Inspector Lewis (TV Series) Fearful Symmetry (2012) User Reviews

Swinging Oxford!

[Tweekums · 8/10 · 31 May 2012]

After eighteen year old babysitter, Jessica Lake, is murdered she is found tied to the bed using distinctive boating knots; something that initially suggests the killer was a sailor but photographs come to light indicating that her body had been placed in a way that mirrored pictures she had posed for. It also seems rather odd that she was unmolested and nothing of value had been stolen from the house which left no obvious motive. There are lots of suspects including her boyfriend, the two boys she shared a squat with and even the parents of the child she was looking after… their alibi rapidly falls apart. As Lewis and Hathaway investigate they find themselves dealing with swingers, a comic book fan and scientists doing research with monkeys and they will have to eliminate many false leads before they catch the killer.

This was another enjoyable episode with plenty of suspects and motives to keep both the police and the viewers guessing and when we do learn who killed Jessica it is neither to surprising nor too obvious… I'm sure most viewers will have the killer on their list of suspects without being really sure why. After a couple of episodes set in the university it made a nice change to have a case set mainly in suburbia. As always the acting was fairly solid; especially from leads Kevin Whately and Laurence Fox… although that is hardly a surprise as neither of them has disappointed me in previous episodes. Overall this was another solid episode even though it didn't have too many murders!

A Bit Too Weird

[Hitchcoc · 6/10 · 22 March 2018]

One must be presented with a set of motivations to make a story work. In this one we are pushed from bizarre figure to bizarre figure. To start with, we meet the victim, tied up in ropes and strangled in the house of a couple for whom she was babysitting. Soon a bevy of weird people come on the scene. A wife and husband who try something that nearly destroys them. A young man who seeks to solve the girl's death. Another man and his slinky fashion model wife. A mother who suffered from post-partum depression. And then a crazy, but extremely talented artist. It's a good idea, but too many suspects and too many eccentrics and a conclusion that made me say, "What?"

An excellent episode.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 9/10 · 22 August 2020]

This is one of those episodes that may not have been hugely appealing on first watch, because there is so much happening, it's a very complex story, but it is a hugely rewarding episode. It's true the plot is deep and complex, but since when has mental illness been an easy fix.

There is no shortage of suspects here, we are given some very, very rich characters, all are well drawn and important, Lucy Cohu as always is excellent, but it's the velvet voiced Con O'Neill who steals the show, he's a wonderful guy, and a terrific actor, you want to see someone that knows their craft inside out, watch this guy.

I love the fact that the quality of episode never diminished as time went on, Series six and the quality is still very much here.

Visually it's great, very nicely produced, one slightly odd seen under a bridge where Lewis and Laura discuss the case, the sound is very odd, I get that they're under a bridge, it just seems curious. The music feels very Morse, it's terrific.

Lewis Endeavors Into Complex Topic of Mental Disease

[civilwarhero · 9/10 · 10 October 2019]

Generally too complex for the average tv viewer, the disturbing complexities of mental disease are either usually aggrandized...by an archetypally-designed "super-genius psychotic villain" or ignored altogether. Colin Dexter's intricate characterizations handle it with deft aplomb. Russel Lewis' depth and truly ingenious reparte' serve as a perfect foil to lighten what would otherwise be an unrelenting dark trip. Bravo!

Worst episode yet

[wendyandtoby · 1/10 · 2 September 2023]

Boring, illogical and dull. Not one character in this resonated with me one iota. Love Hathaway and Lewis, and they're always good regardless, but this episode did them a huge disservice. Worst episode yet. The plot was boring, the motives were weak, there was no chemistry amongst characters, the emotions the characters "exhibited" was completely flat. Nothing made sense. Some stupid connection between kids in foster care, one needing speech therapy at one point, an ambivalent photographer, some swinger couples, some research lab with come connectedness amongst characters. All too bizarre. Very disjointed. I wouldn't waste your time on this one. I felt angry I hung on to the end because it never produced anything worthwhile to redeem the way the episode had been going.

