Inspector Morse 

Inspector Morse has an ear for music, a taste for beer and a nose for crime. He sets out with Sergeant Lewis to solve each intriguing case.

Stars:

John Thaw, Kevin Whately, James Grout

9 wins & 12 nominations.

Cast

Complete series cast summary:
John Thaw	...	Chief Inspector Morse 33 episodes, 1987-2000
Kevin Whately	...	Detective Sergeant Lewis 32 episodes, 1987-2000
James Grout	...	Chief Superintendent Strange 22 episodes, 1987-2000

Storyline

First broadcast in 1987, the Inspector Morse series is a crime drama based on the Colin Dexter novels of the same name. The show is based around the exciting exploits of Morse - a senior officer within the Criminal Investigation Department of the Oxford Police - as he investigates heavy crimes in and around Oxford with his sidekick, Sergeant Lewis. Morse is a grumpy classical music aficionado who loves beer, and who frequently loses patience with the earnest but somewhat slow Lewis.

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Plot Keywords:

classical music | cricket the sport | public house | car | sergeant | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery

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Certificate:

TV-14

Details

Official Sites:

Carlton Television [UK]

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 February 1988 (USA)

Also Known As:

Inspecteur Morse

Filming Locations:

Abersoch, Gwynedd, Wales, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Zenith Entertainment, Central Independent Television, Carlton UK Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min (33 episodes)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Authentic period instruments were used in creating the source music.

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Quotes

[to Lewis, feeling sorry for himself]
Morse: I'm old and unmarried, and I don't understand human nature. What does it matter?
Lewis: How old are you?
Morse: I forget, Robbie.

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Crazy Credits

The opening notes of the theme music are based on the word "Morse" in Morse code, altered for musical purposes. The same notes are also included at the end and in places within the theme music. In the 1995 documentary "The Mystery of Morse: The Making of Morse", the composer stated that the theme sometimes spells the name of the murderer, a cryptic version of the name, or, as a red herring, an innocent character. However, there is nothing documented on the Internet for any specific name or episode. Morse code experts say that, aside from the code for "Morse", any other Morse code-like notes in the theme are complete gibberish, probably because the code was modified greatly for musical purposes.

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Connections

Featured in Drama Trails: 'Jewel in the Crown' to 'Band of Gold' (2008)

User Reviews

Intelligent Whodunit with Fine Cast

Not since the great team of Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce (in the early film Sherlock Holmes series) have there been such a happy combination as John Thaw and Kevin Whately as Morse and Lewis, in "Inspector Morse". Based on the rather academic crime novels of Colin Dexter this is surely one of the best TV whodunit series. Thaw is much at home playing the cantankerous, cultured, clever, and egocentric Police Inspector who enjoys a drink, while Whately does well as his obedient sidekick. Clever plots and intelligent scripting make this a thought provoking and interesting series. Which has lead to other quirky British Police Inspectors such as Barnaby in The Midsomers Murders, and Frost in A Touch of Frost. One might argue that Oxford, and for that matter in the other series small English country villages seem alive with serial killers, rather not conducive to tourism, but allowing for poetic license these stories capture the interest more than most.