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(http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/masterpiece/masterpiecehdg.jpg)
Masterpiece continues the mystery programming with Inspector Lewis series I & II, with background based on Colin Dexter's Inspector Morse novels. (http://www.mysterylist.com/morse.htm)
Two encore presentations from series one of Inspector Lewis are part of the programming: Old School Ties (August 16) and Expiation (August 23). Inspector Lewis: Series II premieres August 30th showcasing seven new cases: Moonbeams Kiss the Sea (August 30); Music to Die For (September 6); Life Born of Fire (September 13);The Great and the Good (September 20); Allegory of Love (October 4); The Quality of Mercy (October 11) and The Point of Vanishing (October 18). Lewis and Hathaway encounter several crimes that take a personal turn, revealing new sides of the inimitable duo and their deepening relationship.
Join us here with your reactions to the shows and the novels.
(http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/masterpiece/mysterylewis/poster_pointofvanishing.jpg) (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/pointofvanishing.html)
Sun, October 18: The Point of Vanishing ~ Inspector Lewis - Series II
Steven Mullan, recently released from prison after having tried to kill celebrity atheist while driving drunk, is found dead in his bathtub. Lewis and Hathaway find a postcard at the crime scene of a Renaissance painting inscribed with the words, "It was no dream." But the case is about to take a surreal, dream-like twist, leaving Lewis and Hathaway drowning in questions about crimes of the past and the present. Learn more and see a preview at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/pointofvanishing.html.
■ (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/masterpiece/mysterylewis/poster_qualityofmercysm.jpg) (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/qualityofmercy.html)
Sun, October 11: The Quality of Mercy ~ Inspector Lewis - Series II
A student production of The Merchant of Venice takes real-life deadly turn. Lewis and Hathaway methodically try to make sense of the murderous plot. As the final act is about to unfold, the case takes an intensely personal turn for Lewis, bringing back traumatic memories and invoking a lesson in mercy. Learn more and see a preview at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/qualityofmercy.html. Watch the whole episode online (chapter by chapter, if you prefer) through October 18 at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/watch.html.
■ (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/masterpiece/mysterylewis/allegoryoflovesm.jpg) (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/allegoryoflove.html)
Sun, October 4: Allegory of Love ~ Inspector Lewis - Series II
Young and handsome Oxford writer Dorian Crane is following in the noted fantasy footsteps of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien with his newest book when someone is brutally murdered, seemingly following a pattern in Crane's fiction. Lewis and Hathaway get pulled into the world of Oxford's literary elite, only to find that it harbors resentment and jealousy and at its center, holds terrible secrets beyond all imagination. Learn more and see a preview at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/allegoryoflove.html. Watch the whole episode online (chapter by chapter, if you prefer) through October 18 at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/watch.html.
■ (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/masterpiece/mysterylewis/poster_greatandgoodsm.jpg) (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/greatandgood.html)
Sun, September 20: The Great and the Good ~ Inspector Lewis - Series II
A teen girl is assaulted, and the clues clearly incriminate someone from her school. But the suspect has an alibi supported by three pillars of the Oxford community. Lewis and Hathaway are determined to crack the alibi. Is Lewis's own status as a social outsider clouding his judgment or do those in Oxford's most prestigious social circles have the most to hide? Learn more and see a preview at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/greatandgood.html. Watch the whole episode online (chapter by chapter, if you prefer) through October 4 at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/watch.html.
■ (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/masterpiece/mysterylewis/poster_bornoffiresm.jpg) (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/bornoffire.html)
Sun, September 13: Born of Fire ~ Inspector Lewis - Series II
A man, who Hathaway knows, dies in a church leading Lewis and Hathaway to a shadowy spiritual group, "The Garden." But as those most intimately associated with the group begin to die, Lewis questions Hathaway's sudden vow of silence. In a case of blind faith and faltering trust, Lewis hurries to learn more about Oxford's religious world and his partner before fire threatens one final victim. Learn more and see a preview at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/bornoffire.html. Watch the whole episode online (chapter by chapter, if you prefer) through September 27 at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/watch.html.
■ (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/masterpiece/mysterylewis/poster_musictodieforsm.gif) (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/musictodiefor.html)
Sun, September 6: Music to Die For ~ Inspector Lewis - Series II
An elite Oxford lecturer gets in a drunken brawl at an exclusive club, and is later found strangled by a strip of boxer's hand tape. Lewis and Hathaway become immersed in the brutal world of bare-knuckle boxing as they comb Oxford for the killer. From the epic operas of Wagner to Cold War intrigue and buried secrets, the case swells to a heart-pounding crescendo, along the way invoking the memory of Chief Inspector Morse. Learn more and see a preview at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/musictodiefor.html. Watch the whole episode online (chapter by chapter, if you prefer) through September 20 at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/watch.html.
■ (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/masterpiece/mysterylewis/poster_moonbeamssm.gif) (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/moonbeams.html)
Sun, August 30: And the Moonbeams Kiss the Sea ~ Inspector Lewis - Series II
A body is in the library — Oxford's Bodleian Library. As the victims stack up, Lewis and Hathaway are drawn into Oxford's secrets and contradictions to catch a killer. Learn more and see a preview at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/moonbeams.html.
■ (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/masterpiece/mysterylewis/expiationsm.jpg) (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/expiation.html)
Sun, August 23: Expiation ~ Inspector Lewis - Series I When an Oxford "soccer mom" is found hanged in her home following a visit from a mysterious stranger, Lewis and Hathaway uncover a web of family and sexual intrigue that convince them the initial suicide verdict may not tell the whole story. A renowned professor, near death and plagued by his own terrible secret, claims to hold the key that will unlock the mystery, but first he wants something from Lewis and Hathaway. Learn more and see a preview at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/expiation.html.
■ (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/masterpiece/mysterylewis/poster_schooltiessm.jpg) (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/schoolties.html)
Sun, August 16: Old School Ties ~ Inspector Lewis ~ Series I
Lewis faces his past when he's drawn into a case driven by celebrity, ambition and sexual politics. Assigned to chaperone a celebrity criminal on his controversial visit to Oxford, Lewis thinks the assignment is a waste of time. Soon, though, two people are dead, and Lewis and Hathaway have their hands full. Learn more and see a preview at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/schoolties.html.
Discussion Leaders: Babi (Ssbjs3@aol.com) and marcie (marciei@aol.com)
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I've seen a number of the Inspector Morse films, but I've not read any of the
books. Perhaps that was just as well; I could watch without making comparisons. I wonder, now, whether my library carries the books? I
guess I'd better find out. ???
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I have read all the Inspector Morse Novels. I love them. I have also seen the film productions of several of them.
Joan Grimes
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I believe that the "backstory" for Inspector Lewis's character and references to the past is based on the Colin Dexter Morse novels and the PBS productions but the new Lewis series I and II are new screenplays. Colin Dexter is a consultant to the production.
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Yes Marcie,
I think you are right about the Inspector Morse novels being the "backstory" for the Inspector Lewis Character. I own most of the Inspector Morse books. For years I went to
England at least once a year and I would look for the latest Inspector Morse novel while I was there. I did not have wait until they were published in the United
States.
Joan Grimes
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That must have been fun, Joan, reading Morse in his own setting!
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Everybody please note Marcie's 'heads up' and the statement in the heading,
ie., background based on Colin Dexter's Inspector Morse novels.
The key elements here are "background" and "based on".
If these are indeed entirely new screenplays, then reading the Inspector Morse
books would be entirely a matter of choice. I think I woud like to read one or
two if only to get a feel for the Inspector Morse created by Colin Dexter, and
familiarize myself with the 'background'.
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I enjoyed the Inspector Morse books. I'm looking forward to seeing more of Inspector Lewis.
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I thought the Inspector Lewis series was starting tomorrow. So thanks for the heads up.
Evelyn
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Nope, August 16 is the first date for the Morse series. So all us 'Masterpieces'
can put our feet up and relax for a couple of weeks. In a manner of speaking.
I really do need to sweep off my large porch; the wind blows all sorts of stuff
onto it.
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;) Babi.
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Next week will be Foyle's war. I wish they would reshow Inspector Morse. One of my favorites. PS: If there are Christies available, I'd like to read the set.
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I think I've seen all the 'Foyle's'. Inspector Morse, on the other hand,...I think
I missed a few of those. I don't doubt that sooner or later, Masteriece' will run
them again.
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I too wish that PBS would show Inspector Morse again. Enough time has passed since I saw the original series so that I likely won't remember "who done it" :-)
The following isn't a mystery site, but when I was looking for a possible schedule for Inspector Morse, I found this interesting "period films" site at http://enchantedserenityperiodfilms.blogspot.com/2009/06/pbs-masterpiece-schedule-2010.html
They say that a version of "Emma" and "Cranford 2" will be broadcast by PBS in early 2010.
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I like that title, "Enchanted Serenity", in reference to the old period films. It
says it so well for me.
I remember wanting to view the original "Cranford", only to discover to my disappointment that it did not have closed captioning. I hope that is not true of these films.
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Hi, Babi. I am wondering if the closed captioning is a service that is provided by the local PBS station? The Cranford site at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/cranford/credits.html says:
"Masterpiece has been presented on PBS by WGBH since 1971. The series is closed-captioned for deaf and hard-of-hearing viewers by The Caption Center at WGBH. A special narration track is added to the series by Descriptive Video Service® (DVS®), a service of WGBH to provide access to people who are blind or visually impaired."
It looks like the DVD does provide captioning.
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Excellent, MARCIE! I perused the link before I finished your post and found the
information. I could have saved myself the hunt if I'd finished your post first.
:-\ You're a dear to have found that for me.
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I find the closed captioning very helpful for programs that have a lot of dialog that I don't want to miss. That would be most PBS programs!
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I am surprised that little or no mention is made that Kevin Whately played Lewis in the Morse series. Compared to then, Whately now looks, besides older (but not that much), very tired or ill perhaps. That is what struck me the most when I caught a little bit of one of his episodes a year or so ago.
I too miss Morse.
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I liked Lewis, and I'm pleased to hear he is going to be he lead in the new
series. I do hope the 'tired or ill' is part of the persona, and that he is not
actually ill.
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REMINDER: Check your local PBS station.
Sunday, August 16: Old School Ties ~ Inspector Lewis ~ Series I
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Here we go! A new series with Kenneth Whatley as Inspector Lewis, starting
tomorrow night. You remember Lewis from the old Morse series on
Masterpiece Mystery Theatre, I'm sure.
Oddly enough, when I went searching for a good site for Whatley, all I found was his 'filmography'. Moreover, there was no portrait available! Whoever heard of an actor who doesn't have publicity stills of himself wherever possible?!! I'm beginning to suspect that Kenneth Whatley is a very private man. Ve-e-ry interesting.
Don't forget...tomorrow night, the 16th, on PBS!
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My PBS station will not begin the Lewis series until next week because they are fund raising as usual.
Joan Grimes
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My PBS station apparently showed an Inspector Lewis last Sunday, and is repeating it tonight -- entitled "Whom the Gods Would Destroy." This may be an older one. Several months ago I caught an Inspector Lewis and he had just returned from a rather lengthy stay on an island in the Carribbean -- whether it was on assignment or was R and R, I don't remember. He did look older, and his wife had died. And his new boss was a woman, and they didn't see eye to eye.
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Oh, dear, how annoying, JOAN. Do check-in and be sure the fund-raising is
ousting the Inspector Lewis opening. And PEDLN's station seems to have a
different schedule also. My local station is presenting "Old School Ties" as
scheduled in our heading. Take a quick look to be sure, PEDLN, as previews
and ads sometimes get mixed up.
I do hope most PBS stations are on the same track. I would watch the
programs anyway, as I love PBS Masterpiece Theatre. But it would make it
difficult for discussion.
Watch tonight! Chat (or gripe) in the morning!
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I stupidly missed most of the Morse series: the first one I watched was the one where he died. but I've seen some Lewis's. Have to check my program listing.
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They don't seem to be showing the encore Lewis I series on my local PBS stations either! :-(
I'll be watching the episode online. It will be available as of tomorrow at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/watch.html.
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Checking in: Just finished the 90 minute Masterpiece Theater, Old School Ties.
Lots of good suspects with an unusual ending.
I'll watch it again on Thursday.
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I'm in early this morning; can't sleep. So, I'll get an early start on "Old School Ties". Good title; the old school tie theme ran all through the story. Lewis
had been a schoolmate,..and dated..., the widow of a murder victim. Sergeant
Hathaway shared a school tie with one of the suspects, and was also able to
to learn some useful information by calling on another old school chum.
Then there was the group of students who actively cultivated school 'ties' as
a useful tool for their career plans. "Useful" was the key word there; friendship had nothing to do with it.
What were your first impressions?
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I watched the program last night and enjoyed. The film techniques and movement were, I think, superior to the Miss Marple programs. The characters were clear and interesting. I loved the setting and scenes showing the buildings and the area. There was the touch of humor, the blend of the old - the school - and the new technology.
