Author Topic: PBS Masterpiece Mystery 2013 & Other PBS Programs (Read 90313 times)

Frybabe · « **Reply #80 on:** July 21, 2013, 02:00:52 PM »

Masterpiece Mystery 2013 presents the best British mysteries. See the complete 2013 MASTERPIECE MYSTERY schedule.

NOW DISCUSSING
Let's talk about any PBS program of interest to us

Foyle's War, Season VII
September 15 -29, three 90 minute episodes
Detective Chief Superintendent Christopher Foyle is again in pursuit of criminals who are taking advantage of the confusion created by World War II.

ALREADY DISCUSSED

Silk
August 25 - September 8, three 120 minute episodes
Two rival barristers, one an idealistic defense lawyer and the other a ruthless prosecutor, compete for the prestigious appointment as Queen's Counsel in three episodes of high-stakes cases in criminal law.

The Lady Vanishes
August 18 - 90 minutes
A young socialite suspects foul play when a young woman inexplicably disappears from a train, in a stylish and suspenseful new adaptation of the classic thriller The Lady Vanishes, based on the 1936 novel, The Wheel Spins, by Ethel Lina White.

Three episodes of ENDEAVOUR reveal the rocky start of Inspector Morse's career in the police force.

In the all-new 2013 season, Lewis and Hathaway tackle three cases in the seemingly perfect academic haven of Oxford: Down Among the Fearful (June 16), The Ramblin' Boy (June 23), and Intelligent Design (June 30). Guest stars include Peter Davison (Doctor Who) and Edward Fox (Ghandi, Foyle's War).

Discussion Leaders: JoanP and marcie

I rewatched Endeavor last night just to see the Bodlian Library (or representation) again. Goodness, five stories of underground storage. Prior to that they were running Waiting for God (which I like) and something called Ladies of Letters (which I don't).

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #81 on:** July 21, 2013, 02:27:20 PM »

The actor playing DCI Banks when he was younger was the priest in Ballykissangle and here he is the game keeper at an African compound on one of the Spanish channels - not sure the entire story if it is a national park or what since my Spanish is not that good. .

Frybabe · « **Reply #82 on:** July 21, 2013, 05:36:48 PM »

Hmmmm, my PBS station hasn't shown any of the DCI Banks shows.

MaryPage · « **Reply #83 on:** July 22, 2013, 09:22:23 AM »

Well, catch them if you possibly can. The DCI Banks AND the George Gently. Both are great, and very British.
LOVED the opera music chosen to begin last night's Morse. One of my all time favorites: Va Pensiero from Nabucco by Verdi. It is definitely my favorite opera chorus.
That being said, I enjoyed the show last night enormously. I have really become so very fond of this Morse.

jeriron · « **Reply #84 on:** July 22, 2013, 10:13:35 AM »

I have two pbs channels and they've started showing DCI Banks and Ins. Morse on Monday night. I'm enjoying Banks but i'd like to smack the character "Annie".At one point in the shows she leaves and he gets a new female partner played by the actress on Doc Martin. i don't know if that takes place in the books.

JeanneP · « **Reply #85 on:** July 22, 2013, 04:44:24 PM »

Those two on this young Morse, I still can't stand them. The little police chief and the Sargent. Stopping me from enjoying the show.

Frybabe · « **Reply #86 on:** July 23, 2013, 08:39:15 AM »

They are a bit nasty, JeanneP. The Chief seems a parody of an ineffectual dictator: vain, paranoid, autocratic. The Sargent is just plain nasty: jealous, vindcitve, smarter than you attitude. The scene at the beginning of the show where the Chief was addressing the officers about the upcoming visit made me think, "Heil HItler". Ugh! Did this guy ever play a Nazi officer, I wonder.

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #87 on:** July 23, 2013, 12:06:45 PM »

I think the chief is slowly getting his comeuppance - he was in a panic because things were not smooth during the Royal visit. Without him and the Sargent we would not have a picture of what Morse put up with during his early career - The older Morse is quiet, individualistic in response to the office politics showing us how he developed his standing as a force to be reckoned with.

