Inspector Lewis (TV Series) Life Born of Fire (2008) User Reviews

Character Development

[cadarus · 9/10 · 25 March 2012]

A lot is learned about the main characters in this episode and that's what makes it interesting.

I believe this is the first time we see Hathaways apartment and explore more of his background. Hathaway packs a tight suitcase and we don't know much about him, in this episode we find out that Hathaway struggled with his faith and very possibly his sexuality. Unlike some other reviews, I'm not sure we know whether he is gay or not, I think it was left very open at the end. Hathaway came across as very human and very vulnerable, which you rarely see from any of the main characters. You could feel Hathaway's pain and anguish at letting down his gay friend and also letting down Lewis, by not being straight forward with all that he knew about the dead man.

Supt. Innocent and Lewis working together at the end, very rare! How often do you see her involved in a case? She shared about having a lackluster social life and her sister having a baby.

Lewis remains the constant, he doesn't like being lied to - the truth is everything, but he is a forgiving man.

As for the story, I figured out the killer half way through it, but still a good episode!

Well, I liked it

[blanche-2 · 8/10 · 17 April 2011]

Several other posters on this site did not care for this entry into the Lewis series, but although I figured it out, I did like it. Far-fetched, maybe, but still a neat twist.

Lewis and Hathaway are investigating the suicide of a young man, who may have been driven to his act. He was gay and was associated with a now dissolved group called "The Garden." When there are two actual murders, Lewis feels that this now defunct group is somehow the cause.

The case involves homophobes at the university against the gays, a priest who is an outcast but Lewis doesn't know why, a lover of the suicide victim who has disappeared, and strange messages that pop up at the suicide and murder scenes. The case also involves Hathaway, Lewis' partner, who knew the victim. Lewis eventually has to ask Hathaway an uncomfortable question.

I like the Lewis series and can't wait to see more.

Simply brilliant.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 9/10 · 4 March 2016]

Will McEwan causes damage inside a church, attracting the attentions of the Reverend King, there he pulls a gun out and shoots himself after making an emergency phone call. Hathaway recognises Will as an old friend.

Great storyline, which feels very unique and original, it's cleverly written and allows both Hathaway and Lewis to develop as a duo. You see a real connection between the pair, even Innocent manages to escape from the Office. Somehow Will's death seems to have impact, it matters, most murder mysteries the deaths are brushed off in minutes, a sense of realism.

Brilliantly acted as always. Rachel Stirling steals the show, but noted performances from Deborah Findlay, Ian McNeice and Matthew Marsh. Deborah Findlay is such an underrated talent, she deserves far more prominence then she gets.

Really nice to see David Ryall too, huge affection for him after Driven to Distraction. His allotment scenes with Whately are great, it's a pity he wasn't a semi regular.

A truly dramatic ending, utterly gripping, it's one of those outcomes you'd never have imagined happening.

9/10

This series is quite good!

[Billyjhobbs-1 · 10/10 · 20 July 2010]

Not Inspector Morse. But nearly. The "Inspector Lewis" series continues at a strong pace. The duo of Kevin Whateley and Laurence Fox as the two detectives of the Thames Valley Police in Oxford is a winning combination. Like the Morse series, the producers/directors of the films go for the cerebral, the literary, the intellectual communities (no poor folks here!), but all this adds a certain class to the art (or science) of murder. In this episode, the writers drew heavily from both religious and mythological sources. Set in/around/about Oxford University doesn't hurt either (although one begins to wonder if there is any one to be left alive in the city after this series finishes!).

In this episode, too, the "Is Hathaway Gay" question comes to the front and the issue is handled well (you have to see the episode to know the answer!). The relationship between the two policemen and within their police ensemble makes the series move along with continuity, excitement, and curiosity. We've only seen the first couple of seasons, but apparently there are plenty yet to be aired. It's a good series and it seems no one does a police procedural with the air and the class that the Brits do! Rule Britannia!

Some disappointments among some enjoyment

[Absalom1991 · 24 June 2015]

YES, THERE ARE SEVERAL SPOILERS HERE THAT TELL THE PLOT.

Others have reviewed aspects of this episode and I realize it is now (in 2015) seven-years old. However, I have been watching the "Inspector Morse" and "Inspector Lewis" series in chronological order, and on reaching this one ("Life Born of Fire") I decided to offer a few comments. If I use the present tense at times, it is because the show still is in production and I expect the trends I note to have continued.

