Customer Reviews

Foyle's War: Sets 1-5 Bundle (Amazon.com Exclusive)

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These DVD's encompass 1-5 of the series. Once you start viewing this marvelous English production, you will be hooked. England had many stressors during the war and some are portrayed the best I have seen in any production. If you love history, if you love England and if you love BBC productions, than this is the series for you!

'Foyle's War' is one of those marvelous BBC productions that tells the tales of England during World War II. It is set in Hastings, East Sussex, near the beaches of South East England, during 1942 and 1943. Foyle's War tells the story of Christopher Foyle, played by Michael Kitchen, Detective Chief Superintendent, whose job is to keep the peace on the home front during WWII. Helping Foyle is Detective Sergeant Paul Milner, played by Anthony Howell. He was a policeman before the war and lost a leg in a fierce battle and returned to the force by the urging of Foyle. Samantha Stewart, a beauty on her own, is played by Honeysuckle Weeks and is a member of the Mechanized Transport Corps. She is conscripted to drive for Foyle. She sticks her nose in police business and it turns out she is also quite good at helping in their investigations.

Foyle wants to join up but is talked into staying where he is most needed. And this war causes more crime and more stresses. The crimes are now involving the black market, illegal gambling, sabotage, and the day to day thefts and murder.

" Perhaps the most quiet, still, laconic detective you'll ever see on television, Foyle's M.O. never varies: quite observation, desert dry wit, zero reaction upon even the most extreme provocation, and carefully chosen, clipped, spare sentences that sum up much, much more than one first assumes. Nothing seems to ruffle Foyle, although it's clear he feels deeply about his colleagues and about his duty. That dedication to duty, and even more, his dedication, love, and utmost respect for the law, keeps Foyle constantly at odds with others who see the war as yet another excuse to flout the conventions of the legal systems - as well as a convenient bypass for committing morally questionable actions." Antony Severs

' Foyle's War' serves as a means for telling stories about the war, and how civilians coped with the pressures and circumstances with the coming changes. Foyle, is always even-handed and tolerant. As a professional reviewer has said " It is amazing what intelligence and talent can do on television without ever mugging or shouting."

'Foyle's War' is one of the more entertaining, realistic depictions of World War II. It is so well written and acted, I have recommended it to everyone I know. I was saddened to view the end of the series.

Highly Recommended. prisrob 10-25-08

The Real History of "Foyle's War"

Foyle's War: Sets 1-5 Bundle (Amazon.com Exclusive)

Foyle's War: Sets 1-5 Bundle (Amazon.com Exclusive)

My brother gave me this British detective/mystery series to watch. Being that it is set during WWII, I doubted that I would be interested let alone like it immensely. The main character, Detective Foyle, was perfectly cast and acts with the typical British reserve but with a unique charisma. Each episode is like a movie in itself and usually has a number of substories. It makes for a very interesting viewing that rarely slows down. Foyle always manages to figure everything out by the end but the results are not always what one expects but his decisions are always the right ones.
The acting by all the cast is generally excellent with quite interesting characters. The scenery, equipment and settings are excellent WWII vintage. The series also provides a unique insight into what the British were going through during the early stages of WWII.
If you are a mystery/detective fan and like strong and interesting characters but with the British "stiff upper lip" then you will certainly like Foyles War. If you are looking for a historical drama set during WWII then you would find it in Foyles War. If you are a Sherlock Holmes fan then you will most likely be a Foyles War fan.
We are now watching it for the second time and enjoying Foyle's War just as much (if not more) than the first time. Now we are noticing things we missed the first time. If I could have rated this series 10 stars, I would have. Absolutely one of the most enjoyable and fascinating series that we have ever seen.

Yes, a great series, with wonderful performances. Fans may be interested to know that Foyle's War is being revived. It was a huge hit here in the UK, but despite its popularity was ditched by a senior UK TV executive who no longer works for the commissioning network. Anthony Horowitz (the writer) had to move the stories through to the end of World War 2 rather faster than he would have liked, and would have written more but for the axe falling on the series. The latest news however is that more Foyle's War stories are to be filmed, but set just after the end of the war. Just thought you might like to know!

