"Lewis" the TV series - descendant of "Inspector Morse"

I have to admit that I missed the début, pilot trailer for this new TV series.  But I caught up with it earlier this week, for episode one of three, in a fresh run of three, two hour long episodes in the UK.

To catch up, "Lewis"  the new TV series was born out of the series ""Inspector Morse", a much loved and long running TV series in the UK, north America and elsewhere,  courtesy of the books of Colin Dexter, where Lewis was the side-kick Sergeant to Inspector Morse.

The oh so junior, naïve and with a lot to learn at the start Lewis ended the Morse series seeking promotion and finally achieving the exam results that provided the first step to his promotion to Inspector.  Unfortunately, even though Lewis may finally have achieved some "real credibility on the block" by this time, he needed to find a dead man's shoes to fill; such is the nature and reality of the UK public sector.

When that particular sad and final opportunity, or unexpected moment came, the "dead on the quad" Morse, could never provide that gap; it was too close and too personal a relationship for Lewis.  These were a dead man's shoes he could not face.  Morse had been his mentor.  Having missed the début for this series, I'm guessing here, but suggest that's why Lewis went abroad.

A couple of years later, Lewis, now a widower, returns to the UK and takes up the position of "Detective Inspector" within the Oxfordshire Police.  The previous version of the practical (Lewis) and the academic (Morse) is now replaced with Detective Inspector Lewis (still practical, but suddenly more on the ball and with anger management issues - more on that later) and his Detective Sergeant Hathaway (an academic and very erudite young DS), played by Laurence Fox.

But, back to the plot and the visuals and the TV.

Dexter made a cameo appearance, as he did in all Morse episodes, in the opening scene, chatting to a young lady. Thus a great comfort blanket fell upon all scenes in the episode, even before we saw them.  This was the non-RADA trained Dexter at his best and made best use of - he could never do any harm, but only provide benefits; this was surely his Morse's Oxford that we saw, yet again.  What is the strong brand right now, Oxford the city or Morse the fictional character?  Lewis seems to be capitalising on the city.

Indeed, we had many camera focuses on old Oxford academic grounds, so we knew where we were and loved the setting.  From start to finish.  Very yellow was the stonework, too.  (My TV settings, or the sunny weather when it was filmed?)  But we saw so much of this, the setting was deeply embedded in our thoughts.  The music helped too.  Not quite Barrington Pheloung's haunting original score for the Morse series theme, but it was close.  Oh so very close, and just as unobtrusively atmospheric.

We had the music, the atmosphere, the plot - all set up.  But did it work?

I'll admit here to avoiding the pilot.   "Not sure, if it'll work.  Don't think so anyway."

But it does.  After far less than the two hours scheduled I was hooked, IT WORKS!  It really is Morse's new blood.

Lewis is credibly more mature in his new(-ish) appointment and promotion.  Also, he now has a past which previously destroyed him, and which now draws and entertains empathy from his audience.  He's become almost as sad as Morse; with both focused on loss, in life and in death.  But where Morse retreated and internalised, Lewis can't hold his spleen's anger.  The untimely death of his wife in a car accident, with no one brought to account is obviously the key to this anger.

Hathaway is a bit of a cold fish side-kick, concentrating on fact and research, but it's early days.   He's also what Lewis needs.  A perfect match.  On a personal basis, he could warm up with a camping burner and enough time.  (And I bet it'll happen.)

It's great to see this series attracting some of the best UK actors.  This episode included Anna Massey and Clare Holman, with more great UK character actors to follow.  The script was written by Daniel Boyle (other credits include Rebus; Morse; Hamish MacBeth).

I won't spoil the plot of this episode entitled "Whom the Gods Would Destroy", but I will say that it involves a tangled web based around close relationships, remnants of the past meeting the present and a desire for revenge.

This episode was a classic  "Morse" in many production qualities, but with its own flavour.  Catch it if you can or record it; it really is good entertainment.

Comments

[Ron Weewan]

The interactions between Lewis and Hathaway
are most addictive.I still watch my Morse dvd's too and will search out season 2 of Lewis.The characters and the settings are most enjoyable as are the twists and turns of the plots.much like test cricket.I really hope the series goes further.

[crimeficreader]

Thanks for dropping by with your comments David.

I had doubts, as I thought that the innocent Lewis could never really make the grade. However, losing his wife was his making and his maturity. I've missed most of this, but can watch at leisure when I get the DVD!

[David Bishop]

I enjoyed the Lewis pilot last year, once the tension of worrying it wouldn't work had passed. The first full series of Lewis got better, with the third and final story best of all, IMHO. Expiation was the equal of almost any Morse, and featured a revelation so shocking it made me gasp in astonishment.

Can't wait for the next series. More, please!

David Bishop, author
The Complete Inspector Morse: From the Original Novels to the TV Series

[lourdes]

I'm looking forward to this series. They've only shown the pilot in the U.S. It's good to see Lewis again, although I do miss Morse!

[Anne Brooke]

I watched Lewis and videoed the other for tonight, Rhian!

:))

A
xxx

[crimeficreader]

Oh dear, this week it's up against a debut series on the other side. As I can't tape, which one am I going to watch?
Decisions, decisions...

[Anne Brooke]

I thought it was great!! I loved it, and the pilot too! Lovely to have you blog it on here. I think the chemistry between the two leads is good and could move onto great things. And like you, I'm utterly hooked! But I do think Kevin Whately is a much underrated actor.

:))

A
xxx