"Inspector Morse" usually maintained a fair intelligence and seldom succumbed to overly showy or trite effects or dodgy characterizations. It wasn't perfect, but plotting had integrity relative to reasonable thematic arcs. Of course the episodes aligned fairly well with Mr. Dexter's novels. When Morse's character died and the series ended, it seemed timely - a degree of frustration had settled in as possibilities seemed to have been exhausted. And the lead and supporting actors maintained an authenticity that lent a remarkable seriousness to the entertainment. Morse was believably exasperating and sympathetic without insulting sentimentality.

"Inspector Lewis" has not gone completely wrong. It is entertaining but often lacks the bracing smarts of the Morse stories. The actors are quite good, and the Lewis character's promotion to lead works well with the Hathaway character as its foil.

But.

It pretends to an intelligence that the Morse series had built into it. "Inspector Lewis" seems to have been updated to meet what is assumed to be more contemporary tastes. Unfortunately this means simplistic and pretentious themes dressed in cheap finery, Grand Guignol deaths, implausible plots with unrealistic character connections, silly editing games, and repetitious travelogue shots of exquisite Oxford that show the same places over and over. Where "Inspector Morse" cleverly and casually placed the Headington Shark in the background without comment, "Inspector Lewis" relies on the Bridge of Sighs - repeatedly.

I understand all this. There has been a kind of Americanization of the series, and as an American I can say that it remains better than most network shows of its genre. It is not as good as it should be, which is usual. But it is not as good as it pretends to be, which undermines one's trust in the talent and discretion of writers and directors.

This episode paraded these flaws as a badge of honor. It managed to insult both gay people AND religionists. This viewer wondered if anyone associated with creating the episode had actually met a gay person, a transgendered person, a seminarian or priest of the last century, or a committed Catholic or Christian. Must every gay person in the show be a self-loathing mess, a murderer, a manipulative and spiteful academic, or a lavender stereotype? Must every woman find Lewis sexually attractive, for that matter?

Gay people do not undergo sex reassignments in order to snatch their guilty-to-be-gay lovers back. Sex reassignment surgeons - even in Brazil - do not haphazardly undertake their work without responsible vetting. However homophobic the Church remains, gay Catholic organizations in 2008 did not promote the type of bizarre, ritualistic reprogramming initiatives shown. They did not do so in 1978, for that matter.

Both the self-immolation of the gay suicide victim for political purposes and the subsequent elaborate serial killings belong in a teen slasher film more than they do in a show pretending to address bias, guilt and character revelation. Also, the manner in which Hathaway's sexual identity was treated was itself ultimately insulting. Never mind that his offenses in withholding information, and Lewis' own withholding of that fact, should have seen them both seriously reprimanded, at least.

Making Hathaway's character more-or-less directly responsible for the initiating suicide and indirectly responsible for all the grisly murders and suicide that followed was the last flaming straw on the tortured camel's back in this "Life Born of Fire." Morse was troubled. Hathaway is made to seem ready for institutionalization, and rightly so. Then he shrugs it all off with a smile.

Is it that the writers are bad? That the intellectual capacity of the audience is doubted? That intrinsic production standards have suffered while extrinsic standards - grounded in technology and superfice - have taken the forefront? That the wrong people have been in charge? Or is it that chick-flick and teen-horror modes are what belong in a crime show set in Oxford? The deaths in this episode would qualify as world news.

Whately and Fox deserve better. So does the audience, whether it knows it or not.

Hathaway is a Hetero

[brownju-420-915799 · 8/10 · 11 July 2012]

James Hathaway is my favorite character in this series. He isn't an open book: he smokes, plays the guitar, likes to be alone, wants to be a force for good in this world, he's smart, he struggles with his religious Faith, and he is not well versed in sexual love.

What was James' childhood like? Does he have any living family? Why did he become a seminarian? Why did he abandon his religious studies? How did he get from Cambridge University to the Oxford Police Academy?

Normally the audience doesn't get to see much of Hathaway's private life but in this episode, he falls for a girl who was the lover of a childhood friend, who has killed himself. They get together and share each other's pain. She takes him home they have a drink, go upstairs and...

Not as good on re-watch, has a lot of fine elements

[TheLittleSongbird · 8/10 · 9 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.

