' husband John and was in fact stalking him. As the trial begins, Barnaby begins to doubt the woman's guilt and he and Jones continue to make discreet inquiries in the case. Pru Plunkett, an old friend of Barnaby's and a forensic psychiatrist who knows Annie very well, tells him that Annie was planning to move to London. He re-examines the evidence.
Tropes:
- Candlelit Bath / Two-Person Pool Party: A sleazy music producer and his mistress are holding one of these when they are interrupted by Barnaby.
- Courtroom Episode: Much of this episode takes place in a courtroom during the trial of a woman who was arrested for murder the year before, as Barnaby starts to have serious doubts regarding her guilt.
- Deconstruction: Of the usual Midsomer Murders episode. The actual murder occurred almost a year earlier, and a major plot point is that Barnaby wonders if he got it wrong. Even the crazy scheme at the end to catch the killer is both a.) an act of desperation brought on because they don't have time to gather evidence before an innocent person is convicted and b.) very nearly fails.
- Frying Pan of Doom: Frances Trevelyan is bludgeoned to death with a heavy saucepan.
- Never One Murder: There is only one murder and that happened ten months prior to to the events of the episode.