Worse Lewis episode ever

[Paularoc · 4/10 · 6 August 2012]

This is the lamest Inspector Lewis episode I've ever seen - illogical script, boring and/or unlikeable characters and a real cop-out, stupid ending. The writer seemed to think that the viewer would be interested in a polemic about when is pornography art? There was a nice bit with Lewis calling one of his kids; it was good to see that he appears to still be close to them. And, as ever, Lewis and Hathaway nicely complement each other and do make an intriguing team. But that isn't enough to save the whole dreary episode. Instead of "the butler did it" cliché, in contemporary mysteries we have "the psychotic guy did it" and aren't psychopaths interesting? No, they're not. I did watch the succeeding episode on Masterpiece Theater and am pleased to say that it was much better than this one.

All the morose people, where do they all come from...

[grantss · 4/10 · 31 October 2022]

A teenage babysitter is murdered while looking after a toddler. Delving into her personal life Lewis and Hathaway discover that she recently posed for some risqué photographs, with links to how her body was found. Surely that's not reason enough for someone to murder her?

A particularly unengaging episode of Lewis. So many sullen, robotic people: horror movies have less zombies! Absolutely nobody to get behind. Even the usually tone-lifting sub-plots and banter involving Lewis, Hathaway and/or Dr Hobson aren't there.

In keeping with the vapidness of the characters, the performances largely involve staring vacantly into space, so not much good happening there.

The mystery is better than the characters but isn't great. Quite unoriginal ending.

I guess everyone was trying to be arty, figuring that's the way to win awards.

Weak

[soandso23 · 1/10 · 15 July 2012]

I love Inspector Lewis and was very surprised by this episode. It was terrible.

No spoilers. The wrap-up is a total cop-out. Lots of loose ends left unresolved. Instead of the usual tangle of clues that get sorted out at the end, the writers just threw every misdirection they could think of into the plot and then closed without reconciling or justifying the many dead-ends.

It was trying to be hip and edgy but ... Somehow the takeaway ended up being, "lady pornographers are cool and nurturing men are really lame." Wha-? This is not the funny / smart / entertaining Inspector Lewis I love. If I wanted dumpster TV I'd watch something on Fox.

It's getting hokey

[BILLYBOY-10 · 3/10 · 30 July 2012]

I streamed all previously available episodes and they intrigued me with their very tight, intellectual and sometimes convoluted plots with believable characters and plot twists, but this one was a giant waste of time. The two murders were extravagant and head scratching with a lot of miscasted overacting and finally when the end came it fell into complete lack of credibility. At one minute Lewis is calling the woman and leaving a message that she should call him back and the next minute he is behind the culprit in the nick of time. How did he silently get up into her loft? Was he next door when he called her? Then the final, final scene with the erstwhile cut-off mother/wife appeared at her son's bedside to tearfully be cry "my son, my son" was total soap opera. Why was she cut-off in the first place. Whoever wrote or allowed this episode to air should be banned. Very disappointing.

Not one of 'Lewis' finest hours

[TheLittleSongbird · 5/10 · 19 June 2017]

Hearing about 'Lewis' for the first time when it first started, there was a big touch of excitement seeing as 'Inspector Morse' was and still is one of my favourites but also a little intrepidation, wondering whether the series would be as good. The good news is, like the prequel series 'Endeavour', 'Lewis' is every bit as good as 'Inspector Morse' and stands very well on its own two feet as a detective mystery and show in general.

'Lewis' was a show that started off promisingly with the pilot and the first season, while getting even better with a more settled Season 2 where the show hit its stride. Season 3 was more of a mixed bag (not a bad season at all, but started a little disappointingly, though better than reputed, with one of the show's generally lesser episodes "Allegory of Love"). Season 4 generally was one of the better seasons of 'Lewis', with all the episodes very good to great, and Season 5 was solid with the only disappointment being "The Mind Has Mountains".