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I don't know whether to watch it online or wait for next Sunday. I won't have time today.
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I really enjoyed this one. It seems that the audience were to be treated as if they had intelligence. The characters were carefully delineated though I had trouble accepting Gina Mckee in that particular role. She was not believable to me as the wife of such a man. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/schoolties.html She is a lovely prescence and the camera seems to love her. Four stars IMHO!.
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I watched it last night and enjoyed it very much. I will watch it sometime this week on the computer. I can always understand more when I wear the earphones.
I really like the actress who played the widow. Thanks for her name, MrsSherlock, I didn't know it. --- Gina McKee --- I have seen her in other Masterpiece productions and have always liked her.
Sgt. Lewis looks older and tired. Hope he is in good health in real life.
Evelyn
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I'm not familiar with Gina McKee, JACKIE, so perhaps that's why I had no
problem with her in the role. She seemed to me exactly the kind of person who
could understand such a man and love him anyway..even though a divorce was
eventually inevitable.
Lewis did look 'old and tired', Evelyn. But then, we all do sometimes,
don't we? He is still able to do the job, though, obviously. It's funny,
but I was surprised when I first saw him...so unfamiliar. Then I realized
that I had been mentally picturing not Inspector Morris' sergeant, but the
guy from "Foyle's War". Once I got that sorted out, I settled in to enjoy
the show. ('sorted out'...the usual 'English' influence on my vocabulary
when I see one of these shows.)
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Well, no wonder he looks older – it’s been over 20 years since the first Inspector Morse production in 1987. Here’s a link to the Official Inspector Morse (http://www.inspectormorse.co.uk/).
I didn't know Gina McKee either, Babi. Guess I'm really not very familiar with many contemporary British actors. Must check to see who plays Hathaway. I really like him, and what a profile -- did you note that scene with his shadow on the wall?
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I am going to try to find time to watch this online so that I can keep up with the discussion.
Joan Grimes
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Thanks for the link to "Inspector Morse", PEDLN. Now that I see him again,
I can easily recognize the old Lewis.
I really like Hathaway, too. Now I'm annoyed with myself for missing the
shadow of his profile on the wall. You've intrigued me, and I will be watching
for a glimpse of that profile in the next show.
I do hope you can find time to watch, JOANGRIMES. I think you would really
enjoy this series. It probably helps that we don't have a written version for
comparison. It's so easy, in reading a story, to form one's own impressions of
the characters. Then we're somewhat unhappy with a different take on the role.
So far we seem to be quite happy with the characters. Lewis, Hathaway and
Mrs. Turnbull have all met with our approval. Anyone you didn't like? Some
of the characters were, naturally, unpleasant people. But what about the
acting/writing overall? Any criticisms?
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I watched the episode online and very much enjoyed it. The acting was great.
I could see that Gina McKee could play the role of an "uppercrust" woman with very different tastes in other films, but I think she was believable as someone who made the choices of career and marriage that she did in this program. It seems she was unsuccessful as an artist/actor earlier in life (accordinging to the psychologist at the prison). It makes sense, too, that her marriage to Nicky was going to end, since they were somewhat of an odd match (but believable to me).
I thought she might be the villain. I didn't suspect the actual culprit(s).
I don't know if I would have noticed the lovely shadowed profile of DS James Hathaway (near the end of Chapter 4, when his wife identifies Nicky's body at the police station) Thanks, Pedln, for pointing that out.
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I liked this one. Acting was top-notch and so was casting; I'm in the minority about Agina McKee, I guess. She has so much class I couldn't see her falling under the spell of her husband who seemed so crude. Hathaway has always been my favorite; they don't give him enough to do. Much as I like Lewis, Hathaway steals the show for me.
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Twenty years since the original Inspector Morse series?? I can't believe it. Time sure goes fast when we're havin fun, or getting older, doesn't it? ;D
Evelyn
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(http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/masterpiece/masterpiecehdg.jpg)
Masterpiece continues the mystery programming with Inspector Lewis series I & II, with background based on Colin Dexter's Inspector Morse novels. (http://www.mysterylist.com/morse.htm)
Two encore presentations from series one of Inspector Lewis are part of the programming: Old School Ties (August 16) and Expiation (August 23). Inspector Lewis: Series II premieres August 30th showcasing seven new cases: Moonbeams Kiss the Sea (August 30); Music to Die For (September 6); Life Born of Fire (September 13);The Great and the Good (September 20); Allegory of Love (October 4); The Quality of Mercy (October 11) and The Point of Vanishing (October 18). Lewis and Hathaway encounter several crimes that take a personal turn, revealing new sides of the inimitable duo and their deepening relationship.
Join us here with your reactions to the shows and the novels.
(http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/masterpiece/mysterylewis/poster_pointofvanishing.jpg) (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/pointofvanishing.html)
Sun, October 18: The Point of Vanishing ~ Inspector Lewis - Series II
Steven Mullan, recently released from prison after having tried to kill celebrity atheist while driving drunk, is found dead in his bathtub. Lewis and Hathaway find a postcard at the crime scene of a Renaissance painting inscribed with the words, "It was no dream." But the case is about to take a surreal, dream-like twist, leaving Lewis and Hathaway drowning in questions about crimes of the past and the present. Learn more and see a preview at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/pointofvanishing.html.
■ (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/masterpiece/mysterylewis/poster_qualityofmercysm.jpg) (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/qualityofmercy.html)
Sun, October 11: The Quality of Mercy ~ Inspector Lewis - Series II
A student production of The Merchant of Venice takes real-life deadly turn. Lewis and Hathaway methodically try to make sense of the murderous plot. As the final act is about to unfold, the case takes an intensely personal turn for Lewis, bringing back traumatic memories and invoking a lesson in mercy. Learn more and see a preview at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/qualityofmercy.html. Watch the whole episode online (chapter by chapter, if you prefer) through October 18 at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/watch.html.
■ (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/masterpiece/mysterylewis/allegoryoflovesm.jpg) (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/allegoryoflove.html)
Sun, October 4: Allegory of Love ~ Inspector Lewis - Series II
Young and handsome Oxford writer Dorian Crane is following in the noted fantasy footsteps of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien with his newest book when someone is brutally murdered, seemingly following a pattern in Crane's fiction. Lewis and Hathaway get pulled into the world of Oxford's literary elite, only to find that it harbors resentment and jealousy and at its center, holds terrible secrets beyond all imagination. Learn more and see a preview at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/allegoryoflove.html. Watch the whole episode online (chapter by chapter, if you prefer) through October 18 at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/watch.html.
■ (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/masterpiece/mysterylewis/poster_greatandgoodsm.jpg) (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/greatandgood.html)
Sun, September 20: The Great and the Good ~ Inspector Lewis - Series II
A teen girl is assaulted, and the clues clearly incriminate someone from her school. But the suspect has an alibi supported by three pillars of the Oxford community. Lewis and Hathaway are determined to crack the alibi. Is Lewis's own status as a social outsider clouding his judgment or do those in Oxford's most prestigious social circles have the most to hide? Learn more and see a preview at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/greatandgood.html. Watch the whole episode online (chapter by chapter, if you prefer) through October 4 at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/watch.html.
■ (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/masterpiece/mysterylewis/poster_bornoffiresm.jpg) (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/bornoffire.html)
Sun, September 13: Born of Fire ~ Inspector Lewis - Series II
A man, who Hathaway knows, dies in a church leading Lewis and Hathaway to a shadowy spiritual group, "The Garden." But as those most intimately associated with the group begin to die, Lewis questions Hathaway's sudden vow of silence. In a case of blind faith and faltering trust, Lewis hurries to learn more about Oxford's religious world and his partner before fire threatens one final victim. Learn more and see a preview at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/bornoffire.html. Watch the whole episode online (chapter by chapter, if you prefer) through September 27 at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/watch.html.
■ (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/masterpiece/mysterylewis/poster_musictodieforsm.gif) (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/musictodiefor.html)
Sun, September 6: Music to Die For ~ Inspector Lewis - Series II
An elite Oxford lecturer gets in a drunken brawl at an exclusive club, and is later found strangled by a strip of boxer's hand tape. Lewis and Hathaway become immersed in the brutal world of bare-knuckle boxing as they comb Oxford for the killer. From the epic operas of Wagner to Cold War intrigue and buried secrets, the case swells to a heart-pounding crescendo, along the way invoking the memory of Chief Inspector Morse. Learn more and see a preview at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/musictodiefor.html. Watch the whole episode online (chapter by chapter, if you prefer) through September 20 at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/watch.html.
■ (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/masterpiece/mysterylewis/poster_moonbeamssm.gif) (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/moonbeams.html)
Sun, August 30: And the Moonbeams Kiss the Sea ~ Inspector Lewis - Series II
A body is in the library — Oxford's Bodleian Library. As the victims stack up, Lewis and Hathaway are drawn into Oxford's secrets and contradictions to catch a killer. Learn more and see a preview at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/moonbeams.html.
■ (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/masterpiece/mysterylewis/expiationsm.jpg) (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/expiation.html)
Sun, August 23: Expiation ~ Inspector Lewis - Series I When an Oxford "soccer mom" is found hanged in her home following a visit from a mysterious stranger, Lewis and Hathaway uncover a web of family and sexual intrigue that convince them the initial suicide verdict may not tell the whole story. A renowned professor, near death and plagued by his own terrible secret, claims to hold the key that will unlock the mystery, but first he wants something from Lewis and Hathaway. Learn more and see a preview at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/expiation.html.
■ (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/masterpiece/mysterylewis/poster_schooltiessm.jpg) (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/schoolties.html)
Sun, August 16: Old School Ties ~ Inspector Lewis ~ Series I
Lewis faces his past when he's drawn into a case driven by celebrity, ambition and sexual politics. Assigned to chaperone a celebrity criminal on his controversial visit to Oxford, Lewis thinks the assignment is a waste of time. Soon, though, two people are dead, and Lewis and Hathaway have their hands full. Learn more and see a preview at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/schoolties.html.
Discussion Leaders: Babi (Ssbjs3@aol.com) and marcie (marciei@aol.com)
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I like Hathaway too, mrssherlock. I love the interaction between the two. It's interesting that Morse was the Oxford-educated lead investigator and Lewis the state-school educated second in command. Now Lewis is in the lead with an Oxford-educated sidekick.
Did you notice that Lewis played a few seconds of opera (like Morse) in this episode and his DS is part of a group that plays a multicultural synthesis of music styles?
I can't believe that's it's been 20 years, evelyn! Of course, I can't believe that we've already passed the 2000 date! :-)
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Yes, the music touches were subtle and sly, weren't they?
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PLEASE don't mention who did it, for those of us who haven't been able to watch yet.
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SPOILER ALERT
I didn't suspect David and Chloe either, MARCIE. In fact, at first I liked
David very much...until he started revealing another side of himself. Usually,
I have a pretty good idea who-dun-it well before the ending of a mystery, so
it's fun to watch a film that really fools me.
I agree the show wouldn't have been as enjoyable without Hathaway, JACKIE.
But be fair,...he's just prettier than Lewis. ;) And a good actor.
(I don't know how much fun it is, EVELYN. It seems the time goes so fast now
it leaves my head spinning! We were well into August before I remembered that my younger daughter's birthday is this month!)
OOPS! Sorry, JOANK.
FOLKS, JOAN HAS A POINT. A NUMBER OF OUR POSTERS HAVE DIFFERENT PBS SCHEDULES.
DO YOU THINK WE CAN AVOID IDENTIFYING THE CULPRITS IN OUR DISCUSSION?
If you're interested, here's a site where you can take a look at the many
colleges of Oxford. Just click on your choice; the article will include
a picture of that college.
http://www.ox.ac.uk/colleges/colleges_and_halls_az/index.html
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Interesting comparison, Marcie, about the educations of Morse, Lewis, and Hathaway. It will be interesting, too, to watch how the relationship between Lewis and Hathaway develops. There were times with Morse when he seemed heavy-handed, almost bullying, with Lewis, although there was certainly friendship and respect between the two. Somehow, I don't think Lewis will treat Hathaway the same way, nor would Hathaway let him.
I don't remember if it were in the books or the films, but Lewis was always the one who had to get the drinks from the bar -- what was it? -- OJ for Lewis and Morse's pint? And of course, Lewis never ever got to drive Morse's litte red(?) car. Did he?
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I'm so sorry, JoanK. I should have put a SPOILER warning at the top of my post about "who did it."
Babi, thanks for the link to the colleges at Oxford. I can't remember which college Morse attended. Does anyone else recall?
There is an interesting site here: http://www.tv.com/lewis/old-school-ties/episode/981694/summary.html?tag=ep_guide;summary. It has a list of all of the locations used in each episode of the Inspector Lewis mysteries. Click on EPISODE GUIDE and then EPISODE OVERVIEW below any episode to get around.
