Firsts, farewells & handovers
The milestone cases.
A spoiler-light chronology of the episodes that open an era, close a partnership or mark an archive landmark.
The handover ledger
Ten points where the programme or principal team changes direction.
The casebook opens
The Killings at Badger's Drift — The first feature-length case establishes the village-mystery formula.
Open file →2003 · Series 7Troy’s final regular case
The Green Man — The original investigating partnership reaches its final regular file.
Open file →2004 · Series 7Dan Scott arrives
Bad Tidings — A new sergeant changes the rhythm of the Tom Barnaby team.
Open file →2005 · Series 9Ben Jones joins the desk
The House in the Woods — Jones begins the longest sergeant run of the archive.
Open file →2011 · Series 13Tom Barnaby’s farewell
Fit for Murder — The original lead closes his casebook.
Open file →2011 · Series 14John Barnaby takes command
Death in the Slow Lane — The second Barnaby begins his first case as Causton’s lead detective.
Open file →2013 · Series 16Charlie Nelson arrives
The Christmas Haunting — A new investigating partner joins during a winter case.
Open file →2016 · Series 19Jamie Winter arrives
The Village That Rose from the Dead — The current sergeant begins his run.
Open file →2014 · Series 16The hundredth case
The Killings of Copenhagen — The investigation leaves England for the programme’s hundredth feature.
Open file →2025 · Series 25The current archive ending
Top of the Class — The latest released file presently included in the complete chronology.
Open file →