Things That Go Bump in the Night is the first episode of the eighth series of Midsomer Murders and originally aired on 10th October 2004.
DCI Barnaby and DS Scott investigate the murder of Patrick Pennyman, an undertaker in the village of Fletcher's Cross. The man's wife thinks he committed suicide but the pathologist determines he was killed. The man died soon after his return home after attending a service at the local spiritualist church, itself the source of some controversy in the village. As the investigation progresses, the police learn that Pennyman was generally disliked. Former employees, business partners and others all had a grudge against him of one sort or another. Barnaby believes the head of the Spiritualist church to be a charlatan and there is a link to the ever-increasing number of murder victims. But the solution to the crimes is to be found in an illicit love affair.
This episode includes examples of the following tropes:
- Diegetic Soundtrack Usage: The brass band at the railway open day plays the theme tune before moving on to more traditional tunes.
- Dirty Old Man: The musical director of the village church is a man of advanced years with a bad case of wandering hands, including feeling up one of his choristers under the guise of correcting her technique.
- Fan Disservice: In flashback we see one of the murderers fully nude, while they are doing the first murder.
- Never Suicide: Pennyman is found with his wrists slit, but it becomes clear that as more people are found with the same that they are being murdered.
- Phony Psychic / Real After All: Somewhat subverted. We learn that the purported medium got her info about people in illicit ways, but the episode's end suggests her spiritual guide is real as Joyce seems to hear her as well.
- Robbing the Dead: One of the mysteries of the episode is how jewellery that was supposed to be buried with villagers ends up being sold in antique shops.
- Single Serving Friend: Joyce's friend Elizabeth is introduced in this episode and they are seemingly good friends but Elizabeth was not mentioned before or after this episode.