Pedln, you're right about Morse sometimes bullying Lewis and having him order and pay for his beer a lot of the time! Morse was very short tempered with anything he thought approached "slow wittedness." I love Morse's red Jaguar!! I don't recall that Lewis ever got to drive it. Do you want to take a spin? http://www.morsejaguar.co.uk/
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I don't remember the details of the Morse stories all that well, PEDLN.
I see that Marcie was able to answer those questions. Lewis just drank orange
juice? Now I'm trying to remember if we saw him drinking anything in last
Sunday's show.
MARCIE, thanks for that link. I'd been trying to recall if a specific
college was named in "The Old School Tie", and I don't believe one was.
Your link at least tells us where some of the scenes were actually filmed.
Both Merton and Oriel are mentioned, neither one a well known college here.
I guess the smaller colleges were more willing to be invaded by film crews.
It looks like this upcoming show is also going to be connected with Oxford.
The victim is described as an "Oxford soccer mom". I'm wondering now...is
Lewis'office located in Oxford? From the first film I gathered that he and
Lewis were 'sent down' to Oxford to act as bodyguards. Of course, it may
simply be that they filmed more than one story while they were on location
there.
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Babi, probably all of the Lewis stories are going to be set in Oxford. Oxford was the setting for the Morse stories.The University dominates the city of Oxford. One is always conscious that it is there when visiting the area. I have been there many times but then of course Ginny even attended classes there. I haven't done that. I love that area though.
Joan G
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British mysteries have always intrigued me whether it's Conan Doyle, Agatha Christie, P. D. James, Colin Dexter or some other British author. I have especially enjoyed the PBS Inspector Lewis I series and am looking forward to the II series.
I find PBS Masterpiece Theater programs very well done--most of the time. However, I was disappointed in the last two Miss Marple series, the one with Geraldine McEwan and the most recent one with Julia McKenzie. It may be because the series with Joan Hickson was so good. To me Joan Hickson is Miss Marple as David Suchet is Hercule Poirot.
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Welcome, dean69, to our discussion of the Inspector Lewis series. I'm in agreement with what you say about the PBS British mystery series and about the Miss Marple variations.
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I finally watched Old School Ties this morning. I really enjoyed it. I thought the acting was really good. Seeing Oxford in the film was wonderful. I think it was so much better than the Agatha Christie that they did this summer.
Joan Grimes
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Good point, JOANG; you're undoubtedly right. I'm all in favor of that. Like
you and DEAN, I love English settings and Oxford is a favorite.
I think we were all disappointed with the latest Miss Marple series, DEAN.
My complaint was not so much Julie McKenzie as Miss Marple, but the really
terrible job the writers' did, tearing Christie's stories to pieces.
Tomorrow night is the second episode in the series for most of us. Those
of you who took part in the discussion of the book about Guernsey during WWII may be interested to know that James Wilby, the grieving widower of
"Expiation", also starred in "Island at War". That was another MPT film
about the German invasion and occupation of the Channel Islands.
Did anyone here see that one?
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Babi, thanks for pointing that out. Unless they are a household word I usually don't pay much attention to who the actors are -- eventually some of them become familiar to me, mainly because of comments here on SeniorLearn.
Okay, I just looked him up and Wilby played the part of Senator Dorr in the three-part Island at War miniseries. Saw that, enjoyed it. Now when I see him in Lewis I won't be wondering why he looks so familiar.
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I agree with Babi that the thing I disliked so much about the recent Christie series was the way that they changed what Chrisite had written. The stories were nothing like the books from which the titles came. They put Miss Marple into books that Christie had not used her. This all just turned me completely off as far as that series was concerned. The performances of the actors and actresses did not really bother me.
Since the Lewis stories are not from books written by Colin Dexter they could not do the kind of thing that they did with the Christie presentations. Also Colin Dexter is an advisor on these productions. Because of these things the flavor of the Colin Dexter books seems to be there.
Joan Grimes
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I do the same thing, PEDLN. I lose myself in the story, and really pay no
mind to who the actors really are. I only identify those I like so well that I want to see them whenever they appear. I'm constantly asking my daughter,
"Where have I seem him/her before?" \
It finally dawned upon me that I really should be better informed. An actor with a long career deserves to be acknowledged. Of course, at this late date,
my short term memory is very short-term.
Nice to know some screenplay writer can't decide to 'do is own thing' with
this series, isn't it, JOAN? Looking forward to tonight's episode.
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PBS channels that I can access don't seem to be showing Lewis tonight. I'll watch the episode online, since it will be available as of tomorrow (Monday). That works well for me.
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WELCOME DEAN!!
Do come into the Mystery Corner and tell us which writers you like.
http://seniorlearn.org/forum/index.php?topic=82.880 (http://seniorlearn.org/forum/index.php?topic=82.880)
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My local PBS station will be broadcasting the second Lewis presentation tonight. I am really looking forward to watching it.
Joan Grimes
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I just watched it. A bit bizarre, but good. Lots of twists and turns. I wonder if that is the Colin Dexter influence. But how strangely our memories do work. I was sure I had not seen this production before. But -- then the professor spoke about Alison Bright, and I'd heard about that horrible incident before. But that's the only thing that was familiar -- what Alison did, nothing else. Not Jane Templeton, not anything else. Guess there are things one never forgets.
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Perhaps the Alison Bright incident appeared on one of the old Inspector
Morse films, PEDLN. I found the story hard to believe; it doubt if it is even
possible.
I have to grin when I hear such wonderful English slang as "stooking great
cheese". It was used to describe Prof. Pelletier, the 'Regius Professor of
Jurisprudence', so I gather it means a VIP. I'm really enjoying the diaglogue
between Lewis and Hathaway.
The viewer had an advantage in this mystery. Having since the cheerful,
happy, active mother/wife/do-gooder in the morning, I doubt any of us
thought for a second that she suicided that afternoon. I won't say more
than that until more of our posters have a chance to see this episode.
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That Alison story sounded familiar to me, too. So did the Arrangement and the pivotal ending. According to Wikipedia this episode was originally broadcast on March 4, 2007. I must have seen it before. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewis_(TV_series)#Series_2
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I knew I had seen the program before as soon as it began, but I couldn't remember much about it, so, of course, watched it again. The story was weird with all its twists and turns, but enjoyable and the acting was good. Kind of sad. Will not say more until everyone has had a chance to see it.
Evelyn
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I wasn't aware that one of the episodes had been aired earlier. 2007, huh?
Perhaps it was the success of that film that decided the producers to develop
a series.
I am more and more impressed with the acting of Laurence Fox. Example:
the confrontation between Prof. Pelletier and Stokes, and seeing Hathatway at the end where he had been hovering close by. (I had to re-write this, to
avoid revealing too much.)
Between the Sunday and Monday viewing, and the on-line showing...has
everyone here seen the episode now?
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Here is some info from wikipedia about the Inspector Lewis series.
Lewis's adventures started again [after the death of Morse] with the creation of an initial one-off episode first broadcast in January 2006. In this episode, Lewis returns to Oxford from a two-year stint training police in the British Virgin Islands, following the death of his wife Valerie in an automobile accident. Lewis still must work partly in the shadow of the now-five-years-dead Inspector Morse, who some time prior to his death had worked a case involving one of the murder suspects as a juvenile. In the new series, Lewis gains his own junior, Detective Sergeant James Hathaway (played by Laurence Fox), a Cambridge-educated man who joined the police on giving up training for the priesthood.
The popularity of the one-off episode spurred the continuation of the story into a new series, with three two-hour episodes aired in January and February 2007. A second series of four episodes then aired in February and March 2008 (in the UK).
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I would watch Hathaway (Fox) read the phone book.
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mrssherlock ;)
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me too!!
isak
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It's good to see you here, isak.
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Good morning, ISAK. Good to hear from you. We all seem to agree that Laurence Fox is a favorite, whether acting or just sitting there looking gorgeous.
For our enlightenment, here's a bio on Fox:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laurence_Fox
What did you think of old-timer James Woods performance as the dying
Professor Pelletier? To me, he came across as a tough old bird accustomed
to getting his way. Here he was a professor of jurisprudence, facing death
with the guilt of a great injustice on his mind.
One of the best lines in the film was Hathaway's reference to the basis of
their case depending on "a dying man and a mentally terminal man". Hathaway
showed great perception in utilizing the Professor's Catholic conscience,
persuading him to unburden himself before he died.
Certainly the writer here deserves notice and praise. Writer and principal
editor of this episode is Kathleen Cahill. I rarely pay any attention to
who writes the films, so I don't know anything about her. Here is her rather
impressive home page:
http://www.kathleencahill.org/
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Fox is married to Billie Piper who was such a disaster IMHO as Fannie Price in Mansfield Park.
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Actually, I was always rather fond of his Dad - James Fox.
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Kathleen Cahill sounds like she is unique: http://www.fatalsong.com/ That's a production I would like to see and hear.
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Oh, dear. I well remember her in Mansfield Park. I do hope she is doing
better as Mrs. Fox than as Fannie Price.
James Fox first appeared on film in the The Miniver Story in 1950. His
other early film appearances were made under the name William Fox. During
the 1960s he gained popularity and appeared to be heading for stardom.
His roles in films such as The Servant (1963), Those Magnificent Men in
Their Flying Machines (1965), King Rat (1965), The Chase (1965), Thoroughly
Modern Millie (1967), Isadora (1968) and Performance (1970) (alongside Mick Jagger.....
After finishing work on Performance, and following his father's death, Fox suspended his acting career. The strain of filming, his father's death and smoking the hallucinogen DMT led to a nervous breakdown.
I was surprised at how many of those films I had seen, yet was not familiar
with him by name. There is much more of interest about him. Perhaps I should
just post the link and let you all see for yourself.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Fox
"Fatal Song" sounds like the ultimate spoof, JACKIE.
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Thanks for the link to Fatal Song, Jackie. It sounds very imaginative and fun. I appreciate the info about James Fox. I've enjoyed him in several productions. The wikipedia article says he'll be in the upcoming (later this year) Sherlock Holmes film, with Robert Downey as Holmes.
I finally watched the episode online. I love the interaction and dialog between Lewis and Hathaway in this episode. Lewis is clearly taking charge after his years as partner to Morse. Lewis has years of experience and good instincts. Hathaway has a lot to offer in terms of his intelligence and education. They make good partners.
I thought that James Woods was believable in his role.
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The casting in this episode was apt as each actor seemed to fit the role. James Wood played his role very well, I agree. The overall acting quality of these productions far exceeds Miss Marple/Monsieur Poirot programs.
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Me, too. MARCIE. I thought the dialogue and interaction exceptionally good
in this episode. I think all our posters have agreed that this series is a real
winner.
This Sunday will begin all the new episodes filmed for Series II, beginning with
"Moonbeams Kiss the Sea". Such a delicate, romantic title for a crime series,
isn't it? I'm curious to know what this one will be like.
The murder takes place in the Bodleian(?) library. I'm looking forward to
seeing that. I have two really old books from a series published by the
Bodleian, so this really piques my interest. Here is a link to a video about the libary. The age of the place really comes through.
http://video.aol.com/video-detail/bodleian-library/1287459418
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I agree, Babi. What a wonderful title for the first episode of Lewis II. My PBS station is supposed to show it this Sunday and I'm looking forward to it! Thanks for the info about that huge, great Bodleian Library. It's a great setting for murder :-)
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It's a pity more people don't seem to be watching the 'Inspector Lewis' series.
It's a winner! Perhaps they were so annoyed by the mishandling of the Miss
Marple series that are leery of this one.
Do let your friends know that the 'Inspector Lewis' series on PBS Mystery
Masterpiece Theatre is one they would greatly enjoy.
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I'm eagerly awaiting the one in the Bodleian library. I hope they give us a lot of the flavor of the place!
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(http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/masterpiece/masterpiecehdg.jpg)
Masterpiece continues the mystery programming with Inspector Lewis series I & II, with background based on Colin Dexter's Inspector Morse novels. (http://www.mysterylist.com/morse.htm)
Two encore presentations from series one of Inspector Lewis are part of the programming: Old School Ties (August 16) and Expiation (August 23). Inspector Lewis: Series II premieres August 30th showcasing seven new cases: Moonbeams Kiss the Sea (August 30); Music to Die For (September 6); Life Born of Fire (September 13);The Great and the Good (September 20); Allegory of Love (October 4); The Quality of Mercy (October 11) and The Point of Vanishing (October 18). Lewis and Hathaway encounter several crimes that take a personal turn, revealing new sides of the inimitable duo and their deepening relationship.
Join us here with your reactions to the shows and the novels.
(http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/masterpiece/mysterylewis/poster_pointofvanishing.jpg) (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/pointofvanishing.html)
Sun, October 18: The Point of Vanishing ~ Inspector Lewis - Series II
Steven Mullan, recently released from prison after having tried to kill celebrity atheist while driving drunk, is found dead in his bathtub. Lewis and Hathaway find a postcard at the crime scene of a Renaissance painting inscribed with the words, "It was no dream." But the case is about to take a surreal, dream-like twist, leaving Lewis and Hathaway drowning in questions about crimes of the past and the present. Learn more and see a preview at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/pointofvanishing.html.
