One Corpse Too Many

I'm watching The Cadfael series for the very first time, it's never appealed to me, but I was wrong, if this first episode is anything to go by, it's going to be a very good watch.

It's a clever mystery, the description of needle in a haystack fits perfectly, why on Earth would someone look for a murder victim during a time of battle? Cadfael is clearly a man of great intuition and intelligence.

Terrific production values, amazing sets, clearly the pudding basin has done the rounds with the haircuts.

I loved Maggie O'Neill is excellent as Aline, her costumes, and many others are fantastic. Jacobi is terrific as expected, but it is the performance of Sean Pertwee that I enjoyed most of all.

It's not a casual watch, you need to commit to it, or you may lose it. Ultimately it's a rewarding watch. 8/10

I watched the first four episodes of the first season in reverse order, taking this one last. As the first in the series, I should have done it first. Clearly four times the effort went into it and it has twice the runtime. This allows them to follow something of the structure of the better written versions. In that form, one discovery leads to another and another. It isn't a matter of one mystery and a side story as we have in the following episodes (and 99% of all TeeVee).

So I think I will recommend this. Its still pretty thin on the detective side, but good enough to give an excuse for the costumes and slightly different culture. The gimmick is to provide some historical context. Mainstream TeeVee mystery has evolved in a manner that does not allow the primary mechanism of the detective novel — where you try and outwit the writer. Instead, our minds have to be captured other ways, more simple because the attention has to span those cursed commercials.

The girls in their costumers are lovely.

Ted's Evaluation -- 3 of 3: Worth watching.

As complex as any of the Cadfael series, this one tells the story of how Master Hugh Beringar becomes sheriff. Also, as Cadfael states, "By my reckoning, there is one corps too many."

During the time of the civil war between King Stephen and Empress Maud, the abbey takes a neutral stance. However, Brother Cadfael has been given a new assistant. The young lad is anything but as he is a she. Naturally, Cadfael being a man of the world detects this and must find out why she is hiding.

Meanwhile back to the war, Shrewsbury Castle is under siege by Stephens's men for being a Maud holdout. When Stephen finally gets to the castle, he orders the rebel soldiers executed. Cadfael is preparing them for a Christian burial when he counts 95. It is trivial to the king, but Cadfael presses that it would not bode well for a king to dismiss a murder under his very nose. It looks like it may have been the work of Hugh Beringar, a man who has appeared to have conveniently changed sides in the war. King Stephen is not unaware of this.

This time will be Cadfael's tuition, forensics, and logic. Prove the case?

Is Hue a villain or will he turn out to be a friend?

I just wanted to say that I think Sean Pertwee, son of the late Jon Pertwee who played the third Doctor, is absolutely the best as Sheriff Hugh Beringar. He matches the description given in Ellis Peters' wonderful books to a tee and I simply adore his voice. :-) I did not care for the ginger-haired man who took over the role in the second season at all. In fact, it really ruined my enjoyment of the show after that. However, Derek Jacobi is awesome (as per usual) as Brother Cadfael, the former Crusader turned monk and worth the price of admission alone. The supporting cast is also excellent with another of my longtime faves Michael Culver (Capt. Needa of "Star Wars" fame) playing the part of the nasty Prior Robert.

I once read an Ellis Peters non Cadfael mystery. I actually found it enjoyable and she also managed to add something about Czechoslovakia, a country she had a great interest in

I watched 'One Corpse Too Many' when it was originally broadcast on ITV. I noted the relationship between Cadfael and Hugh Beringar (Sean Pertwee) were an highlight.

This was the launch episode of the series. It is set in a time of anarchy. England is in a civil war with rival factions. King Stephen's army has overtaken rebels loyal to Empress Maud.

The king has ruthlessly ordered for 94 rebel soldiers to be hanged. Cadfael and his monks have the bleak task of getting the bodies ready for a Christian burial. Cadfael finds one extra body and he was not hanged.

Cadfael is determined to investigate further. He knows this corpse was placed there deliberately hoping no one would notice. Cadfael also has a young boy Godric bought into help him but he turns out to be a girl. He also has a newcomer, Hugh Beringar following him around and asking a lot of questions.

Derek Jacobi establishes Cadfael as a rebel himself. A warrior turned monk and herbalist. He is wise, cunning and knowledgeable of the ways of the world. More than some of the other monks who know little of the outside world.

The series was shot in Budapest standing in for Shrewsbury. I think that worked very well. What worked less well was Godric, she looked too obviously a girl. The mystery was good but not great. There were several suspects with the motive of the murder being treasure.