The Judas Tree (Jonathan Creek)

"The Judas Tree"
Jonathan Creek episode
Episode no.	Episode 27
Directed by	David Renwick
Written by	David Renwick
Produced by	Rosemary McGowan
Original air date	4 April 2010 (2010-04-04)
Running time	94 minutes
Guest appearance(s)
Paul McGann as Hugo Dore Doreen Mantle as Mrs Gantry Ian McNeice as Father Roderick Alberic Natalie Walter as Emily Somerton Sasha Behar as Harriet Dore Florence Hall as Young Emily Susanne Ahmet as Young and Old Kim Sean Buckley as Old Man Sofia Hayat as Selima El Sharad Kevin McGowan as Dr Thadeus Northcote Amanda Hadingue as Dr Northcote's Wife Felix Dexter as Sebastian Tench Marva Alexander as Forewomen Nigel Carrington as Clerk Gregor Henderson-Begg as Danny Dore Marc Small as Frank Osante
Episode chronology
← Previous "The Grinning Man" Next → "The Clue of the Savant's Thumb"
List of Jonathan Creek episodes

"The Judas Tree" is the twenty-seventh episode of the British crime drama series Jonathan Creek. The feature-length episode was written and directed by series creator David Renwick, and premiered on BBC One on 4 April 2010. The episode focuses on a series of mysteries surrounding housekeeper Emily Somerton (Natalie Walter), including a vanishing house and the murder of her employer Harriet Dore (Sasha Behar). Alan Davies returns as the series' titular sleuth, Jonathan Creek, while Sheridan Smith reprises her role as his assistant Joey Ross, and Stuart Milligan returns as Jonathan's boss, magician Adam Klaus.

Financial constraints at the BBC delayed broadcast of the episode from January until April 2010. Davies' fee for the episode was reduced by 25 per cent, and the production's design budget was also subject to a significant reduction, as the BBC attempted to achieve efficiencies with the show. The episode was watched by 5.45 million viewers, and received mixed reviews from critics. David Brown of the Radio Times and Vicky Frost of The Guardian both praised the plot and Davies' performance, however Paul Whitelaw of The Scotsman felt that the series ought to be retired.

The episode begins in 1988, with flatmates Emily (Florence Hall) and Kim (Susanne Ahmet) lost while driving. Emily sees a nearby house across a field, but when she turns around again the house has vanished. She begins to cross the field, but is seized about the ankle by an old man (Sean Buckley) in the grass. Emily beats him off and flees. In the present day, Emily begins working as a housekeeper at Green Lanterns house, owned by crime novelist Hugo Dore (Paul McGann) and his wife Harriet. The Dore's other housekeeper, Mrs Gantry, (Doreen Mantle) tells Emily about Green Lanterns' mysterious past. In the late nineteenth century, the house was owned by Dr Thadeus Northcote (Kevin McGowan) and his wife (Amanda Hadingue). Dr Northcote had an affair with his Egyptian housekeeper, Selima El Sharad (Sofia Hayat), who supposedly put a curse on him when the affair ended. Selima accurately predicted the exact date and time of his death, and no foul play was ever discovered.

...
Wikipedia