■ (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/masterpiece/mysterylewis/poster_qualityofmercysm.jpg) (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/qualityofmercy.html)
Sun, October 11: The Quality of Mercy ~ Inspector Lewis - Series II
A student production of The Merchant of Venice takes real-life deadly turn. Lewis and Hathaway methodically try to make sense of the murderous plot. As the final act is about to unfold, the case takes an intensely personal turn for Lewis, bringing back traumatic memories and invoking a lesson in mercy. Learn more and see a preview at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/qualityofmercy.html. Watch the whole episode online (chapter by chapter, if you prefer) through October 18 at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/watch.html.
■ (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/masterpiece/mysterylewis/allegoryoflovesm.jpg) (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/allegoryoflove.html)
Sun, October 4: Allegory of Love ~ Inspector Lewis - Series II
Young and handsome Oxford writer Dorian Crane is following in the noted fantasy footsteps of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien with his newest book when someone is brutally murdered, seemingly following a pattern in Crane's fiction. Lewis and Hathaway get pulled into the world of Oxford's literary elite, only to find that it harbors resentment and jealousy and at its center, holds terrible secrets beyond all imagination. Learn more and see a preview at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/allegoryoflove.html. Watch the whole episode online (chapter by chapter, if you prefer) through October 18 at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/watch.html.
■ (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/masterpiece/mysterylewis/poster_greatandgoodsm.jpg) (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/greatandgood.html)
Sun, September 20: The Great and the Good ~ Inspector Lewis - Series II
A teen girl is assaulted, and the clues clearly incriminate someone from her school. But the suspect has an alibi supported by three pillars of the Oxford community. Lewis and Hathaway are determined to crack the alibi. Is Lewis's own status as a social outsider clouding his judgment or do those in Oxford's most prestigious social circles have the most to hide? Learn more and see a preview at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/greatandgood.html. Watch the whole episode online (chapter by chapter, if you prefer) through October 4 at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/watch.html.
■ (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/masterpiece/mysterylewis/poster_bornoffiresm.jpg) (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/bornoffire.html)
Sun, September 13: Born of Fire ~ Inspector Lewis - Series II
A man, who Hathaway knows, dies in a church leading Lewis and Hathaway to a shadowy spiritual group, "The Garden." But as those most intimately associated with the group begin to die, Lewis questions Hathaway's sudden vow of silence. In a case of blind faith and faltering trust, Lewis hurries to learn more about Oxford's religious world and his partner before fire threatens one final victim. Learn more and see a preview at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/bornoffire.html. Watch the whole episode online (chapter by chapter, if you prefer) through September 27 at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/watch.html.
■ (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/masterpiece/mysterylewis/poster_musictodieforsm.gif) (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/musictodiefor.html)
Sun, September 6: Music to Die For ~ Inspector Lewis - Series II
An elite Oxford lecturer gets in a drunken brawl at an exclusive club, and is later found strangled by a strip of boxer's hand tape. Lewis and Hathaway become immersed in the brutal world of bare-knuckle boxing as they comb Oxford for the killer. From the epic operas of Wagner to Cold War intrigue and buried secrets, the case swells to a heart-pounding crescendo, along the way invoking the memory of Chief Inspector Morse. Learn more and see a preview at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/musictodiefor.html. Watch the whole episode online (chapter by chapter, if you prefer) through September 20 at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/watch.html.
■ (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/masterpiece/mysterylewis/poster_moonbeamssm.gif) (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/moonbeams.html)
Sun, August 30: And the Moonbeams Kiss the Sea ~ Inspector Lewis - Series II
A body is in the library — Oxford's Bodleian Library. As the victims stack up, Lewis and Hathaway are drawn into Oxford's secrets and contradictions to catch a killer. Learn more and see a preview at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/moonbeams.html.
■ (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/masterpiece/mysterylewis/expiationsm.jpg) (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/expiation.html)
Sun, August 23: Expiation ~ Inspector Lewis - Series I When an Oxford "soccer mom" is found hanged in her home following a visit from a mysterious stranger, Lewis and Hathaway uncover a web of family and sexual intrigue that convince them the initial suicide verdict may not tell the whole story. A renowned professor, near death and plagued by his own terrible secret, claims to hold the key that will unlock the mystery, but first he wants something from Lewis and Hathaway. Learn more and see a preview at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/expiation.html.
■ (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/masterpiece/mysterylewis/poster_schooltiessm.jpg) (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/schoolties.html)
Sun, August 16: Old School Ties ~ Inspector Lewis ~ Series I
Lewis faces his past when he's drawn into a case driven by celebrity, ambition and sexual politics. Assigned to chaperone a celebrity criminal on his controversial visit to Oxford, Lewis thinks the assignment is a waste of time. Soon, though, two people are dead, and Lewis and Hathaway have their hands full. Learn more and see a preview at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/schoolties.html.
Discussion Leaders: Babi (Ssbjs3@aol.com) and marcie (marciei@aol.com)
I am really looking forward to seeing this episode in the Bodleian Library. I love that place.
Joan Grimes
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JOANK, I think nothing could give the 'flavor' of the Bodleian library
better than the 'security system' described by the administrator. Every
one who uses the library has to take an oath to do no damage whatever and
take nothing away. That's it. And amazingly, it seems to work quite well.
Okay, now let's get to the really important stuff. I don't care for Sgt.
Hathaway's new haircut in Series II. That shaven appearance makes his whole
head look bullet-shaped rather than purely aristocratic. Having said that, it is
still a joy to watch and listen to the dialogue between Lewis and the Sgt.
Lewis continues to be less than happy dealing with Oxford academia. He
seems to regard those he has come into contact with as glib and smug. I
admit the ones we have been introduced to did seem to project an air of
intellectual superiority that barely managed to be nice.
If you would like to read the rest of the title Shelley poem, here it is.
Love's Philosophy
Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822)
The fountains mingle with the rivers
And the rivers with the oceans,
The winds of heaven mix forever
With a sweet emotion;
Nothing in the world is single;
All things by a law divine
In one spirit meet and mingle
Why not I with thine?
See the mountains kiss high heaven
And the waves clasp one another;
No sister-flower would be forgiven
If it disdained its brother,
And the sunlight clasps the earth
And the moonbeams kiss the sea;
What is all this sweet work worth
If thou kiss not me?
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I've recorded this one and will watch it later today. Shelley's poem is so moving.
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Thank you for posting the whole poem, Babi.
I enjoyed last night's episode. There were several very interesting characters. The plot was so packed that I think I'll watch the episode again online to see some of the things I may have missed. I won't say very much now since others haven't viewed the episode yet.
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I enjoyed last night's episode too. BABI: you're right about the security system: I would have liked to see more of the inside of the library. But there was plenty of quint scenery. I thought the mystery and the characters were very well done and interesting.
One sour note for me: accross the bottom of the screen periodically ran the message "This stations transmission may be interrupted due to the fire damage on Mt. Wilson." There is a huge fire there which is threatening the transmission towers of much of the local media. It is many many miles North of me: I'm not threatened at all. But I can see the clouds from it like a huge mushroom cloud on the horizen.
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I just finished watching last night's episode tonight on my computer. I have to say, I prefer doing this as I can hear everything better and if I am interrupted, I can pause it.
It was very good, very well acted, well written and the scenery was very pretty. That's all I'll say for now until everyone has had a chance to view it.
JoanK , Let's hope the fire continues to stay well north of you and Mt. Wilson is spared.
Evelyn
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As it is now Tuesday morning, I hope more viewers have had a chance to
see this episode.
JoanK, a sour note for me in most programming lately is the new advertisement gimmick. They run an obtrusive ad right across the bottome of the screen in the middle of most of the shows. I get so irritated at being distracted from the story in this manner. Something very intense or critical may
be taking place, and here comes this little red helicopter or comedy star
dancing and spinning away. Grrr. I wish I knew who to contact to inform
that that I hate it, and will not watch the advertised show out of pure
annoyance.
The fires are terrible. I've prayed about it, and hope the entire area
has heavy rains very soon.
I enjoyed so much about this episode. That bright young woman leading her
fanciful and very amusing...if wholly fictitious...tours. Hathaway paging his way
through a computer full of student art, calling Lewis' attention to one entitled
"Drying Paint" (yes, that's what it was), pulling up another one, and quietly
banging his head on the table. ;)
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I really enjoyed the program too. It was marvelous. The scenery was just lovely. The acting was really good. I am so happy that we have the opportunity to see these productions. I have always loved books and films set in and around Oxford. There are many of them by different authors. However Colin Dexter's stories were always some of the very best. I know he is not the author of these we are seeing now but these are based on his and he is an advisor for the productions. His influence is there. I hope that future productions are as enjoyable as this one was.
Joan Grimes
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I agree with you, Babi and JoanG. The production was great. I loved the fictitious tours and the imaginative guide who thought of everything as "art." The guy with autism was interesting too, as well as the gamblers.
SPOILER ALERT
I am not sure that I understand how the person's who committed the murder of the girl went that far. Couldn't they steal the art project that was "evidence"?
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A reasonable question, MARCIE. Even if the project were stolen, tho', the girl
could still have gone public, giving the police enough information to confirm the
forgeries. Apparently our Professor of Romantic Poets preferred murder to
exposure.
I thought the role of the autistic student artist was so well acted. That young
actor was Tom Riley, a name I'm not familiar with but will pay attention to in
future. It's also so encouraging to see another example of how a person with
a major handicap can still find a useful and satisfying place in the world.
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Agreed! All your comments are right on, and I enjoyed the episode a lot!
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Finally, I saw this episode. It was one which I will remember, for the autistic artist, for the incandescence of Emily Beecham who played Nell, for the whimsy of teaching Probability by handicaping horse races, for the enchanting scenery. Who advised Laurence Fox to get his hair cut like that? The plot was intelligent and original and the world of academia was well represented. Five stars!
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"Incandescence". What a perfect word to describe Nell, JACKIE.
Am I right in thinking that we don't often see a murder victim we enjoyed
and appreciated so much? So many of them are such disagreeable characters
one wonders how they escaped being murdered so long!
Whether the haircut was Fox's decision or someone else suggested it, I personally give it a thumbs down.
The 'Five-star' playwright for this episode is Alan Plater. It looks
as though he is the author of three of the episodes for this series. He
has a quite a body of work to his credit, if you care to take a look.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Plater
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Babi: Thanks for that link to Alan Plater. I see he adapted Flambards which we enjoyed immensely on PBS way back when. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flambards. I didn't know it was originally a series of novels by K M Peyton.
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"Incandescence" is a lovely adjective and perfect for that character, Jackie.
I hadn't thought about it, but you're right, Babi, that very often the murder victim is someone for whom we don't have much sympathy. Not in this case!
I tried to search and find out if Fox is doing another role for which he might have had to cut his hair but I didn't find anything. In some celebrity photos of him walking around town some months ago with his young baby, his longer hair sort of sticks up (bed hair). Maybe he was tired of trying to tame it :-).
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I may not have been watching PBS 'way back when', JACKIE. I don't remember a show called "Flambards". I have heard of K. M. Peyton, vaguely.
I can sympathize with anyone with hair problems, MARCIE. No matter how
my hair is cut, there are side strands that insist on sticking out.
I really don't think I could pull off a shaved head, tho'. :-\
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I don't remember Flambards either, Babi, but I think Alan Pater did a wonderful job with this production. The scenes (and dialogue) with Tom Riley were so realistic. Even before Lewis asked if he were autistic, the viewer knew this young man had a problem. I'll give the performance 5 stars.
My understanding is that although Colin Dexter is not writing the script, that he is advising?
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PEDLN, the credits simply say "Inspired by" the Lewis series by Colin Dexter.
It doesn't appear that he is 'advising'.
TO WHOMEVER IS KEEPING THAT BEAUTIFUL HEADING GOING: could we please get tomorrow's show into the heading now. It's "Music to Die For".
For those of you who want to take a look at it now, the link is...
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/musictodiefor.html
Hmm! Who is that gorgeous creature in the scene photo? Some of you
no doubt know; I'll have to wait until tomorrow night. This episode is written
by Dusty Hughes, another name I don't know.
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I read somewhere that Colin Dexter was advising. I know I did not dream that. may it was on the first series of Lewis stories. However I don't care if he is advising or not as long as the author captures the flavor of the Colin Dexter stories and I think that is being done. Hope the next one is as good as the last one was.
Joan Grimes
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Babi, I meant to put up the new episode yesterday. I'll do that now.
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I recognize the blonde actor on the left of the preview screen, above, for this episode as Bradley James. I've watched a few episodes this past season of "Merlin" and he plays Prince Arthur. Wikipedia says that his role in the Inspector Lewis series was his first professional acting role. I'm looking forward to the episode.
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Marcie: Please tell me about "Merlin". I've been fascinated by the Arthurian legend since I read Once and future King by T H White a gazillion years ago.
