Counter Culture Blues (29 Aug. 2010)
"Lewis" Counter Culture Blues (original title)

The lead singer of a 60s rock band who is believed to have committed suicide 35 years earlier suddenly materializes and wants to reorganize the group.

Director:

Bill Anderson

Writers:

Colin Dexter (inspired by the Inspector Morse novels of), Nick Dear (story),

Stars:

Daniel Kaluuya, Paul Panting, Tom Kane

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
Daniel Kaluuya	...	Declan
Paul Panting	...	Craig Bell
Tom Kane	...	Lucas (as Thomas Kane)
Perdita Weeks	...	Kitten
Nick Malinowski	...	Reverend Armstrong
Kevin Whately	...	DI Robert Lewis
David Hayman	...	Richie Maguire
Trevor Byfield	...	Bone (as Zig Byfield)
Joanna Lumley	...	Esme Ford
Laurence Fox	...	DS James Hathaway
Jessica Manley	...	Jo
Renee Montemayor	...	Jacinta
Anthony Higgins	...	Franco
Philip Correia	...	Concierge
Simon Callow	...	Vernon Oxe

Storyline

Thirty-five years after she supposedly drowned herself, rock star Esme Ford returns to Oxford to secretly re-establish her band Midnight Addiction with former members Richie, Mack and Franco. The secrecy extends to the band's reaction when an orphaned teenage boy is killed outside Richie's house. Then ex-roadie Bone and Richie's daughter's music tutor, who used to write the band's sleeve-notes, are also murdered. Midnight Addiction may well once have been the real thing but several people are definitely not what they first seem to be.

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Plot Keywords:

rock band | detective sergeant | reference to marlon brando | detective series | homicide | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery

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Details

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

29 August 2010 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Hook End Manor, Checkendon, Oxfordshire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

ITV Productions, WGBH

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min 93 min (video release) 93 min (11 episodes)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Jane Bertish and Trevor Byfield have appeared in both Inspector Morse and the spin off Lewis.

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Quotes

Chief Superintendent Jean Innocent: Richie Maguire contributes half a million Pounds
[Sterling - UK currency]
Chief Superintendent Jean Innocent: each year to an organization which will very probably look after you, Lewis, in your declining years. Now that does not protect him from our scrutiny, but it does afford him a certain professional courtesy

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Connections

References Frankenstein (1931)

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Soundtracks

"Hard Times"
(credited)
Composed by Barrington Pheloung and Bernie Holland
Performed by Maggie bell

User Reviews

Lewis relives his youth

Inspector Lewis (Kevin Whately) becomes tied up in a case that brings back his youth in "Counter Culture Blues," from the third season of Inspector Lewis.

When Morse and Hathaway investigate a noise disturbance on a farm, they discover the member of a '60s band, Midnight Addiction. In fact, the group is about to enjoy a renaissance. Their old singer, Esme (Joanna Lumley), believed to have committed suicide 35 years ago, has reappeared, and they're ready to start up again. Then a young man is killed on the farm, followed by a group member and an expert on the group who teaches music. They all have one thing in common: the band. But untangling the group's past relationships and learning their many secrets isn't going to be easy.

Midnight Addiction is quasi-based on The Rolling Stones, and the casting people found the most wasted looking, dried out, exhausted looking individuals they could find as group members. They're all excellent. Joanna Lumley is great as Esme, who claims that she wants to try it all again just one more time.

I actually liked this episode. One of the reasons is that one has to pay attention. These plots are not dumbed down, and I love the relationship between Hathaway and Lewis, and the two of them with their commander. Very good.