Season 6 started off very well with "The Soul of Genius", and "Generation of Vipers" was even better. Sadly with "Fearful Symmetry" Season 6 hit disappointment with also one of the lesser episodes of the show. Not awful, there are a fair share of redeeming merits, but this is not 'Lewis' at its best by any stretch of the imagination. This is not just saying that reading the indifferent reviews here, this is coming from somebody who has never really gotten into "Fearful Symmetry".

"Fearful Symmetry" has its strengths. As always, the acting is fine, anchored by Kevin Whately and Laurence Fox. Whately is again very good and carries the episode with aplomb, advantaged by that Lewis is much more developed and as said he has more development. Fox is a breath of fresh air in a great contrasting role that reminds one of a more intelligent Lewis in his younger days and his sparkling sparring chemistry with Whately is a big part of the episode's, and show's, appeal. Clare Holman adds a lot, and Innocent has been better written over time. Of the supporting turns, Gary Kemp and Lucy Cohu give lively turns.

Production values are of very high quality. It's beautifully shot as always, and Oxford not only looks exquisite but is like a supporting character in itself. Barrington Pheloung returns as composer, and does a first-rate job. The theme tune, while not as iconic or quite as clever as Morse's, is very pleasant to listen to, the episode is charmingly and hauntingly scored and the use of pre-existing music is very well-incorporated.

There is some nice interplay between Lewis and Hathaway, and the whole thing with Lewis still being in touch with his offspring was a very nice quite poignant touch.

However, much of "Fearful Symmetry" feels very dull with a very padded first hour and the case never really comes to life or intrigues. The script is uncharacteristically not up to par. In particular a bizarre moment where Hathaway asks a scientist about souls, a poorly written head-scratcher that feels out of place.

Not all the support acting works, there is some over-acting here with a notable offender being Con O'Neill. Then there is a woefully under-explained and far too convenient cop-out ending, with the perpetrator being rather obvious this time round, that leaves more questions than answers, questions that beg for answers that never come.

Overall, a disappointment. 5/10 Bethany Cox

It Just Keeps Getting Worse

[sayloroct · 1/10 · 23 July 2012]

I really want to like Inspector Lewis. I really do. There is so little in TV or movies that at least tries to have some intellectual content. This is doubtless why such a really terrible program can draw positive reviews. But this episode is the final straw.

This show has gone downhill badly over the last few seasons and Fearful Symmetry is really the pits. The first hour + is completely meaningless as they pull out a deux ex machina in the final 10 minutes to resolves the story in way the was arbitrary and completely divorced from everything that came before. And they did it in the worst, most clichéd, most overused and unimaginative way - a sexually obsessed psychotic. The final scene was beyond laughable. It was pathetic. The producers and writers are doing it paint-by-numbers now. No attempt at developing the characters, making the plots psychologically plausible, etc. They've obvious run out of steam. Actually, they ran out of steam three seasons ago.

I mean this was really the absolute pits. Time to put Inspector Lewis out of its misery.

A terrible script

[aleksandrkhillov · 2/10 · 9 February 2024]

As has been noted in previous reviews, this episode finishes without tying up most of the loose ends in the storyline. Having led the viewer a dance for most of the storyline, at the end most of them are either ignored or crudely tied up without due explanation. The murderer is revealed in a particularly crass 'gotcha' moment that makes the viewer feel that they wasted most of the episode on little or nothing relevant to the conclusion. I have been watching the Lewis series systematically on BritBox, where after what I thought was a shaky start there were some good episodes, but this episode is an all time low so far.

Elevated barely from "time waster" with decent ending.

[vitoscotti · 4/10 · 29 March 2024]

The episode never clicked until the last 10 minutes when the villain is revealed. Lacked the qualities of what makes an outstanding British detective mystery. Quality was American like which I definitely am trying to avoid.

Lewis, Hathaway, and Dr Laura who are usually interesting were all bland. The writer Russell Lewis never tried to develop any side stories with these main characters which is a series staple.

The in and out characters I can live with being unlikable. But, just about all of them were extremely weird. It took me multiple viewings to get through the painfully uninspired episode.

Hopefully the episodes get better than this one.