Although 'Lewis' did start off promisingly it was Season 2 where it hit its stride and things felt more settled. In my review for my overall overview of the show, there was mention of "Life Born of Fire" being a particularly strong episode. On re-watch it doesn't fare quite as good and for me no longer a highlight, "And the Moonbeams Kiss the Sea" and "Music to Die For" are much better Season 2 episodes. It is still an impressive episode with a lot of what makes 'Lewis' such a pleasure evident, and the character of Innocent is an improvement on before and has more to so.

The killer is very much guessable halfway through, as well as their motives and past. The ending, while with some tension, is rather far-fetched too.

On the other hand, 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. Clare Holman adds a lot. 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.

Production values are of very high quality. It's beautifully shot (some of the best of the show at this point), 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, will probably not see Stravinsky "The Firebird" the same again due to the haunting utilization.

Much of the writing is smart and thoughtful, some lovely droll exchanges with Lewis and Hathaway and some emotional impact. The story draws one right in and never lets go, with gripping twists and turns. There is also a real effort to properly develop all the ideas introduced rather than leaving questions in the balance. The characters are well written and engaging and the murders are pretty creepy. The support acting is very good.

In summary, impressive but not as good on re-watch. 8/10 Bethany Cox

A classic British detective mystery ending.

[vitoscotti · 10/10 · 22 November 2023]

Was or wasn't Hathaway was used cleverly. I thought midway there's going to be a big surprise ending and Hathaway's leaning won't be used as a crutch. It had to go that way for future episodes and I was right. It would of been a huge disappointment if Hathaway's leaning was incorporated in the ending villain reveal.

Accommodating to the script that a trained always suspicious except here detective like Hathaway totally drops his guard with Rachael Stirling as Zoë Kenneth. Looking at Zoe she was once a man a bit ridiculous but witty writing. Comical that the fire was so slow moving especially started with an accelerant. Lewis totes a 200+ lb unconscious man over his shoulder not overcome by smoke or heat that the fire makes a perfect path for him. Outside looking from the street the fire explosion was very well done and realistic.

Story though a touch plodding picked up steam and had interesting characters. The ending though very wild was stellar.

Disappointing Inspector Lewis Episode

[mackjay2 · 6/10 · 14 September 2009]

Inspector Lewis often comes pretty close to Inspector Morse as far as stories, characters and intrigue goes. This episode is a bit of a letdown, however. Unlike Morse, Lewis shows interest in his co-investigator sergeant Hathaway's personal life. He admits it's not his business, but just can't help himself to ask what seems like an obvious question midway through this episode: "are you gay?" It's a well-acted scene and we are left with much less ambiguity about Hathaway. Later, however, the story cops out a bit by making Hathaway appear to be heterosexual. That situation has its own twist, but it's not very convincing for a number of reasons. Too bad, this episode has a lot of potential at the start. Kevin Whatley is excellent as Lewis and not at all a disappointment taking the lead in the show. Same is true for Laurence Fox as Hathaway. Still a good series and always worth watching.

clever

[A_Different_Drummer · 9/10 · 12 December 2020]

With props to CRYING GAME you can tell from the script that the writers were pleased with themselves but here they earned it. Best of season.

Some good, some bad

[wms-92741 · 7/10 · 2 May 2022]

The parts of this episode which are good are very good. It's beautiful to watch, Whately and Fox are excellent, and the climax is suitably exciting.

But the things which are bad are egregious. There's no logical reason for Hathaway to withhold his history about Will McEwan, except that the story needed the drama. The fact that Hathaway ultimately bears some responsibility for four deaths ought to bother him a little bit, one would think. The portrayal of gay culture is not just a little over the top - if I were gay I might be insulted. People don't get approved for sex-change surgery unless they pass rigorous psychological tests. And so on.

There are better episodes in this season.

The Reality of Our Sexuality

[Hitchcoc · 7/10 · 2 February 2018]

When a young gay man commits suicide, his pain becomes the center of the investigation. He apparently touched many lives. Because of Hathaway's taciturn nature, Lewis suspects he is gay. Lewis is accepting, but as Hathaway tries to get him to proffer a definition of gayness, Lewis drops out. Because like so many human traits, there is a spectrum and people fall somewhere on it. The College of Oxford has, behind the headmaster, taken a stand and many students feel disenfranchised. A few years previously, an organization called The Garden began the process of trying to "fix" gay people. Those who prescribed to unyielding dogma went after tortured souls with a vengeance. The phoenix them of fire is the calling card as several of the more conservative begin to be murdered. What Lewis sees as dishonesty from his sergeant is really a man protecting himself. At the end, however, there is a kind of weak last portrayal. While this episode isn't bad, it is contrived.