If you notice he does not say anything when both characters are heaping on their abuse and dismissal of him - he isn't even rolling his eyes at the Sargent any longer. The chief just does not like him and the Sargent is probably looking out to maintain his status and does not want the competition. We see a bond developing between the young Morse and Detective Inspector Fred Thursday that would not be as important if there was peace and good will among all of them.

I am thinking the willingness of the young Morse to befriend a foot soldier may be unusual - the status of each character seems to be making a point of how the layers of society acted out their status during these early days right after WWII - from this last episode we learn that Morse did graduate from University where as, a foot soldier or cop as we would refer to him probably only attended school till he was 16, the age when the working class completed their formal education.

We learn that while in school Morse was awkward, shy and a loner which would not put him on an easy footing with others of his age like the Sargent but would be someone an older man would want to put under his wing. A successful younger man would mean to mentor the young man was taking on a group who would in time challenge him, or having the young man being mentored having to break away from the group. Morse, a loner is the perfect candidate to mentor since we all feel he is treated unfairly and needs someone to stand up for him.

Frybabe · « **Reply #88 on:** July 23, 2013, 01:14:49 PM »

Back to the week before for a second. I forgot to mention that I thought the actor who plays Thursday did an excellent job, at the end of the program, of being rattled and trying to tough it out after his near death experience at the end of the program.

MaryPage · « **Reply #89 on:** July 23, 2013, 03:58:59 PM »

I like Thursday a LOT. He has to keep his job and feed his family, but he does believe strongly in Morse and goes out of his way to promote him with the horrid little chief.

marcie · « **Reply #90 on:** July 23, 2013, 04:52:04 PM »

Like most of you, I very much enjoyed the last Endeavour episode. The plot was again a bit confusing but the episode was interesting. We meet a classmate of Morse from the University. He does seem very awkward around her. She seems to know him very well and decides that he's "not ready" The young woman asks Morse is he is still in love with his first romantic interest -- someone he knew during his time at the University. I wonder if we'll find out more about her. I tried to find out if the woman ever came up in the original Morse series. Wikipedia says: "Although details of Morse's career are deliberately kept vague, it is hinted that he won a scholarship to study at St John's College, Oxford. He lost the scholarship as the result of poor academic performance resulting from a failed love affair, which is mentioned in the series in Season 3, Episode 2, "The Last Enemy", and recounted in detail in the novel The Riddle of the Third Mile, chapter 7. Forced to leave the University, he entered the Army and, on leaving it, joined the police."

My library doesn't have Colin Dexter's "The Riddle of the Third Mile" so I can't pursue this lead.

Frybabe · « **Reply #91 on:** July 23, 2013, 07:40:24 PM »

I saw Abagail Thaw in the credits for the last show. Did anyone catch her? I must have blinked when she was on and missed her. That gives me an excuse to watch it again on Saturday rerun.

MaryPage · « **Reply #92 on:** July 23, 2013, 07:55:53 PM »

Yes, Morse's lost love showed up in one of, if not the, the very last episodes before his death. In fact, I sort of kind of remember she came to see him with a problem. About her husband? Any case, they did not rekindle anything, but it was obvious he adored her. Well, that is MY memory, which tends to be very poor these days. Anyone else?

MaryPage · « **Reply #93 on:** July 23, 2013, 08:01:25 PM »

This is all I can find in Wikipedia about that:

"Although details of Morse's career are deliberately kept vague, it is hinted that he won a scholarship to study at St John's College, Oxford. He lost the scholarship as the result of poor academic performance resulting from a failed love affair, which is mentioned in the series in Season 3, Episode 2, "The Last Enemy", and recounted in detail in the novel The Riddle of the Third Mile, chapter 7. Forced to leave the University, he entered the Army and, on leaving it, joined the police. He often reflects on such renowned scholars as A. E. Housman who, like himself, failed to get an academic degree from Oxford."

marcie · « **Reply #94 on:** July 24, 2013, 01:14:25 AM »

The PBS site says that Abigal Thaw plays the journalist, Dorothea Frazil. I don't know if they just keep her name in the credits for the whole season. I don't recall her being in the last episode, though she may have been.

