Lewis fills Morse's boots and some (Lewis: Series 1 (DVD))

Member Name: mickeyhunt

Product:	Lewis: Series 1 (DVD)
Date:	16/08/09 (9 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Quality Acting, georgous scenary and absorbing plots

Disadvantages: I could not think of any

I have been a lifelong Morse fan and cried copiously when he died. I cried even more at Lewis' reaction and how he paid his respects. I thought that this was the end of an excellent series. I was very supprised and aprehensive when I heard that they would be making the Lewis series. I felt at first it was just cashing in, but decided that you can only criticise or comment if you view it first. So I watched this series.

I absolutely loved the series. I always liked Lewis anyway and felt that he always had to pay second fiddle to Morse, even when he had to correct some of Morse's mistakes. So it was good to see him step into the spotlight and take center stage. I think that his character has fleshed out and developed well throughout the Morse series with much of his personality and some of his private life allowed to come through unlike some 2 dimensional sidekicks (ie Jones in Midsommer Murders).

His return from overseas placement sees him back as a much more dissolusioned and burdened man, enhanced by the back story of his dead wife (killed in a hit and run accident.). In fact in the first episode it looks like he might just jack it all in and retire. His relationship with his new side kick Hathaway, the georgous Laurence Fox, is interesting and entertaining, especially as it is a role reversal of the Morse and Lewis partnership. Clearly Hathaway is exteremely intelligent and well read, giving us echos of Morse. Lewis sometimes struggles with his junior officers religous and ethical views, although this is a very much improved Lewis. My meaning here is that his time with Morse has left a very deep impression on him and has changed him over the years from the brash junior officer that probably couldn't spell the word crossword let alone do the Times crossword, to a creditable facimile of Morse. He is not Morse, but has absorbed much of Morse's cultureral influences and has morphed into a more approachable and (slightly) less grumpy version of Morse. I think that he even knows this and appreciates the irony of the situation, particualry when buying the drinks ( a job that always fell to him) which he doesn't push on to Hathaway, although he gets the alcohol and Hathaway gets to drive (somethings never change). I think that Lewis and Hathaway are on a much more level playing field educationally that Morse and Lewis were and Lewis is more able to admit his mistakes and allow Hathaway is head that Morse was ever able to do.

Another interesting interaction is Lewis and his boss Innocent. It starts off on a bad footing, gets a bit worse and then seems to improve. At first she seems not to want his old style of policing and is keen to shift him out into training, but I think he proves his abilities along the way. She is not keen however to let him break rules and soon reigns him in when she feels he is sailing close to the wind. Morse would have struggled to accept her as a boss, but Lewis is able to compromise demonstrating another difference in his personality to Morse.

I love the interaction between Lewis and the pathologist Laura Hobson, which develops as a will they won't they type of relationship. My money is on them eventually getting together, I think they would be good together.

The pilot episode is a cracking story with so many twists and turns that the eventual reveal is suprising. The rest of the series does not disappoint. The fact that the series is now onto series 4 shows how well recieved it is and in this time of cutting budgets ITV are still planning more.

This is very classy entertainment. Each episode in well made and has the trademark feel that we had from Morse, all filmed against the glorious backdrop of Oxford. In fact you could argue that all along Oxford has been the star. Oxford is one of those places like Misommer where it seems to be incredibly dangerous to live. The body count is worse than a Michael Winner film.

Summary: Lewis and Hathaway clean up the dodgy streets of Oxford.