Overall Problem

[wjspears · 5/10 · 25 December 2020]

I am not going to review the specifics of this episode of Lewis. I will say though that the last 10 minutes or so were a bit "over-the-top".

What I want to comment on is that, as I am watching this series in chronological order, I am becoming increasingly annoyed by the frequency of the detectives forming romantic relationships with the potential suspects.

Along with such relationships being beyond the bounds of proper behavior for police for so many reasons, it almost has to be leading to an episode where Lewis will face suspension for unprofessional conduct. But with this episode, now it could be Hathaway who is suspended. After all, he almost died because he was in bed with a female suspect! Isn't that going to merit a police review?

Or maybe Lewis and Hathaway will fall for the same female suspect, and they'll fight over her--as she tries to burn the both of them to a crisp! The plot possibilities are practically endless. And they're all awful.

The writing staff for Lewis is far too talented to be dealing in such trite plot devices. I hope they back away from these types of storylines soon.

raw advocacy

[LKJL84 · 17 September 2009]

I am a big fan of the Inspector Lewis series. The acting is great, and I really enjoy the interaction between the main characters, especially Lewis and Hathaway. But this episode was a Dud with a capital "D". I'll spare you a blow-by-blow description. Suffice it to say that you've already seen this story at least 100 times: the dour, humorless, Bible-quoting weirdos are oppressing the enlightened, tolerant students who just want to live their lives unmolested. Even poor Hathaway, saddled with a "blind faith" while studying in the seminary, has mistreated his dear friend during his time of need. Originality, people!! Add a surprisingly bad ending (to say that the story's ending is far-fetched would be generous), and you'll likely wish you had spent those 90 minutes doing something else.

Fairly obvious but okay

[grantss · 6/10 · 12 October 2022]

A young man commits suicide in a church. Shortly afterwards the priest of the church is murdered. Lewis and Hathaway start to suspect a link, especially as the man was homosexual and there are homophobic elements in senior positions at the University. Hathaway has a personal connection to the first death having been a friend of the man in their teenage years.

An okay but not great episode of Lewis. The murderer is fairly obvious from a reasonably early point and from then on it gets quite frustrating as Lewis and Hathaway miss the obvious clues.

The tolerance/anti-bigotry theme was a good one but some aspects are laid on a bit thick. Hathaway's involvement is tad overly melodramatic too.

Overall, still entertaining and watchable.

Character development?

[tprfvr · 3/10 · 13 December 2015]

I belong to the type of SF/mystery fan who stays over the commercial breaks (or shushes his wife's commentary) because he's engrossed by the technical/psychological aspects of the case and not by whether a series regular ever will (or ever did) hop into the sack with another character (of either gender). I find these digressions pandering no matter how beautifully filmed.

I didn't identify the villain in this episode as readily as other reviewers because I didn't believe the writers would stretch plausibility that far. Suicide, gruesome violence, extensive surgeries, waste of funds, and near-breakdown of the principal characters' friendship, all this results from a failed "de-programming" by laughably ineffective anti-gay crusaders? We never see any detail of how they drove the first decedent to suicide: "ripped him apart" doesn't add any richness to the tragedy. Hathaway admits some culpability; the rest we are to imagine.

Granted, Hathaway's character was and is still an evolving thing, but there was way too much of him staring into the void this time. When he is drugged into a torpor at least we understand why he's no longer a protagonist in the story, but a sitting duck.

It's always instructive/enlightening to watch excellent actors handle absurd material and preserve their "character" despite every attempt to "cartoon-ize" them. Laurence Fox picked up some cues from Leonard Nimoy, I think.

Worst episode in the whole Morse/Lewis canon

[Sir_Oblong_Fitzoblong · 1/10 · 12 August 2020]

Without doubt the worst Lewis episode by a very long way and it even eclipses the very worst of Morse. It is simply a diatribe of extreme right-on-ness devoid of dramatic merit, plausibility, wit, elegance, decent plot, or anything else one might reasonably expect in 1.5 hours of prime-time drama.