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Jackie, there is a television series called "Merlin." It's family entertainment. Liberties are taken with the Arthurian legend but the cast is good and the show has very good production/settings, etc. It's a BBC production but rebroadcast rights were purchased by NBC. There is information and some full episodes available at http://www.nbc.com/merlin/about/making-of.shtml. The first season, which was broadcast on NBC during the summer, is over but I assume the second season will be broadcast in 2010.
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THAT'S where I've seen him before! I watched 'Merlin' also, and thought
Prince Arthur was one of the finest looking young actors I've seen in a
while...and he could act, too! I don't understand why Wikipedia would
say 'Inspector Lewis' was his first professional role, since he co-stars
in "Merlin"
And thanks for taking care of the heading for us, MARCIE. It adds so
much to the discussion.
Marcie is quite right, JACKIE, that liberties are taken with Merlin and
Arthur...not to mention Guinevere, et al....but you really won't care,
the series so enjoyable.
Meanwhile, tonight's the night! I have been enjoying the "Inspector
Lewis" series so much, I really look forward to each episode.
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How could I have missed "Merlin"? Maybe Netflix will allow me to catch up. Thanks.
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Babi, I believe that the Lewis series was broadcast on the BBC before the Merlin series. We're just catching up on both in the U.S. Jackie, I hope you get to see Merlin. I really like the young actor who plays Merlin too.
I'm looking forward to tonight's episode of Lewis, although boxing isn't my thing.
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Merlin is listed on Netflix but is not yet available so I've put it into my Save queue. I abhor boxing so I hope it is present by its absence, not afflicting us with the reality. The raves about Eastwood's Million Dollar Baby could not induce me to watch it.
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AARRGGHH!! "Music to Die For" was not presented last night
as scheduled. Apparently, Mystery Masterpiece Theatre is no longer scheduled for next Sunday, either. I have no idea why. It will be at least two weeks
before it re-appears, ...hopefully.
Was the show canceled elsewhere, or just in my local area? I tried going
on-line to watch it this morning, but the on-line program has no closed
captioning.
If the program has been postponed everywhere, we'll have at least a
two-week hiatus in this discussion. IF it is continuing as scheduled elsewhere,
then someone else will need to act as discussion leader, since I am in limbo!
Any volunteers? :( ??? Help!!!
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It was on my PBS station last night.
Nan
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It was shown here last night . I watched it. I am going to try to watch it again online because I could not hear it well last night.
Joan Grimes
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It was on here but I, too, need to watch it again. I missed something along the way . . .
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I watched it last night and enjoyed it very much. However, I have to watch it again on my computer because as usual, I missed something, and have to view it again.
As far as the actual fight scenes go, they are few and very short.
Evelyn
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I'd like to watch it again myself.
I spent awhile on the computer this morning, researching some of the history.
Nan
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NAN, do share your research with the posters here. I am pretty much out of
it. My local station did not keep to the schedule for "Music to Die For", and does not have Mystery Theatre on next Sunday's schedule, either.
I'll have to check with the other DL's, and see if someone can take over here.
Drat...what a nuisance!
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I watched it Sunday night and could only hear about half of what people said. So I only have the dimmest idea of what happenad. I'll have to try again online, but won't have time today: I'm babysitting the grands.
SPOILER WARNING: DON'T READ BELOW IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT!
Did you notice that the announcer at the beginning as good as told you who the murderer was? Why did they let him do that. All through, I only had the dimmest idea what was happening, but I knew whodunnit (whatever it was).
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It was on my PBS station too, Babi. I wonder if your local station had to cancel due to financial difficulties? I don't really know how the payment system works for these types of programs. I'm sorry you didn't get a chance to see it. Let's look around to see if there is a contact email on the PBS Mystery site to request that they consider providing the video with captioning. It's sometimes hard to catch all of the dialog in these shows even if someone doesn't have a hearing difficulty.
SPOILER WARNING: DON'T READ BELOW IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT!
I noticed that remark by the announcer too, JoanK! I immediately thought that he had given something away.
I, too, feel that I missed something in the episode last night. Was the night club bouncer in the stasi ? I'll try to watch at least the last couple of scenes online.
I didn't like the fact that Morse was implicated in the framing of the Wagnerian expert. Morse's letter to him was completely innocent but, because it had a police mail stamp (Morse mailed it from the station rather than from home), the case was made that the Wagnerian expert was working as a spy for the British. It sort of made Morse seem careless.
I also didn't like it when Lewis told the Wagnerian expert's widow that he hadn't thought about Morse in a long time. Lewis must be reminded of Morse quite often in the cases he undertakes. I don't think he would just forget about him.
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I just read up on the history of the Stasi, something that I never really knew much about. I'm sure I'll read more about that, fiction and nonfiction, when I get the time.
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I am happy and relieved to tell you that MARCIE has agreed to act has DL
for this discussion while I am in limbo. I do hope my local stations will resume
the series after this two-week hiatus. They don't show programming more
than a week in advance, so I don't know what will happen after this coming
Suinday. How very aggravating.
The only thing I could find, MARCIE, about contacting the local station (which
makes it's own programming decisions) was to telephone. Obviously, that is
also useless. My ears don't work any better over the telephone. ;)
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Even though my hearing is usually ok, I also had trouble hearing the dialogue and following the plot. Thereupon I fell asleep in the middle ???
I don't even know if I'll watch it on line ... as ending now becomes obvious.
That was a big contrast to the prior episode (with the artist) which I could hear and did like.
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It could be that the German accents of some of the people in this episode made it more difficult to understand.
In this episode Hathaway teases Lewis about his taste in women (Lewis teases back about Hathaway's taste in music). My recollection is that Morse used to often develop feelings for the woman who was the victim or culprit. We'll see if that is Lewis' fate in future episodes.
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(http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/masterpiece/masterpiecehdg.jpg)
Masterpiece continues the mystery programming with Inspector Lewis series I & II, with background based on Colin Dexter's Inspector Morse novels. (http://www.mysterylist.com/morse.htm)
Two encore presentations from series one of Inspector Lewis are part of the programming: Old School Ties (August 16) and Expiation (August 23). Inspector Lewis: Series II premieres August 30th showcasing seven new cases: Moonbeams Kiss the Sea (August 30); Music to Die For (September 6); Life Born of Fire (September 13);The Great and the Good (September 20); Allegory of Love (October 4); The Quality of Mercy (October 11) and The Point of Vanishing (October 18). Lewis and Hathaway encounter several crimes that take a personal turn, revealing new sides of the inimitable duo and their deepening relationship.
Join us here with your reactions to the shows and the novels.
(http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/masterpiece/mysterylewis/poster_pointofvanishing.jpg) (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/pointofvanishing.html)
Sun, October 18: The Point of Vanishing ~ Inspector Lewis - Series II
Steven Mullan, recently released from prison after having tried to kill celebrity atheist while driving drunk, is found dead in his bathtub. Lewis and Hathaway find a postcard at the crime scene of a Renaissance painting inscribed with the words, "It was no dream." But the case is about to take a surreal, dream-like twist, leaving Lewis and Hathaway drowning in questions about crimes of the past and the present. Learn more and see a preview at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/pointofvanishing.html.
■ (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/masterpiece/mysterylewis/poster_qualityofmercysm.jpg) (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/qualityofmercy.html)
Sun, October 11: The Quality of Mercy ~ Inspector Lewis - Series II
A student production of The Merchant of Venice takes real-life deadly turn. Lewis and Hathaway methodically try to make sense of the murderous plot. As the final act is about to unfold, the case takes an intensely personal turn for Lewis, bringing back traumatic memories and invoking a lesson in mercy. Learn more and see a preview at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/qualityofmercy.html. Watch the whole episode online (chapter by chapter, if you prefer) through October 18 at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/watch.html.
■ (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/masterpiece/mysterylewis/allegoryoflovesm.jpg) (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/allegoryoflove.html)
Sun, October 4: Allegory of Love ~ Inspector Lewis - Series II
Young and handsome Oxford writer Dorian Crane is following in the noted fantasy footsteps of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien with his newest book when someone is brutally murdered, seemingly following a pattern in Crane's fiction. Lewis and Hathaway get pulled into the world of Oxford's literary elite, only to find that it harbors resentment and jealousy and at its center, holds terrible secrets beyond all imagination. Learn more and see a preview at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/allegoryoflove.html. Watch the whole episode online (chapter by chapter, if you prefer) through October 18 at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/watch.html.
■ (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/masterpiece/mysterylewis/poster_greatandgoodsm.jpg) (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/greatandgood.html)
Sun, September 20: The Great and the Good ~ Inspector Lewis - Series II
A teen girl is assaulted, and the clues clearly incriminate someone from her school. But the suspect has an alibi supported by three pillars of the Oxford community. Lewis and Hathaway are determined to crack the alibi. Is Lewis's own status as a social outsider clouding his judgment or do those in Oxford's most prestigious social circles have the most to hide? Learn more and see a preview at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/greatandgood.html. Watch the whole episode online (chapter by chapter, if you prefer) through October 4 at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/watch.html.
■ (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/masterpiece/mysterylewis/poster_bornoffiresm.jpg) (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/bornoffire.html)
Sun, September 13: Born of Fire ~ Inspector Lewis - Series II
A man, who Hathaway knows, dies in a church leading Lewis and Hathaway to a shadowy spiritual group, "The Garden." But as those most intimately associated with the group begin to die, Lewis questions Hathaway's sudden vow of silence. In a case of blind faith and faltering trust, Lewis hurries to learn more about Oxford's religious world and his partner before fire threatens one final victim. Learn more and see a preview at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/bornoffire.html. Watch the whole episode online (chapter by chapter, if you prefer) through September 27 at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/watch.html.
■ (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/masterpiece/mysterylewis/poster_musictodieforsm.gif) (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/musictodiefor.html)
Sun, September 6: Music to Die For ~ Inspector Lewis - Series II
An elite Oxford lecturer gets in a drunken brawl at an exclusive club, and is later found strangled by a strip of boxer's hand tape. Lewis and Hathaway become immersed in the brutal world of bare-knuckle boxing as they comb Oxford for the killer. From the epic operas of Wagner to Cold War intrigue and buried secrets, the case swells to a heart-pounding crescendo, along the way invoking the memory of Chief Inspector Morse. Learn more and see a preview at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/musictodiefor.html. Watch the whole episode online (chapter by chapter, if you prefer) through September 20 at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/watch.html.
■ (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/masterpiece/mysterylewis/poster_moonbeamssm.gif) (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/moonbeams.html)
Sun, August 30: And the Moonbeams Kiss the Sea ~ Inspector Lewis - Series II
A body is in the library — Oxford's Bodleian Library. As the victims stack up, Lewis and Hathaway are drawn into Oxford's secrets and contradictions to catch a killer. Learn more and see a preview at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/moonbeams.html.
■ (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/masterpiece/mysterylewis/expiationsm.jpg) (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/expiation.html)
Sun, August 23: Expiation ~ Inspector Lewis - Series I When an Oxford "soccer mom" is found hanged in her home following a visit from a mysterious stranger, Lewis and Hathaway uncover a web of family and sexual intrigue that convince them the initial suicide verdict may not tell the whole story. A renowned professor, near death and plagued by his own terrible secret, claims to hold the key that will unlock the mystery, but first he wants something from Lewis and Hathaway. Learn more and see a preview at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/expiation.html.
■ (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/masterpiece/mysterylewis/poster_schooltiessm.jpg) (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/schoolties.html)
Sun, August 16: Old School Ties ~ Inspector Lewis ~ Series I
Lewis faces his past when he's drawn into a case driven by celebrity, ambition and sexual politics. Assigned to chaperone a celebrity criminal on his controversial visit to Oxford, Lewis thinks the assignment is a waste of time. Soon, though, two people are dead, and Lewis and Hathaway have their hands full. Learn more and see a preview at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/schoolties.html.
Discussion Leaders: Babi (Ssbjs3@aol.com) and marcie (marciei@aol.com)
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It just doesn't compute that Morse would commit an act that would bring unwelcome attention to the recipient. Surely a man whose entire career consisted of detection and analysis of subtle clues would not be so careless.
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Surely a man whose entire career consisted of detection and analysis of subtle clues would not be so careless
.
Just speaking in general, JACKIE, I think anyone could get in a hurry and
slap a stamp on a letter without thinking that someone might find it alarming
or threatening. To him it was probably just a stamp. It is amazing how much
can be affected by so simple an action, but we all know it happens.
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So far, every episode I've seen had a woman character that looked like a possible companion for Lewis, and nothing came of it, although last time, they just quarreled. It was definitely Colin Dexter's pattern. I hope they don't repeat it.
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Have you noticed that Chief Inspector Innocent has looked a little softer, more feminine in these last couple of films. I saw the Lewis pilot about a year ago and then our local station ran another Lewis before this current series started. Innocent had a longer, more severe hairdo, and looked less attractive than she's been recently. She's not a candidate for Lewis -- there's a Mr. Innocent somewhere.