MaryPage, I don't recall which "girlfriend" was one Morse was involved with originally in his college days.

jeriron · « **Reply #95 on:** July 24, 2013, 08:56:12 AM »

Wasn't there one episode where there was a murdered husband and the wife of that husband was the girlfriend he was in love with a long time ago. She ended up being the killer.

marcie · « **Reply #96 on:** July 24, 2013, 07:29:44 PM »

Jeriron, I think you are right. At http://www.all-allam.com/factfiles/inspectormorse.html there is a photo of the actress Joanna David and the site says:

In his undergraduate days Morse had a relationship that ended badly and resulted in him losing his scholarship and having to leave university without a degree to join the army. This relationship is first alluded to in the second episode of series 3, ‘The Last Enemy’ where Alexander Reece (a character who recurs in the Endeavour pilot) mentions ‘Wendy.’ Later, in the first episode of series 6, ‘Dead on Time’ a character appears who is presumed to be the same woman, but this time her name is ‘Susan.’ In Endeavour a scene between Morse and Reece cleverly accounts for this apparent confusion: ‘Reece: What was the name of that girl we were keen on… Wendy, was it? Morse: Susan. She preferred Susan.’ Since then, it would appear that Morse’s potential love interests have mostly been either murder victims or murderers themselves. Some critics have accused the character of misogyny, but, though there is certainly a difference in his attitudes towards men and women, it usually manifests in him being more sympathetic towards the latter.

I think in the episode where Morse meets her again, her husband has died of an apparent suicide but I seem to recall it was an "assisted suicide" -- assisted by his wife, Susan, who agreed to help him end his life before his illness got worse.

It is interesting that the actress is married to Edward Fox.

jeriron · « **Reply #97 on:** July 24, 2013, 09:19:12 PM »

Also re:Abigail Thaw. J Thaws daughter

She plays the part of Doreatha Fazll the same part she played in the pilot. I believe she's the journalist.

Marci I think you have the story right about his ex girlfriend Susan

marcie · « **Reply #98 on:** July 25, 2013, 01:09:36 AM »

Thanks, Jeriron.

FlaJean · « **Reply #99 on:** July 25, 2013, 09:30:30 AM »

I've enjoyed all of the Endeavor series. Each one seems to be better the last.

jeriron · « **Reply #100 on:** July 25, 2013, 10:30:57 AM »

I read it's been renewed for next season. 4x120 ep.

marcie · « **Reply #101 on:** July 25, 2013, 11:45:01 AM »

FlaJean, I agree that each of the episodes are getting better. Jeriron, yes, it's been renewed for another season of four episodes. This may be the article you found: http://www.itv.com/presscentre/press-releases/itv-recommissions-endeavour-second-series

jeriron · « **Reply #102 on:** July 25, 2013, 02:18:17 PM »

Marcie

Yes that's the one I read.

JeanneP · « **Reply #103 on:** July 25, 2013, 07:45:42 PM »

Marcie.

If I think back to the CI Morse series. It does seem like a Love affair happened for Morse when in Univ. He never got over what happened and this is the reason for not marrying.
It came up a couple times at the beginning of the Series.

marcie · « **Reply #104 on:** July 25, 2013, 11:51:22 PM »

Jeanne, I hadn't remembered that from the series but now recall Wendy/Susan.

JeanneP · « **Reply #105 on:** July 26, 2013, 08:54:05 PM »

I was thinking the last week show that the women in there had been the one. She not knowing that Morse was in love and she just not that into him back then and took off with someone else

Lets try Googling it.

marcie · « **Reply #106 on:** July 27, 2013, 12:25:05 AM »

Jeanne, I don't think it was the company "secretary" from last week that was Morse's original love interest in college. At one point she says to him, "Are you still in love with her?"

