Case file · Series 7, Episode 3
The Fisher King
A Celtic spear and a reopened burial mound disturb the lies left behind by a fatal archaeological dig.
The 60-second case card
Should I watch this one?
Ancient ritual imagery gives a family-and-academic feud an unusually mythic edge.
- Best for
- Archaeological settings, old grievances and a darker atmosphere.
- Mood
- Dark historical mystery
- Team
- DCI Tom Barnaby with DS Dan Scott
- Spoiler guidance
- Read the premise freely; open the marked sections only after watching. This is not a complete content advisory.
Why it matters
Ancient ritual imagery gives a family-and-academic feud an unusually mythic edge.
This case is a useful pick for viewers drawn to archaeology and contested accounts of the past. Ancient objects and a much more recent death give the investigation two different timescales. The appeal lies in that overlap: people may speak about heritage while also defending personal interests. Read the legendary imagery as part of the atmosphere, then let Barnaby investigate the human relationships around it.
Watch for
Distinguish evidence about an object from the story somebody tells about it. Authority and ownership are worth questioning separately.
Before you choose
This is a crime investigation using mythic imagery, not a guide to Celtic belief or a promise of supernatural events.
Casebook editorial interpretation. ITVX synopsis · archaeology and historical-death premise ↗
Break the seal: reveal the finding
The artefacts point back to the original excavation, where professional jealousy and violence were concealed as an accident.
Open the full research dossierProduction, cast, forensics, deaths and filming evidence
Credits, context and checked facts
The episode file
- TV series
- Series 7
- Episode number
- Episode 3
- Written by
- Isabelle Grey
- Directed by
- Richard Holthouse
- Listed transmission date(s)
- 11 January 2004
- Reported filming period
- July–August 2003
- Detective
- DCI Tom Barnaby
- Partner
- DS Dan Scott
- Pathologist
- Dr George Bullard · Barry Jackson
- Principal setting
- Midsomer Barrow
- Casebook tone
- Dark
Check the credits, then follow the source trail for production and filming details. Counts below describe this archive’s records.
The fictional setting and the real filming sites are separate pieces of information. The location desk currently connects it to 2 broader filming areas and 1 exact on-screen site identity.
Credits and archive connections
- Writer ledger1 episode credited to Isabelle Grey
- Director ledger16 episodes directed by Richard Holthouse
- Release positionCase 31 of 144
- Story characterDark · Archaeology · Celtic legend
- Location evidence1 exact screen-use match
Sources for the production file
Published episode chronology and credits ↗Official ITV programme page ↗Filming-location reference index ↗The chronology is the reference for the credits shown here. A programme homepage does not independently verify a filming date or every production detail. Where multiple transmission dates are listed, territory attribution needs checking. Story, teleplay and adaptation distinctions require the original credit wording; links to external synopses may reveal plot details.
Selected episode credits
Guest cast on file
Selected profiles and published cast-list entries. Database records are linked individually; this is not a full transcription or an independent check against the end credits.
The performers behind this case
Core cast
Actor profiles for the detective, investigating partner and pathologist credited to this episode.
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John Nettles
Tom Barnaby · Detective Chief InspectorAn English actor, author and narrator who was already a household name as Jersey detective Jim Bergerac. After Bergerac he spent five seasons with the Royal Shakespeare Company and later returned to television drama in Poldark.
- Bergerac
- Poldark
- Royal Shakespeare Company
John Hopkins
Dan Scott · Detective SergeantAn English actor with extensive stage, screen and voice work. His credits include the Royal Shakespeare Company, Poldark and Alice in Wonderland, as well as prominent game performances in Horizon, Hitman and Assassin's Creed.
- Royal Shakespeare Company
- Poldark
- Horizon game series
Barry Jackson
Dr George Bullard · Police pathologistAn English stage and screen character actor whose career lasted more than five decades. His credits ranged from the landmark television play Cathy Come Home to Doctor Who, Barry Lyndon and many familiar British television dramas.
- Cathy Come Home
- Doctor Who
- Barry Lyndon
Portraits are used only where a reusable licence or public-domain release has been verified. Publicity stills and stock photographs are not copied into this independent guide.
Forensic desk
Dr George Bullard
- Credit
- Off-screen consultation
- Played by
- Barry Jackson
Bullard is not seen, but Barnaby receives the forensic findings through an off-screen telephone consultation.
Meet the Casebook pathologists →Spoiler-controlled deaths desk
Deaths recorded in this case
4 source rows represent 4 people in the current ledger.
Break the seal: reveal the death ledger
- Roger Heldman (historical)
Murder · Other recorded death · historical or before the main case
- Gareth Heldman
Murder · Stabbing or impalement
- David Hartley-Reid
Murder · Gunshot
- Dr. Lavery
Murder · Fall
Real place → fictional identity
What was filmed where?
Building identities are cross-checked against the Casebook's published filming-location references. A named match describes the part used on screen, not the whole village and not necessarily an interior.
Wider filming areas