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LOL. I don't think that the Chief Inspector would be a good match for Lewis.
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Babi, I have a formula I follow when making a suggestion by Phone.
I say "I'm hearing impaired -- but I would like to request/suggest --- blah blah."
Tell them what you think, give your name and email if you want, then say thank you and hang-up
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I have given thought to what I would do if an emergency came up while I
was alone, PAT. I would pretty much need to handle it just that way. Call
the number, hope I could tell when someone answered, and start with "I
have an emergency. I am deaf, so I cannot answer any questions. Please
listen carefully." And then give them all the information they would need to
come a-runnin'.
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It sounds like we're going to learn more about Hathaway in the episode that airs this Sunday. In "Born of Fire, " a man, who Hathaway knows, dies in a church, leading Lewis and Hathaway to a shadowy spiritual group, "The Garden." But as those most intimately associated with the group begin to die, Lewis questions Hathaway's sudden vow of silence.
I hope that Hathaway is going to come through this one okay.
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Oh, surely, he must!! Hathaway is a major factor in the success of this series, IMO. My patience is being tested, waiting for these shows to return to my station.
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Now that was some episode! Hathaway came out on top, but it was a close call up until the last minute.
It really held my attention. Good acting -- better I think than some of the earlier programs.
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This was a really good episode. It held my attention throughout the whole story. I enjoyed the scenery just as always. The acting was superb and the storyline was excellent in my opinion.
This is a really good series.
Joan Grimes
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My PBS station is having a pledge break so no Masterpiece Mystery Sunday. There are two Lewis episodes playing later this week: Life Born of Fire as well as The Great and the Good. Which one is being discussed now?
I did stumble upon a concert by Celtic Thunder and I was wowed.
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MrsSherlock, the current episode is ife Born of Fire. It was exceptionally good.
Hathaway is featured prominently in this episode. Fox did a wonderful job of showing Hathaway's inner conflict while trying to stay impartial and professional.
I missed last weeks' episode so I hope it is still posted on the net to view. I could have sworn I found an Inspector Lewis episode on Comcast's On Demand several weeks ago, but they've messed with their menu listings again and now PBS is listed in a different spot and the I L is no longer included.
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Frybabe, you can watch MUSIC TO DIE FOR online through September 20. The current episode, BORN OF FIRE, is available through September 27.
I too was captured by BORN OF FIRE. I didn't see the end coming at all.
During the episode I thought that Hathaway was filled with remorse at what he sees now as a rigid adherence to indoctrination and his immaturity and insensitivity when he was younger. He almost blows it with Lewis because he's still covering up his past and lies to Lewis. I hope that we'll see Hathaway continue to grow and develop in the rest of the series. I liked the line by the man who had given Lewis the plot of land to garden, when Lewis came back and told him he couldn't take it. It was something about the various reasons that people don't continue to garden and the last reason was that they found they were needed elsewhere (something like that). I think that Lewis and Hathaway need each other for different reasons.
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I was fortunate enough to hear Celtic Thunder before the last of my
hearing left me; they are definitely worth a 'wow'!
I think that Lewis and Hathaway need each other for different reasons.
I think that may be true of any solid partnership, don't you think, MARCIE?
I will be so glad when my local station starts running the 'Lewis' series
again. Heaven only knows when that will be.
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Frybabe ~ I also could not find the episodes I missed on Comcast ... if you figure it out, do let me know. I only have "on demand" for a few more weeks before I shut this house for the season.
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Babi, yes, I do think that complementary needs help to sustain a partnership. Hathaway is technically Lewis' "junior" (is that how you put it?). Even though Hathaway is "book smarter" than Lewis, Lewis has experience and maturity. I think that Lewis didn't have a very good mentor in Morse as to how to help and support a lower-ranking officer/partner. It looks like he might figure out ways to support and teach Hathaway.
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I liked "Life from Fire" very much, too.
SPOILER, DON'T READ BELOW
Again, it followed the pattern that any woman who became a romantic interest has to be the muderer. If they are going to do this every time, it just isn't going to work!! Aside from the misogyny, it takes all the suspense away.
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It looks like the episode for this Sunday, The Great and the Good, focuses on Lewis and whether his negative feelings about "academics" influence his ability to investigate this case. I hope we'll learn more about Lewis in this one.
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I watched this episode on line because I was out of town (enjoying the absolutely fine weather we have been having) Sunday night. I would much rather be curled up on the couch with a snack, watching the bigger screen. But anyway, I found this interesting, but I did figure out the ending and "who dun it" long before Lewis did.
I'm looking forward to the next episode. I love the scenery and the conversations between Lewis and Hathaway.
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I agree, nlhome. I really enjoy programs where there are interesting and humorous exchanges between the main characters.
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Am I the only one who watched last nights episode. I had trouble understanding the actors at first. I did get to where I could understand them before it was over but I am going to watch it on line to clear things up.
Joan Grimes
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I also watched the episode. It had a somewhat convoluted plot.
At the end, (this doesn't have to do with the mystery resolved during last night's episode) are we to think that the hit-and-run accident that killed Inspector Lewis's wife might not have been an accident?
Lewis and Hathaway had some good lines together and Hathaway stayed to help Lewis go through all of those papers.
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I watched it Sunday night and enjoyed it. I do have to listen carefully to the dialogue, but I think then I pay attention to the whole program more.
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I've noticed that there are usually several references to computer technologies in each episode. I laughed at one in the last episode where, I think it was, Hathaway (maybe not) who noticed that Oswald Cooper had "photoshopped" himself into a photo with the other men in polo hats.
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I enjoyed it. I could hear most of this one. I think it has something to do with the way it's broadcast: the one I couldn't hear was rebroadcast, and that was much clearer.
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I am trying to locate a phone # for our local PBS station, which operates out
of the Univ. of Houston. I want my daughter to call them, express my disappointment over the mid-series cutoff, and ask when the series will
resume. You would think it would be easy to get in touch, ..but no, it isn't.
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I noticed that The Great and the Good is up on the Comcast On Demand site now. They moved the PBS to the History and Nature section. No wonder I couldn't find it last week. Odd place since PBS does more than just history and nature.
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I watched the Fire one last night; Great comes on tonight and Sunday will resume the regular schedule. Fire was so powerful. The ending, with Hathaway holding the magazine - we had to watch it frame by frame to find out its name. What a sly ending.
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Babi, there is a phone number on your PBS volunteer page at http://www.houstonpbs.org/site/PageServer?pagename=mem_volunteer. "Give us a call at 713-743-8483 or email us at volunteer@houstonpbs.org." If that's not the main number, maybe they could give the correct number to your daughter.
Frybabe, what good sleuthing. I didn't realize that our local PBS had any programs On Demand on cable. I would never have found the PBS masterpiece/mystery.
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POSSIBLE SPOLIER. Don't read if you haven't watched the episode
mrssherlock, I sort of noticed the magazine that Hathaway was browsing at the end of the episode but forgot about it. I see that it's Loaded, "a British magazine for men that is considered to be the 'original lads' mag." It looks like it's similar to the U.S. Playboy magazine. It might shed light on Hathaway's sexual preference which is brought up in this episode.
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Marcie: That's what I meant about its being a sly ending but I didn't want to spoil it for those who haven't seen that episode yet.
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oops, Mrssherlock. I hope my comment didn't spoil it for anyone.
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MARCIE, you're a marvel. I didn't see any 'volunteer page' when I was
searching. I'll try the e-mail address first. If that doesn't work I'll
ask my daughter to try the phone number.
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I hope you're able to make contact, Babi.
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The next episode, Allegory of Love, is about a rising author and Oxford's literary elite. It should be interesting for all of us book readers!
It looks like in my area we skip a week of Masterpiece and the next episode will air on Sunday, October 4.
Meanwhile, we can talk about anything that comes to mind in thinking about any of the episodes we've seen over the past couple of months.
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Not sure that I will be able to watch tomorrow night's PBS Mystery production as I will be in Chicago to attend an Elderhostel. I will be there until Friday. It is at the Art Institute and I am very excited about it.
Joan Grimes
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Joan, I hope you enjoy your Elderhostel trip. It sounds like a great one.
It's possible that the next episode of Lewis won't be shown until October 4 in your area too.
P.S. Alabama is doing great in football! You must be proud of your team.
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Yes Marcie, the Elderhostel is going to be a great one. I just dread going anywhere right now because my son has been ill with his heart again and my daughter-in-law has had a kidneystone. Of course there is always the fact that I am leaving an ill mother also. So it just makes it difficult to feel really good about a trip.
Oh yes Marcie, my football team is fabulous this year and I spend a lot of time reading about it and going to games on Saturdays. Really enjoyed todays game inspite of the fact that it was raining very hard at the beginning of the game. My daughter went with me to the game this week and we were both just soaking wet but the rain did stop soon after the game started.
Joan Grimes
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(http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/masterpiece/masterpiecehdg.jpg)
Masterpiece continues the mystery programming with Inspector Lewis series I & II, with background based on Colin Dexter's Inspector Morse novels. (http://www.mysterylist.com/morse.htm)
Two encore presentations from series one of Inspector Lewis are part of the programming: Old School Ties (August 16) and Expiation (August 23). Inspector Lewis: Series II premieres August 30th showcasing seven new cases: Moonbeams Kiss the Sea (August 30); Music to Die For (September 6); Life Born of Fire (September 13);The Great and the Good (September 20); Allegory of Love (October 4); The Quality of Mercy (October 11) and The Point of Vanishing (October 18). Lewis and Hathaway encounter several crimes that take a personal turn, revealing new sides of the inimitable duo and their deepening relationship.
Join us here with your reactions to the shows and the novels.
(http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/masterpiece/mysterylewis/poster_pointofvanishing.jpg) (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/pointofvanishing.html)
Sun, October 18: The Point of Vanishing ~ Inspector Lewis - Series II
Steven Mullan, recently released from prison after having tried to kill celebrity atheist while driving drunk, is found dead in his bathtub. Lewis and Hathaway find a postcard at the crime scene of a Renaissance painting inscribed with the words, "It was no dream." But the case is about to take a surreal, dream-like twist, leaving Lewis and Hathaway drowning in questions about crimes of the past and the present. Learn more and see a preview at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/pointofvanishing.html.
■ (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/masterpiece/mysterylewis/poster_qualityofmercysm.jpg) (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/qualityofmercy.html)
Sun, October 11: The Quality of Mercy ~ Inspector Lewis - Series II
A student production of The Merchant of Venice takes real-life deadly turn. Lewis and Hathaway methodically try to make sense of the murderous plot. As the final act is about to unfold, the case takes an intensely personal turn for Lewis, bringing back traumatic memories and invoking a lesson in mercy. Learn more and see a preview at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/qualityofmercy.html. Watch the whole episode online (chapter by chapter, if you prefer) through October 18 at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/watch.html.
■ (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/masterpiece/mysterylewis/allegoryoflovesm.jpg) (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/allegoryoflove.html)
Sun, October 4: Allegory of Love ~ Inspector Lewis - Series II
Young and handsome Oxford writer Dorian Crane is following in the noted fantasy footsteps of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien with his newest book when someone is brutally murdered, seemingly following a pattern in Crane's fiction. Lewis and Hathaway get pulled into the world of Oxford's literary elite, only to find that it harbors resentment and jealousy and at its center, holds terrible secrets beyond all imagination. Learn more and see a preview at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/allegoryoflove.html. Watch the whole episode online (chapter by chapter, if you prefer) through October 18 at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/watch.html.
■ (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/masterpiece/mysterylewis/poster_greatandgoodsm.jpg) (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/greatandgood.html)
Sun, September 20: The Great and the Good ~ Inspector Lewis - Series II
A teen girl is assaulted, and the clues clearly incriminate someone from her school. But the suspect has an alibi supported by three pillars of the Oxford community. Lewis and Hathaway are determined to crack the alibi. Is Lewis's own status as a social outsider clouding his judgment or do those in Oxford's most prestigious social circles have the most to hide? Learn more and see a preview at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/greatandgood.html. Watch the whole episode online (chapter by chapter, if you prefer) through October 4 at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/watch.html.
■ (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/masterpiece/mysterylewis/poster_bornoffiresm.jpg) (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/bornoffire.html)
Sun, September 13: Born of Fire ~ Inspector Lewis - Series II
A man, who Hathaway knows, dies in a church leading Lewis and Hathaway to a shadowy spiritual group, "The Garden." But as those most intimately associated with the group begin to die, Lewis questions Hathaway's sudden vow of silence. In a case of blind faith and faltering trust, Lewis hurries to learn more about Oxford's religious world and his partner before fire threatens one final victim. Learn more and see a preview at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/bornoffire.html. Watch the whole episode online (chapter by chapter, if you prefer) through September 27 at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/watch.html.