This Sunday is this season's last Endeavour episode. In "Endeavour: Home," Morse must choose between the responsibilities of his job and loyalty to his mentor. There is an enticing preview (only available in the U.S.) at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/watch-online/shorts/endeavour-scene-home/?elq=11fa65d8b4754eaeb00733d545129183&elqCampaignId=654

jeriron · « **Reply #107 on:** July 27, 2013, 09:18:12 AM »

From the old Inspector Morse "Dead on Time"

It begins with a startled look on Morse's face when he realizes the dead body belongs to the husband of his lover who broke his heart (and ruined his university career) by leaving him many years ago. It ends with Sergeant Lewis protecting his partner with a touching loyalty expressed through subtly phrased lines. Susan Fallon is the lovely, accomplished blonde with whom we would imagine Morse falling in love (and surely never completely out of love.) Despite Morse's usual ill temper and irritation with the world, we forgive him his faults in those scenes when his blue eyes soften and tear with the pain of loving this woman.

Here's an excerpt:
Episode 21. 'Dead On Time'

Strange: You said it was suicide, Morse. Then some GP comes down from Ben Nevis, waving some pages of A4 - and everything changes!

Morse: It was Mrs. Fallon I knew - before she became Mrs Fallon. We were engaged to be married.

Susan Fallon: Did you hate me ...?

Morse: Hate you? My God, Susan...

FlaJean · « **Reply #108 on:** July 27, 2013, 09:45:38 AM »

Marcie, that was an enticing teaser to Sunday's show.

. Jeriron, I sure wish Netflix would add those old Morris videos to their streaming side.

jeriron · « **Reply #109 on:** July 27, 2013, 09:58:16 AM »

flajean

I do too.

marcie · « **Reply #110 on:** July 27, 2013, 12:15:45 PM »

Jeriron, thanks very much for finding that dialog from the old Morse. He was actually engaged to (Wendy)Susan! She must have broke it off.

jeriron · « **Reply #111 on:** July 27, 2013, 04:22:11 PM »

I think I read she was engaged to some one else and they broke up so she started going out with Morse and they got engaged. Then her other boyfriend came back and she broke it off with Morse and went back with the other man. I wonder if it was the same one she was married to in "Dead on Time."

FlaJean · « **Reply #112 on:** July 28, 2013, 11:53:37 AM »

I just found a Masterpiece series on Netflix that was never shown on our local PBS station. It's called Heat of the Sun about a detective from Scotland Yard (in the 1930s) exiled to Kenya for killing an important man. The first episode (pilot?) is movie length. The other episodes are 45 or 50 minutes. Really interesting.

Looking forward to tonight's Endeavor.

Frybabe · « **Reply #113 on:** July 28, 2013, 12:19:21 PM »

Jean, it looks like my Amazon Prime has it also. I am going to have to put it on my watch list.

marcie · « **Reply #114 on:** July 28, 2013, 04:49:55 PM »

I hadn't heard about HEAT OF THE SUN, FlaJean. I'll have to look for it.

JeanneP · « **Reply #115 on:** July 28, 2013, 05:40:14 PM »

Gosh, big decision tonight. Do I watch the last " morse" or the first new show of a program I love." Unforgettable" with Poppy Montgomery. Both start at 8 pm here?

Frybabe · « **Reply #116 on:** July 28, 2013, 06:46:21 PM »

Thanks for reminding me, JeanneP. My not unforgettable brain forgot it was starting the new season tonight. Now I am in the same dilemma as you.

marcie · « **Reply #117 on:** July 29, 2013, 02:20:47 AM »

Me too. I watched Unforgettable (I'm glad it was "reinstated.") I'll watch MORSE on my cable on demand in the next day or two.

Frybabe · « **Reply #118 on:** July 29, 2013, 07:01:12 AM »

Watched Morse. Another great performance by the guy who plays Fred Thursday. I'm not quite satisfied with the ending though.

salan · « **Reply #119 on:** July 30, 2013, 05:23:30 AM »

Did this episode seem more muddled than usual; or is it just my brain!
Sally

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Author Topic: PBS Masterpiece Mystery 2013 & Other PBS Programs (Read 90313 times)