Colin Dexter (1930–2017) was an award-winning British crime fiction author who had a long and bountiful career. Among Dexter’s many writing accomplishments, his “Inspector Morse” crime series is perhaps the most notable and spawned a TV series (1987–2000) of the same name featuring the late, great actor John Thaw as the titular character.
From the outset of the show’s beginnings in the late 1980s, it becomes evident that there’s a lot more under its hood than any other TV-crime drama. Drawing from the rich cinematic sensibilities of the British, the characters are incredibly fleshed out and realistic.
Thaw’s Morse is a complex, sometimes contradictory character who works for the Criminal Investigation Department of the Oxford Police as a chief inspector. Although he exhibits an appreciation of the more cultured things in life, such as classical music and fine wines, he also loves fast cars and clever women, sometimes even hitting on a lady involved in the case he’s handling. Morse tooling around in his red Jaguar lights up the screen.
Morse has been teamed up with Detective Sergeant Lewis (Kevin Whately), and the two sharply contrast one another. Lewis plays the more conventional, by-the-book type of lawman, while Morse often employs much more unconventional methods. However, both are basically good-hearted men who are interested in seeking out the truth and catching criminals for the betterment of society.
Part of what makes this series so endearing and fun to watch is simply seeing the somewhat cantankerous, cultured, and arrogant Morse travel in and around Oxford with his more straight-laced sidekick in Lewis. While Lewis is happily married, Morse is an older bachelor.
Much of the dialogue between the two men involves Morse humorously berating Lewis on some matter or another, but also giving the latter credit when it’s due. Lewis is obedient and cordial to a certain point but often manages to slide little quips back at Morse when his superior goes a little too far. Even though the series deals with serious crimes, there is quite a bit of mirthful back and forth between the cast to enjoy. And things do soften between Morse and Lewis as the series moves along.
What is also interesting about the show is that sometimes Morse simply gets things wrong and, therefore, the viewer can be thrown completely off as well. This clever filmmaking element is used only sparingly, and so viewers never quite know if they’re getting set up for a surprise, which invites us to investigate every little clue much more carefully as we come along for the ride.
Morse is also quite a drinker, although he tries to justify his bad habit of dropping by local pubs during the course of his investigations. We hear him describe how drinking helps him discern things, yet we see how horribly alcohol can affect one’s health (later he is hospitalized). In a prime example of art imitating life, Thaw was a heavy drinker and smoker in real life.
Cases revolve around some sort of heavy crime or another, but each episode is often packed with so many different characters that it’s hard to tell whodunit until just before the ending credits begin to roll. Plotlines are often convoluted as well and, along with the different British accents, often compel one to go back to rewatch the entire episode. But these elements also invite viewers to rewatch older episodes as well.
“Inspector Morse” benefits from outstanding acting by not only Thaw and Whately but also other recurring characters, such as Morse’s rotund direct superior, Chief Superintendent Strange (James Grout). Strange is often on hand to chew Morse out for investigative transgressions. Enhancing things further, an incredible immersive score and great cinematography make this a well-produced, fascinating crime drama.