■ (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/masterpiece/mysterylewis/poster_musictodieforsm.gif) (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/musictodiefor.html)
Sun, September 6: Music to Die For ~ Inspector Lewis - Series II
An elite Oxford lecturer gets in a drunken brawl at an exclusive club, and is later found strangled by a strip of boxer's hand tape. Lewis and Hathaway become immersed in the brutal world of bare-knuckle boxing as they comb Oxford for the killer. From the epic operas of Wagner to Cold War intrigue and buried secrets, the case swells to a heart-pounding crescendo, along the way invoking the memory of Chief Inspector Morse. Learn more and see a preview at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/musictodiefor.html. Watch the whole episode online (chapter by chapter, if you prefer) through September 20 at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/watch.html.
■ (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/masterpiece/mysterylewis/poster_moonbeamssm.gif) (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/moonbeams.html)
Sun, August 30: And the Moonbeams Kiss the Sea ~ Inspector Lewis - Series II
A body is in the library — Oxford's Bodleian Library. As the victims stack up, Lewis and Hathaway are drawn into Oxford's secrets and contradictions to catch a killer. Learn more and see a preview at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/moonbeams.html.
■ (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/masterpiece/mysterylewis/expiationsm.jpg) (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/expiation.html)
Sun, August 23: Expiation ~ Inspector Lewis - Series I When an Oxford "soccer mom" is found hanged in her home following a visit from a mysterious stranger, Lewis and Hathaway uncover a web of family and sexual intrigue that convince them the initial suicide verdict may not tell the whole story. A renowned professor, near death and plagued by his own terrible secret, claims to hold the key that will unlock the mystery, but first he wants something from Lewis and Hathaway. Learn more and see a preview at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/expiation.html.
■ (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/masterpiece/mysterylewis/poster_schooltiessm.jpg) (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/schoolties.html)
Sun, August 16: Old School Ties ~ Inspector Lewis ~ Series I
Lewis faces his past when he's drawn into a case driven by celebrity, ambition and sexual politics. Assigned to chaperone a celebrity criminal on his controversial visit to Oxford, Lewis thinks the assignment is a waste of time. Soon, though, two people are dead, and Lewis and Hathaway have their hands full. Learn more and see a preview at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/schoolties.html.
Discussion Leaders: Babi (Ssbjs3@aol.com) and marcie (marciei@aol.com)
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You're a loyal fan, Joan, to attend the games in the pouring rain! I'm sorry to hear about the family illnesses.
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Since I viewed the last two on consecutive nights my opinion may be somewhat biased. Fire was a powerful, very moving story which caught me up right from the start. Good left me flat, uninvolved, not much caring who did what. If I had seen Good before Fire and/or the interval had been greater than 24 hours I can't say that my feelings would be the same. it's like when I read a book that so enmeshes me that I suffer almost a jolt when it ends and I come back to my real world. The next book has to be fluff, literally.
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Jackie, I agree with your assessment. The Great and the Good didn't have the emotional power of Life Born of Fire. I'm thinking it may be because Hathaway, and Lewis too, were a major focus of Fire, and there didn't seem to be a central focus on anyone we cared about for The Great and the Good. The plot was kind of convoluted resulting in my feeling a distance between myself and all of the characters.
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My local PBS station is broadcasting Ken Burns' National Parks every evening this week. Haven't found Inspector Lewis yet but will continue to search.
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Finally! My local PBS station will be resuming the Inspector Lewis series next
Sunday. Two shows then; another one the following Sunday. I will still be
hopelessly behind the rest of you, but at least I will be able to enjoy the programs.
I am so grateful to you, MARCIE, for keeping this discussion going for our
mystery loving posters.
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I am kind of bummed. Comcast took The Great and the Good off their On Demand already. They must just put it up for a few days. That is twice now that I saw it listed and when I went back to actually watch it, it was gone. They ususally leave programs up for a few weeks. I can still watch in on the net though.
My PBS station played all the National Parks series last night.
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So did mine, FRYBABE. I mean, the National Parks are gorgeous, but I was
still miffed about their cutting off my series to re-run a couple of dozen old
shows! Ah, well. I must give them the benefit of a doubt. They must have had their reasons.
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Yes, we have the National Parks this week also. Then Lewis is back next Sunday.
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We had "The National Parks" too. Gorgeous show and I'm glad it didn't put me behind the rest of you.
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We also had the National Parks.
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Looks like Oct 4th we'll all be up to speed again. There are some exciting shows scheduled for later this winter; one stars David Henshall who was so good in the SF series "Primeval". http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/schedule/masterpiece_contemporary_schedule.pdf
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Those look like exciting thrillers, mrssherlock. Here's a link to a web version of the schedule.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/contemporary/index.html
It looks like one of the programs, Place of Execution, is based on a novel, by Val McDermid.
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Don't forget to watch Inspector Lewis tomorrow evening!
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My sister has invited me to spend a few days at the beach so I won't get to see it 'til I come home, But I'll be checking in here.
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Have fun, mrssherlock!
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I must admit, I'd give up even a good mystery for the beach. have fun.
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Finally, my local PBS station is resuming the Inspector Lewis Series II and I'll
get to see the shows all of you have already seen. I'm so glad; it's one of the
best series they've had, IMO.
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Hooray, Babi! I'm glad you're getting the series again.
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Well I am home after a wonder week in Chicago at an Elderhostel at the art Institute. So I will be watching the episode tonight..
Joan Grimes
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It sounds like you had a wonderful time, Joan. Maybe you'll share some highlights with us, here or in the Library.
We'll look forward to your comments after you see the episode.
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The Inspector Lewis -- Allegory of Love was good, great really. They are getting better.
The surprise ending was truly a surprise. I won't say more because some will see it later in the week.
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I thought this episode was the best yet. However I figured out who the murderer was early on.But I was not sure of the reasons for it all until quite late in the show. I am trying not to say too much since I do not want to spoil it for others.
Joan Grimes
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The program started an hour later than usual, and after a day with a grandchild and yard work and driving, I couldn't keep my eyes open. Hope to see it later. I'm enjoying the series.
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You and me both, nlhome. I've taped it, and it's there, so happy watching tonight and tomorrow.
Glad to read y our good report, Pat.
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I enjoyed the episode too. I didn't figure out who the murderer was. I recognized some of the actors from other films. The doctor was Mr. Wickham from the BBC production of "Pride and Prejudice (with Colin Firth).
I do think that even the BBC is bringing in "shock" themes to their plots to attract viewers. I wonder if it really does bring in more viewers than it turns off.
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MARCIE: stock theme!! Stock solution! You know who the muderer is from the getgo because they all follow the same pattern!! That's Colin Dexter -- that's why I stopped reading his books. he had that same solution in many of them. When Morse took over acting the old TV series, he refused to go along with it, reportedly saying that his daughters would never speak to him again if he did.
I don't know how stupid Dexter thinks we are, but find a new plot!!!
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Colin Dexter isn't writing the Lewis series. It's some other writers.
Usually the murderer (if not the victim) is the most famous actor in the cast. I don't think it was the case this time. Don't want to talk specifics until everyone has a chance to see the episode.
The episode was about fantasy literature and that was interesting.
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i enjoyed the production but I agree with Joan K that the murder was identifiable from almost the beginning...I usually can identify the murder right off in most mysteries...if one surprises me it is unusual...I thought it was just because I have read so many mysteries.
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Just curious, JOANK, since words catch my attention, but was it a coincidence that you referred to 'stock' themes, or did you misread Marcie's 'shock' themes?
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Yes, I thought that a couple of the "re-invented" Miss Marple episodes and a couple of episodes in this Lewis series (such as Allegory of Love) had out-of-the-ordinary sex-related plots that we didn't see in the original Agatha Christie and Morse series.
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BABI: stock (you know it's stock because it doesn't shock. ;D
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Gotya, JOAN. As in, 'same old, same old'. ;)
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Have you noticed that Jean Innocent seems to be playing more and more of a role. Not only as big boss, but also as matchmaker, though that certainly bombed. She does clean up well now. I wonder if she went to extremem makeover.
I noticed that Prof. Deering was played by a James Fox. Is that Laurence Fox's father? I thought he was call Jamie.
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James Fox is indeed Laurence's father. Remember James in King Rat and Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines, and Thoroughly Modern Milly? He sure has "filled out" since then.
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Pedln, you remind me that I thought, as I watched this episode, that it was "out of character" for Lewis's boss to play matchmaker. The actress did it all very smoothly but Jean Innocent is usually all business. It was rather odd.
Perhaps, they are trying to give her more of a role. I notice that in some episodes, she's the one who does computer searches whill Lewis looks on. I may remember this incorrectly, but didn't Lewis do the computer searches when he was working with Morris?
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The QUALITY OF MERCY will be showing in my area tomorrow evening. I'll put up the preview information for that episode tomorrow.
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This next episode sounds interesting! We're going to learn more about Lewis. "As the final act is about to unfold, the case takes an intensely personal turn for Lewis, bringing back traumatic memories and invoking a lesson in mercy." I wonder if Hathaway is going to come to his aid.
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I am really looking forward to seeing this production tonight. It sounds like it will be very good. I have been housebound all week with the flu and am looking forward to Mystery tonight.
Joan Grimes
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I'm sorry, Joan, that you've had the flu. I hope you'll be feeling all better soon.
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(http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/masterpiece/masterpiecehdg.jpg)
Masterpiece continues the mystery programming with Inspector Lewis series I & II, with background based on Colin Dexter's Inspector Morse novels. (http://www.mysterylist.com/morse.htm)
Two encore presentations from series one of Inspector Lewis are part of the programming: Old School Ties (August 16) and Expiation (August 23). Inspector Lewis: Series II premieres August 30th showcasing seven new cases: Moonbeams Kiss the Sea (August 30); Music to Die For (September 6); Life Born of Fire (September 13);The Great and the Good (September 20); Allegory of Love (October 4); The Quality of Mercy (October 11) and The Point of Vanishing (October 18). Lewis and Hathaway encounter several crimes that take a personal turn, revealing new sides of the inimitable duo and their deepening relationship.
Join us here with your reactions to the shows and the novels.
(http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/masterpiece/mysterylewis/poster_pointofvanishing.jpg) (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/pointofvanishing.html)
Sun, October 18: The Point of Vanishing ~ Inspector Lewis - Series II
Steven Mullan, recently released from prison after having tried to kill celebrity atheist while driving drunk, is found dead in his bathtub. Lewis and Hathaway find a postcard at the crime scene of a Renaissance painting inscribed with the words, "It was no dream." But the case is about to take a surreal, dream-like twist, leaving Lewis and Hathaway drowning in questions about crimes of the past and the present. Learn more and see a preview at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/pointofvanishing.html. Watch the whole episode online (chapter by chapter, if you prefer) through November 1 at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/watch.html.
■ (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/masterpiece/mysterylewis/poster_qualityofmercysm.jpg) (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/qualityofmercy.html)
Sun, October 11: The Quality of Mercy ~ Inspector Lewis - Series II
A student production of The Merchant of Venice takes real-life deadly turn. Lewis and Hathaway methodically try to make sense of the murderous plot. As the final act is about to unfold, the case takes an intensely personal turn for Lewis, bringing back traumatic memories and invoking a lesson in mercy. Learn more and see a preview at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/qualityofmercy.html. Watch the whole episode online (chapter by chapter, if you prefer) through October 18 at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/watch.html.
■ (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/masterpiece/mysterylewis/allegoryoflovesm.jpg) (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/allegoryoflove.html)
Sun, October 4: Allegory of Love ~ Inspector Lewis - Series II
Young and handsome Oxford writer Dorian Crane is following in the noted fantasy footsteps of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien with his newest book when someone is brutally murdered, seemingly following a pattern in Crane's fiction. Lewis and Hathaway get pulled into the world of Oxford's literary elite, only to find that it harbors resentment and jealousy and at its center, holds terrible secrets beyond all imagination. Learn more and see a preview at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/allegoryoflove.html. Watch the whole episode online (chapter by chapter, if you prefer) through October 18 at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/watch.html.
■ (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/masterpiece/mysterylewis/poster_greatandgoodsm.jpg) (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/greatandgood.html)
Sun, September 20: The Great and the Good ~ Inspector Lewis - Series II
A teen girl is assaulted, and the clues clearly incriminate someone from her school. But the suspect has an alibi supported by three pillars of the Oxford community. Lewis and Hathaway are determined to crack the alibi. Is Lewis's own status as a social outsider clouding his judgment or do those in Oxford's most prestigious social circles have the most to hide? Learn more and see a preview at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/greatandgood.html. Watch the whole episode online (chapter by chapter, if you prefer) through October 4 at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/watch.html.
■ (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/masterpiece/mysterylewis/poster_bornoffiresm.jpg) (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/bornoffire.html)
Sun, September 13: Born of Fire ~ Inspector Lewis - Series II
A man, who Hathaway knows, dies in a church leading Lewis and Hathaway to a shadowy spiritual group, "The Garden." But as those most intimately associated with the group begin to die, Lewis questions Hathaway's sudden vow of silence. In a case of blind faith and faltering trust, Lewis hurries to learn more about Oxford's religious world and his partner before fire threatens one final victim. Learn more and see a preview at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/bornoffire.html. Watch the whole episode online (chapter by chapter, if you prefer) through September 27 at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/watch.html.