I have an Anglophile fondness for British literature, British detective stories and British TV detective series. I recently came across a phenomenally good series called Foyle's War. The show stars Michael Kitchen as Detective Chief Superintendent (DCS) Christopher Foyle, a frustrated detective in the backwater of Hastings who would rather be serving more directly in the war effort. Things have been quiet in Hastings for the past millennium since the Invasion of England, 1066.

Fortunately for us, the British government turns down his requests for a transfer and he goes about solving murders and other crimes in East Essex on the southeast coast. His driver is a young woman with the unlikely name of Sam Stewart played an actress with the even more unlikely name of Honeysuckle Weeks. His sergeant is a vet who lost his leg in Norway.

Foyle's demeanor and doggedly persistent approach to solving crimes is one attraction. The back story of England during the war and the meticulous attention to detail is another. The era is rich in subject matter, some of it surprisingly fresh (did you know about English detention camps for alien residents?), some of it expected but done very well (for example, the series treats rationing, shortages, secret military operations, the arrival of the Yanks, war fatigue, black markets, and of course, the bombings).

Kitchen was marvelous as the prince/king in House of Cards Trilogy (House of Cards / To Play the King / The Final Cut) and is even better here. But as with the Wire, while the acting is superb and production quality is top notch, it is the writing of Anthony Horowitz (Midsomer Murders - Set One that really sets the series apart.

While I still consider The Wire: The Complete Series the best TV show ever, Foyle's War has taken second place by such a log margin that I'm not even sure what number three is. Foyle's War is a good deal more accessible than The Wire, i.e. watch any episode from any season and you will not only be entertained, but you will also have a good grasp of what is going on - not the case with The Wire.

Having rapidly worked my way through the first four seasons' worth of DVDs, I find myself reluctant to watch the last two episodes because I don't want it to end (But, hey, I can start over and watch them again!).

Drop the English reserve; Foyle's War gets my unreserved highest recommendation.

Another accidental hit on my search for good mysteries. This series isn't just good; it's GREAT with a capital "G". This is real time events during a real time war harboring real time mysteries. You could feel the time period and the problems and heart wrenching events that surrounded murders; espionage; hand tying, look the other way, political freedoms. The characters felt real and were based on real life individuals and events. It was truly a sad day when I watched the last episode. But as the war ended so must the series. I packed them away until my memory starts to fade, at which time I'll bring them back out for a re-watch. There's an informative book that coincides with the series which I bought. It really explains the characters and how they were developed. It was fun to see how they used real events and real locations to shoot the scenes. This is a must see series for anyone who loves mysteries and history at its most explosive.

Foyles War is a wonderful work set during WWII in the south of England.
My wife and I are saddend that there are not more episodes!
Had some quality issues with the DVD's however...

This is the best investigative "detective" series with several story plots going on not just one as in most detective stories. It is so much fun trying to figure out how each story connects to each other and a delight to see how all the puzzle pieces fit at the end. It is thought provoking in that you see how people on this tiny island of Great Britain were feeling as they saw the whole of Europe falling to Hitler and the major assault at the end focusing on them. Amazing people the British! You fall in love and admire the characters. The actors were believeable.

Foyles war is one of the best series I have seen on PBS or any channel for that fact. His unassuming ways and easy going investigation is something one has to see. Along with his driver Sam, he takes you into his world comfortably and keeps you there. I am sad that the series ended.

What can you say to perfection? Excellent acting, excellent plots, well-done research, depth of relationships woven throughout.....it doesn't get any better than this!

O.K. Let me say that I love this series so much so that I wanted to buy the whole set. However at this exorbitant price, NO WAY!!! ($457.99) Absurd!!!

Why is it the whole set (Series 1 - 5) costs any place else $102.99 to $175.99; and it cost almost 3x as much through this supplier. Sorry. Not for me.