Murder Most Horrid

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!

Murder Most Horrid (1991-1999) is a British anthology dark comedy series created by Paul Smith for BBC Two. Comedienne Dawn French anchors a run of four seasons, six episodes each, in which her various characters become tangled in a fresh murder every installment. Each half hour is a self-contained tale, and the engine is simple and mischievous: whoever she plays is either the one committing the crime or the one who ends up on the slab. Supporting players such as Timothy Spall as a pathologist, Bill Paterson as a chief inspector, and Martin Jarvis and Jane Asher as the married couple Maurice and Lydia Howling supply the procedural foil and the domestic deadpan. The register is wry, breezy and mordantly funny, with a cosy British sensibility that keeps the bodies light. Its anthology structure makes it easy to dip into, and fans of Tales of the Unexpected, Inspector Morse and Fawlty Towers will find the same blend of crime plotting and British comic timing.

• Tales of the Unexpectedshared dark comedy tone and murder mystery premise with a self-contained story each installment
• Inspector Morseshared anthology format with a different mystery each episode and a comic bent on crime
• Fawlty Towersshared tongue-in-cheek murder plotting and a single comedic lead playing many roles

Created by

Paul Smith

Release Date

1991-11-14

Episode runtime

30 min

Rating

7.3 / 10 (15)

What is Murder Most Horrid about?

Dawn French stars in a BBC anthology of tongue-in-cheek murder mysteries where she plays a different character in each self-contained tale.

What is Murder Most Horrid like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Murder Most Horrid as brisk, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as simple.

Is Murder Most Horrid violent?

Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Murder Most Horrid as mild.

Which shows are like Murder Most Horrid?

Shows with a similar feel include Tales of the Unexpected, Inspector Morse, and Fawlty Towers.

How long is Murder Most Horrid?

Murder Most Horrid: 4 seasons, 24 episodes.

Is Murder Most Horrid still running?

No, Murder Most Horrid has ended.

Where can I watch Murder Most Horrid?

In United States, Murder Most Horrid streams on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads.