The Wench Is Dead (11 Nov. 1998)

While Morse is in hospital for a bleeding ulcer, he takes an interest in an 1859 murder and becomes convinced its resolution was a miscarriage of justice.

Director:

Robert Knights

Writers:

Colin Dexter (novel), Malcolm Bradbury (screenplay)

Stars:

John Thaw, Lisa Eichhorn, James Grout

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
John Thaw	...	Chief Inspector Morse
Lisa Eichhorn	...	Dr. Millicent 'Millie' Van Buren
James Grout	...	Chief Superintendent Strange
Louisa Lawrenson	...	Nurse Hall
David Keyes	...	Walter Towns (as David Keys)
Paul Mari	...	Rory Jack Oldfield
Judy Loe	...	Adele Cecil
Alan Mason	...	Mr. Greenaway
Aline Mowat	...	Sister Nessie MacLean
Sara Carver	...	Nurse Fiona
Philip Quast	...	Mr. Benfield
Karen Staples	...	Mona
Matthew Finney	...	PC Adrian Kershaw
Jonathan Copestake	...	Philip Tomes
Andrew Grubb	...	Ward (as Andy Grubb)

Storyline

Morse is taken seriously ill at a museum reception and is hospitalized. While there, he takes an interest in a 140 year-old case known as the Oxford Canal Murders. The case involved the murder and rape of young woman traveling by canal boat from Coventry to London. The case resulted in two men being hanged and Morse believes there was a miscarriage of justice. With Lewis away at the Inspectors course Supt. Strange, who has counseled Morse to take early retirement, assigns fast-track university graduate PC Adrian Kershaw to do some leg work for him. Morse determines that a fraud took place and that the victim may have been someone else altogether.

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Plot Keywords:

canal | oxford | canal boat | hospital | fraud | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 November 1998 (UK)

Filming Locations:

Bertraghboy Bay, Connemera, County Galway, Ireland

Company Credits

Production Co:

Carlton UK Productions, WGBH, Amberlodge

Technical Specs

Runtime:

101 min 101 min (dvd release)

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

The title is from Christopher Marlowe's play, "The Jew of Malta," probably written in 1590. "Thou hast committed/ Fornication: but that was in another country,/ And besides, the wench is dead."

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Quotes

Dr. Millicent 'Millie' Van Buren: The institute of criminology has some really great archives here.
Chief Inspector Morse: That's because Oxford has many scholars and not enough policemen.

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Soundtracks

"Clarinet Concerto in A Major"
(uncredited)
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1791)
Morse has it playing in his house

User Reviews

Even without Lewis, it is a very solid episode!

The Wench is Dead is very well done, but fans of the show will notice that Lewis is missing. (he is on an inspector's course) Matthew Finney does give a very appealing performance as Kershaw, but he doesn't quite have the earnestness that Whately brought to Lewis. Though the episode is fully redeemed by a brilliant performance from John Thaw,(Morse spends most of the episode in hospital) lovely camera-work and a well written script. The episode is probably the most faithful of all the episodes to the book, all with the exception of the omission of Lewis, about Morse trying to solve a 150 year old murder case from his hospital bed. The Victorian scenes were certainly beautifully shot, and well realised. Overall, a solid episode even with the absence of Lewis. 9/10 Bethany Cox.