"Inspector Morse" (1987) TV series 1987-2000

User Rating:

8.7/10   

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12

Release Date:

4 February 1988 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Mystery

Plot:

A grouchy but cultured police detective and his easy going partner investigate crimes around the British community of Oxford.

Plot Keywords:

Oxford | Police | Detective | Inspector | Police Detective

Awards:

9 wins & 12 nominations

Cast

John Thaw	...	Chief Inspector Morse (33 episodes, 1987-2000)
Kevin Whately	...	Detective Sergeant Lewis (32 episodes, 1987-2000)
Colin Dexter	...	College porter showing Morse and Lewis to John Brewster / ... (30 episodes, 1987-2000)
James Grout	...	Chief Superintendent Strange (22 episodes, 1987-2000)

Runtime:

120 min (33 episodes)

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:PG (some episodes) | Australia:MA (some episodes) | Australia:M

Filming Locations:

Abersoch, Gwynedd, Wales, UK

Company:

Carlton UK Productions

Trivia:

The flute in the theme music spells Morse's name in Morse code. Also, it sometimes spells the name of the murderer(!) and sometimes the name of an innocent character, to throw knowledgeable listeners off the trail.

Quotes:

Morse: The secret of a happy life is to know when to stop - and then go that bit further.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "My Family: The Mouthtrap (#5.9)" (2004)

Intelligent Whodunit with Fine Cast

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