■ (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/masterpiece/mysterylewis/poster_musictodieforsm.gif) (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/musictodiefor.html)
Sun, September 6: Music to Die For ~ Inspector Lewis - Series II
An elite Oxford lecturer gets in a drunken brawl at an exclusive club, and is later found strangled by a strip of boxer's hand tape. Lewis and Hathaway become immersed in the brutal world of bare-knuckle boxing as they comb Oxford for the killer. From the epic operas of Wagner to Cold War intrigue and buried secrets, the case swells to a heart-pounding crescendo, along the way invoking the memory of Chief Inspector Morse. Learn more and see a preview at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/musictodiefor.html. Watch the whole episode online (chapter by chapter, if you prefer) through September 20 at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/watch.html.
■ (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/masterpiece/mysterylewis/poster_moonbeamssm.gif) (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/moonbeams.html)
Sun, August 30: And the Moonbeams Kiss the Sea ~ Inspector Lewis - Series II
A body is in the library — Oxford's Bodleian Library. As the victims stack up, Lewis and Hathaway are drawn into Oxford's secrets and contradictions to catch a killer. Learn more and see a preview at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/moonbeams.html.
■ (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/masterpiece/mysterylewis/expiationsm.jpg) (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/expiation.html)
Sun, August 23: Expiation ~ Inspector Lewis - Series I When an Oxford "soccer mom" is found hanged in her home following a visit from a mysterious stranger, Lewis and Hathaway uncover a web of family and sexual intrigue that convince them the initial suicide verdict may not tell the whole story. A renowned professor, near death and plagued by his own terrible secret, claims to hold the key that will unlock the mystery, but first he wants something from Lewis and Hathaway. Learn more and see a preview at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/expiation.html.
■ (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/masterpiece/mysterylewis/poster_schooltiessm.jpg) (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/schoolties.html)
Sun, August 16: Old School Ties ~ Inspector Lewis ~ Series I
Lewis faces his past when he's drawn into a case driven by celebrity, ambition and sexual politics. Assigned to chaperone a celebrity criminal on his controversial visit to Oxford, Lewis thinks the assignment is a waste of time. Soon, though, two people are dead, and Lewis and Hathaway have their hands full. Learn more and see a preview at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lewis/schoolties.html.
Discussion Leaders: Babi (Ssbjs3@aol.com) and marcie (marciei@aol.com)
Joan ~ do get well soon! We're all thinking of you !!
Well, I watched half of last night's episode, then had to
switch to recording it due to an incoming, important call.
So please don't give away the ending yet!
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Thanks Marcie and Mippy. I am sure that I will soon be better. Just hate staying in the house.
I really enjoyed the production last night.I will not give away anything as I realize many of you have not seen it yet. The scenery in this one was just gorgeous. I love beautiful England.
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I agree with you Joan. I too enjoyed the episode...and the beautiful scenery. The BBC productions are consistently beautifully set and filmed.
In the Lewis series, it seems to me there seems to be a bit more attention to the relationship between Lewis and his "junior" Hathaway than there was in the original series between Morris and Lewis.
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I started last night, but was interrupted by a phone call also. So I hope to catch up later. What I saw was interesting.
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For the time being I will be absent from this discussion. My cable company, DirectTV, has arbitrarily moved some of the public broadcasting programs to its HD schedule. I haven't switched over to HD, either the TV set or the box, so I have no access to Masterpiece Mystery. :'( Oregon Public Broadcasting is working with them to attempt resolution. Stay tuned.
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What a shame, mrssherlock. Our cable service offers channels for both the HD version of the PBS stations and the non-HD. I hope that you will be able to get PBS again. The Lewis series is available online but not all of the PBS programs are on the Internet.
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I actually thought I would get home early to watch it last night. BUT, one of the press supervisors needed a job and I was the only one in at the time. It wasn't for presses I normally work on, so I was extra careful and took my time. Their imposition setup is a different than I am used to. By the time I got done, it was too late to get home to watch the whole thing. However, I see it is up on Comcast On Demand until the 17th so I plan to watch it tomorrow.
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I'm glad the episode is on Demand. We'll look forward to your comments, Frybabe.
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Just saying Hi to amica mea, Frybabe !
Mrs Sherlock ~ I just switched to Directv this week, and still receive the usual PBS station on a "low" number, and with my old TV, just ignore the HD numbers.
Shall we wait a couple more days before a discussion of the episode? I did watch it last night. My comments can wait ... so let's talk
about it later on ... I have a couple of questions for y'all. :)
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Oh, definitely, MARCIE. And deservedly so; the relationship between Lewis
and Hathaway is much closer, and more entertaining, than gruff Morse and his long-suffering Lewis.
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Jackie, that really surprises me that Direct TV can just arbitrarily take a PBS channel away from the public and say, "Well, if you want to watch this channel that is supported by tax-payer funds you will have to subscribe to our higher-cost option and pay US more money." I would hope that the FCC would have some control over that. I hope Oregon PBS gets it all straightened out and soon.
I don't know how it's done in other areas, but years ago, when cable started up here, and PBS, it was deemed by the powers that be, that our local area would receive PBS from channel x rather than from channel y, so I would assume the govt. has some say.
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Maybe we can start talking about the details of this episode tomorrow and anyone who hasn't watched it yet and plans to do so later, can skip our posts. Would that work?
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Sounds like a good idea to me Marcie.
Joan Grimes
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PBS is public Television and one does not have to have cable, direct TV, or dish network to get it....You only need those if you are getting Hd.
Joan Grimes
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I did see the episode last night, thought it was one of the best. But will wait til tomorrow to say more.
Boy, if they take away my PBS, I'll be hopping mad!
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I watched the episode this afternoon. Interesting turn of events. Liked it very much.
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I've watched all except about the last 15 or 20 minutes, I think. But it's taped and I'll get to it. (When I start getting sleepy, no matter how good the show, there's nothing I can do.)
I wasn't exactly disappointed in this performance, but I don't think it was one of the best. I was disappointed that the writers felt the need to "discover" who was driving the car that killed Mrs. Lewis. Sergeant Hathaway's investigative skills notwithstanding, it's just too far-fetched, too-much of a coincidence.
Also, (and this may be due to my using captions) I felt there was an awful lot going on in the very beginning, that I probably missed something, and should start watching all over again. So many characters, I was having trouble keeping them straight. That said, I'll not comment further until I've seen the ending. Perhaps there'll be another Simon Monkford tie-in with the main mystery that will legitimize announcing his part in the car accident.
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Spoiler alert
I'm wondering if a reason for identifying the man who killed Lewis's wife in the auto accident is so that Lewis can come to more closure on the loss of his wife. We saw in an earlier episode ("Expiation") that Lewis was ready to go on a kind of a "date" with a woman he met on a case and his supervisor was trying to fix him up with the woman who turned out to be the murderer in "Allegory of Love." Inspector Morse was often depicted developing feelings for a woman involved in his cases. I'm not sure I want to see Lewis do that.
Do you think that Lewis had anything to do with the verdict of manslaughter (as opposed to a greater offense) in the case of the driver? Was he showing the "quality of mercy"?
Pedln, I agree that there was a lot going on in the first scenes. Lots of actors and possible perpetrators.
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I agree with Marcie. The death of Lewis' wife is something he is still coming to terms with.
It is not so far-fetched, considering his daily investigations into people all over the same area, that a further clue might be found. And I also agree it would be a mistake to carry over too
many of the same themes from 'Morse'.
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Pedln ~ I agree it was confusing, I couldn't decide whether to watch some of it again, but tempus fugit ... and did not.
I found it difficult to hear all of the dialog.
The closure on Lewis' wife was an interesting plot but I'm not sure whether the acting matched the importance of it. I do like the interplay among the characters. It's a really good series!
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I finally watched the rest of it last night. I thought the character who drove the car and killed Lewis's wife was presented in an interesting manner. I thought his ambivalence was believable. Actually, I enjoyed all the characters and thought this was a good program. I did watch the first part even though I'd seen it before, and I think that helped me get a better grasp of the action.
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I agree with you, nlhome, the way they presented the character who killed Lewis' wife was interesting. There was no big mystery behind her death. She was just unfortunately killed in a banal accident.
Although Hathaway takes it upon himself to follow the lead that uncovers the information about how Mrs. Lewis died. He was afraid/reluctant to tell Lewis. I don't think it's just because, as Lewis surmises, that Hathaway thought Lewis might attack the perpetrator. Lewis seems disappointed in how Hathaway handled the situation and says that there is no real relationship between them. They both tell their boss that the other is a "private" person who is difficult to know. I hope that the writers build on their relationship next season (I hope there IS a next season for this series!)
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We can still talk about the QUALITY OF MERCY while we wait for the last episode of this series to air on Sunday: THE POINT OF VANISHING. It looks like it's another of the mysteries that has a past crime come to light in investigating a current crime. I'm going to miss Inspector Lewis. As I said above, I do hope that we'll see Lewis and Hathaway next season.
PBS Contemporary starts next week. See the description of the three dramas set in modern times here: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/contemporary/index.html. We could create a new discussion area if any of you are interested in talking about that series.
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I liked the episode, although I agree with most of the criticisms above. There is no reason given for Hathaway's obsessive pursuit of information on Monkford -- it makes no sense. And I always have trouble hearing all the dialog -- have to "fill in the blanks" as I go along. Again, the murderer followed a pattern -- sigh.
But I really enjoy the literate aspects of the series, and Lewis' working class reaction to it ("Bloody Shakespeare!"). I agree that "The Quality of Mercy" was shown in the last scene -- that was a nice touch.
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SPOILER ALERT
I enjoyed THE POINT OF VANISHING. I didn't like the mother from the start and had a feeling she was the perpetrator. What a terrible lie she told her husband.
The scenes with the daughter alone in the swimming pool were beautiful, even though the last scene of her in the pool was for a terrible purpose.
I liked the relationship between Lewis and Hathaway and Lewis's care of Hathaway in the last scene. I'm sorry that this season of Lewis is ending.
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I loved " The Point of Vanishing".. I thought it was a wonderful production. I am really sorry to see the season end also.I wish they would keep on with the Lewis series.
Joan Grimes
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I liked "The Point of Vanishing" too, although as usual, it was clear who at least one of the criminals was.
And MINOR SPOILER they avoided having the young woman in the wheelchair be either the victem or the murderer. A pet peeve of mine is that for years, if there was a disabled person in the story they were either killed or were the perpetrator (wracked with resentment over their disability). A disabled prson was never shown as an ordinary person having a life. Elizabeth George broke the mold with her disabled detective (Simon) who even managed to get the girl away from the hunky Linley. Yeah for George!
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JoanK, that's an important point about the girl in the wheelchair. She was just one of the characters and I thought they presented her well.
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I watched it last night and enjoyed it. The twists and turns were interesting - a lot packed into that short amount of time. I will miss these shows.
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I agree, nlhome. Ithink that most of the "mysteries" in this series were interesting and plotted well and packed a lot into the 90 minutes. We've all said that the actors, settings and style of the Masterpiece programs are first rate.
What I especially look forward to in the Mystery series is the main sleuth and his or her relationship to others. Lewis and Hathaway have a complex relationship and most of the time the writers provide humorous exchanges between them. I look forward to the development of the relationship in the future (I hope there is a future for them!!)
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Amen to that. I think I'll go into PBS and see if I can find a place for 'comments'. I'd like to let them know this series I think this series was topnotch and I'd love to see more of them.
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Babi, It looks like the PBS Masterpiece feedback page is at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/feedback/index.html. Good idea to let them know we enjoyed the Lewis series.
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Are any of you interested in watching and talking about the upcoming Contemporary series?
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/contemporary/index.html
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They all look intriguing Marcie. You can count me in as long as Comcast puts it up on their OnDemand like they did the Inspector Lewis series.
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Marcie, I will definitely be watching the new series. I won't know until I watch if I will want to discuss it.
Sally
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That sounds good. Those of us who are interested, can watch the series and then see if we want to talk about it. If we do, I'll create a new discussion for it.
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Thanks for the feedback link, MARCIE. That will simplify matters for me.
The contemporary drama line-up looks good, too. I hope to be able to
catch at least some of them. Depends, of course, on whether my local
station is showing them on that schedule.
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I"m interested in the new series also, as others have pointed out, it depends on when they are shown.
In the meantime, for some reason, our TV goes off and we read or sort through pictures - not interested in what's on.
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Hello, everyone. Thanks for a stimulating and fun discussion of the 2009 PBS Mystery series.
This discussion is now closed so I've moved the last few posts into our new PBS discussion which we can use to talk about current and upcoming PBS programs. You'll find it here:
http://seniorlearn.org/forum/index.php?topic=918.0