Inspector Lewis TV Mystery Series

After weeks of reruns, leading up to the four new programs, they started airing in the UK on May 16.

The Soul of Genius: How can academics get into so much grisly murder? They are literally digging up bodies in Oxford, and this story has more twists and turns than, say, a back street in the city of Dreaming Spires. Lewis and Hathaway have to solve this latest crime spree before the death toll grows faster than the hothouse plants.

Generation of Vipers: The crime is Internet-enabled in the second episode of Series 6. Murder or suicide? Motive from the present, or the past? Lewis will follow his instincts to the right result, and keep Hathaway out of trouble if he can. Everything old is new again, when it comes to murder in Oxford.) I'll be especially happy to see this one, with Julie Cox and Toby Stephens appearing.)

Fearful Symmetry: Untying the knots in this crime spree will keep Lewis and Hathaway working until the last moment. Will an upcoming photography exhibit -- featuring photos of a victim -- shed light on the crime, or exonorate a prime suspect?

The Indelible Stain: When you really want to stir up trouble in Oxford, just throw in an American. Controversy with a capital C...until a noose puts a definite end to all THAT nonsense. But who did it? And was it for an obvious reason...or something deeper? Lewis and Hathaway will again sort out the details. Does a country cottage hold the final clue that lines up all the pieces? (Here's a clue...recognize the title of this episode?)

This popular British TV mystery series is based on the long-running favorite, Inspector Morse. The program is called simply "Lewis" in the UK.

It's no surprise that Inspector Lewis (played by Kevin Whately) is popular in its own right, with new mystery fans, and carry over fans from the Morse series, based on the novels of Colin Dexter. The Robert Lewis character was a sergeant when he worked with Chief Inspector Morse of the Thames Valley Police.

In the Lewis series, Lewis works in his new role as Detective Inspector. (Morse fans will recall that Sergeant Lewis was off taking the exam for this promotion at the end of that series.)

This new series focuses on the Inspector Lewis character, well known from the Morse series. Lewis appears in almost every one of the Morse episodes.

The name of the police force has been changed to Oxfordshire, a fictional police agency. (Thames Valley is real.)

The medical examiner, Dr. Laura Hobson (played by Clare Holman), also comes over from the Morse series. The other main characters are new, including Lewis' partner, Detective Sergeant James Hathaway (Laurence Fox) and the new head of their station, Chief Superintendent Jean Innocent (Rebecca Front).

The evolving association between Lewis and Hathaway is one of the most interesting parts of the Lewis series. In Series 5. Both men are examining the greater meaning of their lives, along with solving the crimes at hand.

American fans of Inspector Lewis can enjoy Lewis episodes on DVD, now that all the new 2011 programs have been on the air.

And mark your calendars for fall 2012, as four new programs are in the works. ITV in England has put four new programs on the air in the UK during May and June 2012. Of course, these feature Lewis and Hathaway. This series is one of the top three most-watched television dramas in the UK.

When purchasing Lewis programs on DVD, take note of the name of the series. The 2011 programs are Series V in the UK, but called "IV" in the US and in the nutshell descriptions -- 2011 is Series V, according to the entire Lewis series history. The names of the 2011 episodes are given in a module below, as an extra way to make sure you're getting the Lewis episodes you're after.

All four episodes of Inspector Lewis, Series 5, have aired in the UK, where it's known simply as Lewis.

If you're a serious Lewis fan, perhaps it won't matter if I give away some hints, because you watch the episodes over and over, to see the details of the relationships, as well as the mystery plots. Here are the episode titles for this latest series:

• Old, Unhappy, Far Off Things


• Wild Justice


• The Mind Has Mountains


• The Gift of Promise

As in all the Lewis episodes, crime in Oxford keeps the police on their toes. The students, staff and faculty are not immune from the emotions and relationships that sometimes lead to murder.

The actors and production of Series 5 is top notch, in keeping with the earlier programs. My one question...the motives for some of the murders are not completely clear. How did a certain killer decide that a certain person had to go? Perhaps I missed a detail in a couple of the episodes. I'll have to watch again. (I'd do that anyway.)

In Lewis, Series 5:

• Lewis continues to keep an eye out for Hathaway, and Hathaway continues to watch over Lewis behind the scenes. Neither one wants to think about their working lives without the other one, warts and all.


• Lewis and Hathaway are continuing to evaluate their lives, and thinking about the future. Will Lewis retire? Will Hathaway change careers?


• It's nice to see James acting more in an Inspector capacity. Their relationship seems to be in adolescence. Those growing pains are coming out at times, and then they settle into a new level of working well, as the cases progress.


• And who knows...before the Lewis program ends in some far future year...is there a love interest for Hathaway, dawning on the horizon? A pretty girl who can challenge the mind as well?


• Love for Lewis...his relationship with Hobson seems to have moved forward only a bit, to the frustration of almost everyone else. What are they waiting for? And if Lewis retires, will he stay in Oxford, or move up north, close to this daughter and her growing family?

My test for how things are going in the backstories in Lewis is this: who walks off into the sunset with who at the end of each episode. I'm sure the producers are doing this on purpose. The events in the last two minutes of an episode foreshadows things to come.

As you watch Series 5, look for these details, and see what you think! If you're a sleuth, you'll be able to find these programs, to watch in the US before they air (new episodes coming in September and October 2011).

Overall, Lewis Series 5 is a worthy addition to the Lewis programs, and I hope to see more episodes being made for years to come.

Lewis
Series 5
[DVD]

Use a region-free or Region 2 player for the UK Edition of Lewis Series 5, a favorite of the intense Inspector Lewis fans, to get those extra minutes of footage that the US editions don't have.

I've featured some of the right DVD players in a later module.

Many fans of Morse are also following the Lewis series. Some say that this offshoot is even better than the original.

I have to agree, though I like the Morse series as well. Why? Or the closer idea, easier to relate to -- I believe that one reason is the changes in technology (both on and off screen). The new series feels like today because it is current. The older series is enough older that it feels a bit out of phase.

But the biggest reason, I think, is the main characters. We love Morse, though he is quixotic. DI Lewis is steady, smart, and determined. Two different but complementary approaches to solving cases. We can see things that Lewis learned from Morse come into play, yet Lewis puts his own stamp on his work.

Viewers are interested in these characters because they are interestingly written and acted. In addition to the crimes to be solved, we find out about the characters' personal lives. We get a sense of how much Lewis has suffered from the unexpected death of his wife, and his ongoing process to move on with his life.

DS Hathaway, Lewis' assistant, is also very interesting. He was studying for the priesthood, then made a detour into police work, under circumstances that are not completely explained. When Hathaway doesn't want to answer questions about himself, he knows how to deflect them.

Kevin Whately, who plays Lewis, makes it look effortless. Laurence Fox, who plays Hathaway, does a fine job as well. I hope to see this series continue for years to come.

The UK versions of the Inspector Lewis TV series (called simply Lewis in the UK) have about 10 extra minutes of footage in each episode. In the US versions, PBS has trimmed out some scenes to allow for an overall run time that fits within the 90-minute program schedule.

This change allows for the Masterpiece Mystery introduction and closing titles. The US versions on DVD do not replace this footage.

Some aficionados of the Lewis series are getting their disks from the UK, noting the exchange rate and postage. Just make sure you have a DVD player that is either region free, or can play Region 2 disks. (DVDs from the US are Region 1.)

Check out one of the Lewis selections on the Amazon UK site: Lewis DVD from the UK, Series 1-4 This one includes extra features as well, that are not included on the individual series' sets.

Inspector Lewis Series V is also available on DVD. Compiled sets cannot be far behind.