Every character is a crude caricature, including Lewis and Hathaway. In Hathaway's case, ludicrously implausible elements of his back story are conjured from nowhere to bolster the polemic that masquerades as a script.

This episode also distils to a potent degree another favourite trope of Lewis ( mercifully absent from Morse ) namely that everyone aged 40 or over is bad while anyone aged 39 or younger is good. The desperation of the writers/producers to be seen as hip in this respect is highlighted by making both Lewis and Hathaway exceptions to the rule.

The attempt to create a dramatic climax is based on such absurd implausibility that one can almost dismiss the awfulness of the rest of the episode on the grounds that none of it should be taken seriously but it actually is a serious abuse of the trust and affection that many viewers have for both the programme and the main characters to use them in this way.

As with countless other episodes of various murder series I could just about forgive the profound ignorance displayed by the scriptwriters of all things church if only they would stop referring to clergyman as Rev Surname: not much to ask is it?

Asking too much suspension of disbelief

[depaysement · 3/10 · 15 July 2020]

The conversion-therapy sect I could take - there are far too many such. The vengeful lover I could take - after what those characters had been through, not surprising. But the casting of that character was ridiculous, total fantasy. And getting Hathaway involved sexually? Nope, nope, nope, doesn't work at all.

Boring, plot holes, and a not so subtle agenda

[badajoz-1 · 4 September 2011]

Young gay Will commits suicide, but he was pushed into it. Chief suspects are a bunch of high-minded God-botherers in high places in Oxford - so they get bumped off in gruesome circumstances. Two hours of boring rubbish as we struggle to find out whether Hathaway is gay and who is the obvious villain. We have to swallow that Will and lover would go for couples counselling from a a Christian Outreach programme that says Gays are diseased (yes, really), and that Will was only interested in love, which turns out to be a love based on superficial surface looks rather than soul or self-sacrifice. Yes, he pays a fortune for his male lover to have a sex change (obviously because of the bad old Christians) and then almost immediately rejects the resultant gender bender!! Obviously an agenda being worked out here, as you can see the plot twist coming from ten miles away! The trouble with two hour long episodes is that you cannot get too much information up front, so detectives fail to ask the right questions and we often cut away from the obvious action leading to a boring boring wait for the denouement. 'Lewis' is a prime culprit, and one is left to look at endless cuts to Oxford scenery and trying to spot Colin Dexter in the background (three times in this episode, I think). Whereas 'New Tricks' gets its answers in fifty minutes by threatening to take recalcitrants who will not talk down to the police station, we have to put with ever so glum dull Geordie (now a pale replica of Morse) padding snail-like to the answer while his boss Rebecca Front pops in to give us a recap and see what her latest wardrobe purchase might be! Oh, dear, give it a rest and bring back the feisty women of 'Murder in Surburbia.'

Stupid Episode

[ronaldalamascus-90506 · 1/10 · 10 November 2022]

If indeed this is the story of why Hathaway gave up the Clergy to become a policeman, then he never should have considered the Clergy as a "calling". His revelation to Lewis revealed was he told his friend the truth and the friend didn't like it and terminated their friendship. Some friend! And now Hathaway blames himself and thinks that he should have been more tolerant and I would agree, he could/should have been more compassionate but he still said what needed to be said and the friend needed to do some soul searching about his lifestyle choices. Too much perversion and jaded slant on a difficult and controversial subject for my taste.

not among the best of the series

[frieda-92366 · 3/10 · 16 September 2023]

I liked Kevin Whatley when he was paired with John Thaw in "Morse," but much less so in "Inspector Lewis." He doesn't have the force of personality (or lacks the ability to act as if he does) to play a major role. In the Born of Fire episode, this is especially apparent. Whatley's attempts to be anything but bland are shown when he plays the inspector angry with his sidekick, Laurence Fox, and when he wants to find out whether Fox's character is gay, and when he is suddenly inspired by an idea...along with every other scene. To me he just walks through the lines and scenes without energy or force, and the whole series suffers. I think it might have succeeded with someone better cast as an inspector. Fox, on the other hand, usually has subtleties of character that keep me guessing what is on his mind and add depth and breadth to the show. In this episode, however, everything is ham-handed by the whole cast. No one is believable. The gays are stereotyped. Whatley's boss on the show takes a warm turn (which is not believable from what we have seen of her so far). The female barrister is totally out of place in the story. The "twist" at the end was one I saw coming from a mile off. And the ending was just yuck. It was like a committee of poor script writers each contributed a few lines, none knowing what the other was doing, and then they stitched it together all wrong. I will give it one more episode, and if it's like this one I won't be watching any more.

