Isolde Bailliol
Late in “The Magician’s Nephew,” episode 64 (2008) of the U.K.’s long-running Midsomer Murders series, DCI Tom Barnaby (John Nettles) laments to his wife Joyce (Jane Wymark), who is busily planning an American-style Halloween party, “You know, in my day, Joyce, Halloween hardly existed. What’s it all for? Selling a load of flaming tosh!”
Joyce suggests Tom should lighten up, but he’s finding it hard just then, being in the middle of a case involving real-life witches. “I’ve got two very unpleasant murders here,” he muses, “and I don’t know why, but they both have to do with people who actually believe in all this magic, this voodoo.” Joyce, as is her wont, then makes a very interesting offhand remark.
“Well, that’s adults. Children have more sense. They only pretend to believe in Halloween, for the fun.”
A key feature of the story, belief, misguided, sincere, and unsuspended, is depicted in scenes of solemn occult rites, church services, and an elaborate children’s magic show, the latter charming to watch ... until the first body is found. The magician, we learn, is a professional debunker, creator of a certain “Ritual of Thoth” designed to expose “gullible fools being manipulated by more gullible fools.” As you would expect, his book Mumbo Jumbo and Me has left him with enemies among the gullible fools. Incredibly, the occultists cling to the ritual in the face of this humiliation. In fact, cult leader Ernest Bailliol (Ronald Pickup) has convinced his daughter Isolde (Rachel Pickup) that the magician has an authentic book of black magic, “one that has the power to bring the fires of hell to consume you right here.” And of course the witch wants to get her hot hands on that book.
Isolde’s conviction in her own powers is by turns absurd, chilling, and pathetic. When questioned by Barnaby about the death of a blackmailing bookseller, she confides, smiling, “I didn’t mean to kill Hugo. It was just, the power of the spell was too strong.”
“The power of the spell,” Barnaby repeats, incredulous.
“Are you really this slow?” she gloats.
Joyce suggests Tom should lighten up, but he’s finding it hard just then, being in the middle of a case involving real-life witches. “I’ve got two very unpleasant murders here,” he muses, “and I don’t know why, but they both have to do with people who actually believe in all this magic, this voodoo.” Joyce, as is her wont, then makes a very interesting offhand remark.
“Well, that’s adults. Children have more sense. They only pretend to believe in Halloween, for the fun.”
A key feature of the story, belief, misguided, sincere, and unsuspended, is depicted in scenes of solemn occult rites, church services, and an elaborate children’s magic show, the latter charming to watch ... until the first body is found. The magician, we learn, is a professional debunker, creator of a certain “Ritual of Thoth” designed to expose “gullible fools being manipulated by more gullible fools.” As you would expect, his book Mumbo Jumbo and Me has left him with enemies among the gullible fools. Incredibly, the occultists cling to the ritual in the face of this humiliation. In fact, cult leader Ernest Bailliol (Ronald Pickup) has convinced his daughter Isolde (Rachel Pickup) that the magician has an authentic book of black magic, “one that has the power to bring the fires of hell to consume you right here.” And of course the witch wants to get her hot hands on that book.
Isolde’s conviction in her own powers is by turns absurd, chilling, and pathetic. When questioned by Barnaby about the death of a blackmailing bookseller, she confides, smiling, “I didn’t mean to kill Hugo. It was just, the power of the spell was too strong.”
“The power of the spell,” Barnaby repeats, incredulous.
“Are you really this slow?” she gloats.
I've got two very unpleasant murders here. And I don't know why, but they both have to do with people who actually believe in all this magicthis voodoo. Read more: https://www.springfieldspringfield.co.uk/view_episode_scripts.php?tv-show=midsomer-murders-1997&episode=s11e05
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