There's a popular saying that the best part of watching British television is recognizing all the actors, and Midsomer Murders is no exception. The long-running detective series is an acting rite of passage whose guest stars have gone on to become famous on shows like Downton Abbey, The Crown, and Outlander. Other actors have taken on guest roles after their first brush with fame, a sign that the show continues to be a great source of acting talent.
Game of Thrones is another show that cast many Midsomer alumni. Although Midsomer County may seem peaceful and bucolic to passersby, the body count over more than twenty seasons of outrageous murders is as high as that of Westeros. Here are some of the most surprising Game of Thrones actors who have appeared as a victim, suspect, or the actual killer on Midsomer Murders.
Julian Glover (Season 1, Episode 1 - "The Killings At Badger's Drift")
The first actor on this list appeared in the pilot episode of Midsomer Murders, which was adapted from the novel by Caroline Graham. Julian Glover plays wealthy widower Henry Trace, who becomes a person of interest in Barnaby and Troy's investigation of his wife's death. His character on Game of Thrones, Grand Maester Pycelle, met an end that was excruciating but quick, unlike his Midsomer Murder character's fate, which Barnaby speculated would involve a slow poisoning.
Glover has been in countless television and movie franchises, including Star Wars, Indiana Jones, and the James Bond films. If his voice sounds familiar, it's probably because he was the voice actor for Aragog in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.
Tobias Menzies (Season 3, Episode 3 - "Judgment Day")
"Judgment Day" is best known for Orlando Bloom's appearance as Peter Drinkwater before he was cast as Legolas in Lord Of The Rings. However, the episode also featured Tobias Menzies, best known for playing Frank and "Jack Black" Randall on Outlander, Edmure Tully in Game Of Thrones, and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinborough in Seasons 3 and 4 of The Crown, among other high profile roles. Menzies appeared as Drinkwater's friend and accomplice, Jack Dorset, who Barnaby and Troy interview after Drinkwater's death by pitchfork.
In the Game Of Thrones finale, Edmure Tully returned to the show after a seasons-long absence only for Sansa to tell her uncle to shut up and have a seat.
Anton Lesser (Season 6, Episode 5 - "Birds Of Prey" & Season 11, Episode 7 - "Talking To The Dead")
Some actors made repeat appearances on Midsomer Murders, including Anton Lesser, who guest-starred in the episodes "Birds of Prey" and "Talking to the Dead." He is best known for playing Thomas More in Wolf Hall and portrayed Prime Minister Harold Macmillan in The Crown.
In Game of Thrones, Lesser portrayed Qyburn, whose "unorthodox methods" and complete lack of morals gave him a foothold in Cersei's inner circle. It was Qyburn who orchestrated the destruction of the Great Sept of Baelor and ordered Pycelle's death, which allowed him to rise to power as Cersei's Hand of the Queen.
David Bradley (Season 7, Episode 1 - "The Green Man")
David Bradley is a familiar face to legions of fans, though they might know him better as Filch from the Harry Potter movies. In Midsomer Murders, Bradley plays a homeless man in Midsomer Worthy who is harassed by the local youths, including one played by Henry Cavill. "The Green Man" is also DS Troy's final episode as Barnaby's assistant, as he accepts a promotion to Detective Inspector in the neighboring county.
Bradley appears as Walder Frey in six episodes of Game of Thrones, a role that earned him a nomination for Best TV Villain at the 2013 IGN awards. He also had parts in The Tudors, Broadchurch, the Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy.
Donald Sumpter (Season 7, Episode 4 - "Sins Of Commission")
Donald Sumpter is miles away from being the loyal servant to the Stark family in the episode "Sins of Commission." He plays a bookstore owner and person of interest in Barnaby and Scott's investigation of the literary community in Midsomer St. Michael. It is a treat to see Maester Luwin playing air guitar and rocking a Che Guevara shirt in this episode, perhaps due to his Game of Thrones character's serious personality as a father-figure to Bran and Rickon Stark.
Owen Teale (Season 8, Episode 5 - "Second Sight")
The Master of Arms at Castle Black is no friend to Jon Snow or the members of the Night's Watch he trains. Owen Teale portrays Ser Alliser Thorne, who shares at least one trait with his character in the Midsomer episode "Second Sight." Teale played a forester named Little Mal Kirby who lived in isolation from the rest of Midsomer Mere, much like Thorne and the Night's Watch are stationed in the desolate frozen landscape on the north end of Westeros. While the superstitions that drive the plot in "Second Sight" turned out to be bogus, at the wall, there are true instances of supernatural forces at work.
James Cosmo (Season 10, Episode 4 - "The Axeman Cometh")
James Cosmo played the titular axeman in this episode, Jack McKinley, who is also the guitarist for Barnaby's favorite rock band, Hired Gun. After getting off on the wrong foot, Barnaby and Jack reconcile and share a deceptively sweet moment playing a duet together, while Jones looks on impatiently.
In Game of Thrones, Cosmo played Jeor Mormont, the Lord Commander of the Night's Watch. Cosmo's other roles include Father Fellan Ashby in Sons of Anarchy, Field Marshal Haig in Wonder Woman, and Farder Coram in HBO's adaptation of His Dark Materials.
Ben Crompton (Season 11, Episode 3 - "Left For Dead")
Taking the part of yet another member of the Night's Watch, Ben Crompton played fan-favorite Eddison Tollett in Game of Thrones. He also appears in the Midsomer Murders episode "Left for Dead." His whereabouts are unknown for most of the episode until DC Gail Stephens points the detectives in the right direction. Where she is from, people named Taylor become known as Spud: Taylor, tater, spud. That information led Barnaby and Jones to apprehend Crompton's character, Spud, who was literally found living in a hole.
Michelle Fairley (Season 13, Episode 6 - "The Noble Art")
Before she was cast on Game Of Thrones, Michelle Fairley played Iris Holman, a nosy secretary who was widely disliked in Midsomer Morchard for her bitter attitude and acid tongue. Iris was a key suspect in Barnaby and Jones' murder investigation, as she worked for the victim, Giles Braithwaithe, and had feelings for her employer that were not reciprocated. After Iris begins to cooperate with the police, the true killer meets her at home and suffocates her in a death as grisly as the one Catelyn Stark suffered at the Red Wedding.
Mark Gatiss (Season 13, Episode 2 - "The Sword Of Guillaume")
The Sherlock star appeared in a very special episode of Midsomer Murders. Because Season 13 was John Nettles's last as DCI Tom Barnaby, the first episode of the season introduced his successor, John Barnaby, who assisted Barnaby and Jones in their investigation of a mysterious decapitation in Brighton.
Mark Gatiss played the Reverend Giles Shawcross, who asked Barnaby to look into threatening letters sent to several members of the Brighton Chamber of Commerce over a property deal. In addition to playing Mycroft Holmes, Gatiss has had roles on Doctor Who, The League of Gentlemen, and Game Of Thrones as the perpetually aggrieved banker, Tycho Nestoris. In this Midsomer episode, he is very far from Braavos indeed.