Small cameo casting error

[iph-1 · 20 January 2011]

I know Britain's vast pool of TV drama character actors re-appear all the time as different characters in various series, but personally I take the view that if an actor is distinctive and idiosyncratic, they should not appear in episodes of the same series or related ones such as, here, Morse and Lewis as different characters.

In this Lewis episode, Lewis decides to try having an allotment to grow vegetables, and the man he sees about it is Mr Cooper played by David Ryall. There is no connection between the character and the plot. I happen to have watched this episode (january 2011) the same evening, when both were shown one after the other on TV, as the Morse episode Driven To SDistraction, where the same actor appears, and meets Lewis as well as Morse, but there he is playing a totally different character. Given that the two series are based in Oxford. and other characters like Morse's boss reappear but are not in every episode, we should be able to expect that a familiar face is the same person, at least unless they are heavily disguised by makeup and different performances. Ryall was clearly only made up as "himself" and not asked to give anything but his usual performance of an Englishman his age.

Both pof these are the usual interesting episodes, separated by years, and the colourful backgrounds with a city full of people are done well in both with this exception. It is just a shame if even years later a distinctive face recurs like this but as a totally different person.

Bad call for writers-directors to make 'Hathaway' unforgiveable.

[DriftedSnowWhite · 1/10 · 14 June 2022]

'Life Born of Fire' is an intriguing episode. But 'Hathaway's' deception and heinous fault are unforgiveable. Were they planning on writing Lawrence Fox off the show? And, as much as I like Lawrence's portray of 'Hathaway', his acting in the crucial scene is horrendous. Did the director demand this temper tantrum excuse-giving scene?

I cannot believe that 'Lewis' character would have forgiven him for, in fact, being causal in his friend's suicide. And worse: 'Hathaway' seems to believe that, having confessed, he is free and clear of his rightful guilt and responsibility, making him despicable, and with all too much religious forgiveness. Sure. Just confess. You will be forgiven. No.

Blooper

[elflaylawalayla · 12 October 2015]

Interesting episode about hemophilia. Apologies to the inadequacies of your dictionary, but it does not recognize homo~ but clearly recognized the royal bleeding disorder. No spoiler intended here but I need to mention a blooper. The murderer leaves his signature "LIFE BORN OF FIRE" at the murder scene and at other opportunities.I noticed discrepancies in the handwriting authority. I'm not an expert but in particular I noticed that the letter R changes style here and there. Hereby indicating that there is more than one author of the messages that is more than one murderer. Which is not what the series is about. I'm not sure how this basic clue could have been overlooked.

Pandering to millennial tastes

[martin-intercultural · 4/10 · 29 December 2023]

Having read the synopsis, I was looking forward to this story, thinking it might present some complex characters and also allow Lewis's sidekick to come out of his shell.

Sadly, that was not to be and I found myself fast-forwarding through many scenes. Jerky, aggressive camera work, violence, blasphemy - it all felt over-the-top, cheesy and unnecessary. As if the director was just picking up a bit of cred in preparation for a stint on CSI Miami or some such.

The shock & awe approach did eat into the time and space that was needed for the characters to show some depth and development. With all the crazy antics exploding all around them, they remained understandably two-dimensional.

Also, England in 2008 seems like an odd setting for love-that-dare-not-speak-its-name to be a matter of life and death, surely.

Other than that, the ladies still can't keep their hands off Lewis. Which is becoming less and less believable with every episode. Never mind that throughout the run of Inspector Morse, he was the simpleton, created to make Morse look extra clever, much like Hastings once was to Poirot, and always whining about having missed his tea. But c'mon, the guy looks like he's had three heart attacks in the past two weeks!

Meanwhile, Lewis's vitriolic boss, whom we have come to love to hate, is suddenly all nurturing and doesn't mind rolling up her sleeves to help. All in all, I just hope this episode wasn't a harbinger of things to come, i.e., some focus group-based retooling and second-guessing of what up till now has been an exquisite series.