Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Unlucky in love??......, September 2, 2002
Dear Inspector Endeavor Morse of the Thames Valley Police in Oxford England (the late John Thaw) is a good police officer. When he isn't dectecting, he's home listening to Wagner or Turandot on the phonograph and drinking whisky. On duty, he may often be found having a pint of dark bitter at a pub with Sgt. Lewis (Kevin Whately). Morse does have his problems with the opposite sex, however. He meets attractive women left and right, but they always seem to have a dark secret. Sooner or later, he is embroiled in their problems. In THE DEAD OF JERICHO, Morse encounters the lovely Anne Stavely (Gemma Jones, SENSE AND SENSIBILITY) a fellow member of an Oxford community choir. One evening after choir rehearsal, Anne invites Morse back to her new flat in the recently gentrified Jericho section of Oxford. One thing leads to another, and soon Morse discovers Anne has troubling secrets she won't share with him. The day of the choir concert, Anne does not show up. Morse drives to her flat only to discover Thames Valley Police SOCO (Scene of crime officers) at hand. Who killed the victim, or was it suicide? Who was the young man staying with Anne who kept a copy of "Oedipus Rex" beside his bed? And what about the nosy neighbor--did he see something he should tell the police? Morse soon steps into sticky ethical waters as he is no longer a disinterested bystander. His difficulties grow more complex by the hour as he discovers death, backmail, and other illicit activities in Jericho--all involving Anne. This is an excellent DVD and a good recording of the original TV show. My DVD has a little documentary of the "Making of Morse" showing locations around Oxford. A definite plus for Anglophiles.
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15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The first time I ever was arrested by Inspector Morse, February 26, 2002
One cold rainy night in England with nothing to do I turned on my television (only four channels available) and found a new show called Inspector Morse. I have always been a fan of the detective story in print and had read extensively in the genre. Similarly I was a great action buff, with one of my favorites being the Streets of San Francisco (I wonder why that is not available on tape or DVD?).At first, the pace of the drama was slow and a little bit irritating but I recognised John Thaw from that superb action show, the "Sweeney" and Patrick Troughton as the irrepressible second Doctor Who. It did not take long before I was hooked by the simple device of trying to figure out whodunnit. Usually in these things, especially Columbo, it does not take that long to figure out but in this case it was clear that there were red herrings and little cul-de-sacs aplenty to intrigue the viewer. The main character was often morose and grumpy, with no time for the trivia of life and did not bear fools gladly. Unlike most other shows, this Morse did not pander to popular culture, utilizing it to sell the show. Instead it was clearly aimed at a more highbrow audience yet through a medium that was often the subject of disdain in those circles. Pretty soon the two hours of leisurely paced drama was over and that was IT. As I lived near Oxford I sought out the locations on my next visit. It took some time to digest the content of the drama over and above the story itself, the insider's view of the contradictions of the city of Oxford, the juxtaposition of town and gown etc. But getting back to the story itself. This is more of a movie than a TV show. It is a gripping, compelling piece of police drama set against a backdrop of relative opulence and wealth as well as against a working class city background. It is a story of a dreaming city, of intellectuals and academics, a story of the mundane, of passions and secrets. It is the story of a man of Oxford and at once against the rituals and spectacle that the University has to offer. At the end of this show, I came quietly. I have had the pleasure to have enjoyed every minute of Morse - being entertained and perplexed until the final moment when the killer is revealed. This is a great introduction to a marvellous run. One last thought - how measured and appropriate the incidental music and theme are. Full marks all round!
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
With this as the first episode, it's no wonder the series was such a hit!, October 2, 2006
The Dead of Jericho, the first episode of the video series of Colin Dexter's Inspector Morse, gets the series off to a roaring start! Filled with local color, an atmosphere of intimacy, wonderful photography, and the best music ever for a mystery series (choral, piano, and opera selections), it completely involves the reader in the action and stimulates interest in the lives of Inspector Morse and Sgt. Lewis. The talented John Thaw, as Inspector Morse, is a man who is passionately interested in music, crossword puzzles, and beer at the pub, but he is also interested in finding a woman who shares his interests. In this episode, he has made the acquaintance of Anne Stavely, a woman who sings in his chorale and whom he would like to get to know better.
Anne, however, has a painful past history, and she is reluctant to begin a relationship with Morse. Before Morse finds our more about this, however, Anne Stavely is found hanging in her apartment. Several plots unwind simultaneously as Morse investigates Anne's death and tries to find who might have wanted to kill her. A neighbor has been peeping through the window at her; her boss's wife suspects he has been having an affair with Anne; a young druggie with money problems steals money from Anne. The producers, however, let the threads develop on their own, leaving the action unclear at first and forcing the viewer to become involved and draw conclusions about how or whether these plot lines may be connected.
This series changes the character of Morse and Sgt. Lewis from the book, where Morse is actually younger than Lewis, and Lewis is more adept at police procedure. Here Lewis (Kevin Whately) is the perfect foil to Thaw's Morse, less educated and proud of it and willing to do the leg work for Morse. In this episode, Morse is actually a candidate for police superintendent, with Inspector Bell as his rival. Max, the coroner, makes an appearance and highlights Morse's queasy stomach in the face of bloodshed and death. Elegantly produced, with wonderful on-location shots of Oxford neighborhoods and homes, the series starts with a terrific mystery, involving a woman Morse cares for and develops in surprising, dramatic ways. A worthy debut for a terrific series! n Mary Whipple
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