Series synopsis
Murder Most Horrid is a British mystery crime comedy television series that premiered on BBC Two on November 14, 1991. It ended on April 2, 1999. It was created by Paul Smith. It stars Bill Paterson, Timothy Spall, Peter Bland and Stephen Frost.
Comedienne Dawn French tackles dark, tongue-in-cheek thrillers as her various characters embark on a different mystery every episode. In one way or another, she is involved with murder — either committing the crime or even getting bumped off herself!
Premise
Comedienne Dawn French tackles dark, tongue-in-cheek thrillers as her various characters embark on a different mystery every episode. In one way or another, she is involved with murder — either committing the crime or even getting bumped off herself!
Cast and characters
Leading cast
- Bill Paterson as Chief Inspector
- Timothy Spall as Pathologist
- Peter Bland as Editor
- Stephen Frost as Sgt Dawkins
- Gary Love as PC Williams
- John Boswall as Judge
- Kate Williams as Woman on Bus
- David Barber as Boy on Bus
Supporting cast
- Martin Jarvis as Maurice Howling
- Jane Asher as Lydia Howling
- James Cossins as Sir Hugh Lotterby
- Marsha Fitzalan as Lydia's Friend
- Christopher Good as Leonard
- Jacey Sallés as Silvia
- Andrew Dicks as Child
- Michael Sharvell-Martin as Mayor
- Tony Slattery as Tony Sparkle
- Gwen Taylor as Beryl
- Kenneth Cranham as Insp Salford
- Stephen Moore as Basil Hampton
Guest cast
- Bill Paterson as Chief Inspector
- Timothy Spall as Pathologist
- Peter Bland as Editor
- Stephen Frost as Sgt Dawkins
- Gary Love as PC Williams
- John Boswall as Judge
- Kate Williams as Woman on Bus
- David Barber as Boy on Bus
- Martin Jarvis as Maurice Howling
- Jane Asher as Lydia Howling
- James Cossins as Sir Hugh Lotterby
- Marsha Fitzalan as Lydia's Friend
Episodes
This series spans 4 seasons with 24 episodes.
| Season | Episodes | First aired | Last aired |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 1 | 6 | November 14, 1991 | December 19, 1991 |
| Season 2 | 6 | March 2, 1994 | April 7, 1994 |
| Season 3 | 6 | May 9, 1996 | June 14, 1996 |
| Season 4 | 6 | February 18, 1999 | April 2, 1999 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
The Case of the Missing A traffic WPC is suddenly put in charge of a seemingly straightforward murder case, which gradually becomes more complex and mysterious. |
November 14, 1991 |
| 2 |
The Girl from Ipanema When housekeeper Maria arrives at the house of MP Howling and his wife Lydia, she doesn't quite find things the way she expected. But one day, Maria witnesses a violent attack on Lydia by her husband and things start to take a turn for the better. |
November 21, 1991 |
| 3 |
He Died a Death Backstage at a London theatre, rivalry turns into suspicion, when one of the cast is murdered during a performance. |
November 28, 1991 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Overkill Tina Mellish is a failure on the point of suicide. Carmela Vezza is a hired assassin on a mission to kill. What use could they be to each other? |
March 3, 1994 |
| 2 |
Lady Luck Hairdresser Denise Cunningham has just got through to her local radio station and won two free tickets to America, when she is taken hostage by a bank robber. |
March 10, 1994 |
| 3 |
A Severe Case of Death Maude Jenkins's struggle to become a doctor in nineteenth-century England involves lust, intrigue, a sex change and cigars. |
March 17, 1994 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Girl Friday Sally Fairfax is a personal assistant to the smarmy philandering Harvey Stafford. Her devotion is severely tested when she returns to the office late one night and finds herself party to a murder. |
May 10, 1996 |
| 2 |
A Life or Death Operation Brilliant surgeon and TV host Kate Marshall tries to murder the wife of a patient who died when the woman accuses her of negligence. Kate runs her over... several times. But, as luck would have it, the woman doesn't die and is brought to St Theodore's as a victim. Further, the case becomes a prime topic on Kate's show, much to her dismay. |
May 17, 1996 |
| 3 |
Dying Live When Daisy Talwinning, an abattoir worker sacked because she can't bring herself to kill the cute animals, goes on holiday to Panador in South America, she gets caught up in a case of mistaken identity, just as a rebel leader is about to be executed - the officials think she is the executioner. |
May 24, 1996 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Frozen Faced with post-war rationing in the impoverished village of Skinton, sisters Lily and Iris share a secret supply of cakes stored in their freezer. But when the appliance breaks down, the arrival of a repairman leads to murder. |
February 19, 1999 |
| 2 |
Going Solo Tracy Phillips and Karen Sullivan seem an unlikely team to set sail together on a round-the-world yacht race, and they do indeed prove to be ill-matched. Then they capsize. |
February 26, 1999 |
| 3 |
Whoopi Stone WPC Barbara Greaves is a speed cop and bored housewife. A CDI officer offers her the challenge to bring three American drug barons to justice. |
March 5, 1999 |
Production
Release
| Original network/platform | BBC Two |
|---|---|
| First aired | November 14, 1991 |
| Last aired | April 2, 1999 |
| Runtime | 30 minutes |
| Status | ended |
| Schedule | Friday at 21:00:00 |