Here’s a quick reminder for all of you who love mystery shows… make that British mystery showws! Tonight, on your local PBS stations, they will be airing Dark Matter, the third episode – of the third season – of the Inspector Lewis shows.
Remember that the Inspector Lewis episodes are inspired by Colin Dexter‘s Inspector Morse mysteries. Unfortunately, Inspector Morse is no longer here, but Inspector Lewis is doing his mighty best to fill the void.
Dark Matter has Inspector Lewis (played by Kevin Whately) and Detective Sergeant Hathaway (played by Laurence Fox) back at Oxford. What a beautiful setting. And, yes, for all of Reginald Hill‘s Dalziel and Pascoe fans… Warren Clarke will be guest starring as … let’s just say he isn’t affiliated with policing!
And, remember when Inspector Morse used to sing in the chamber choir? Well, how wonderful is it that Dr. Laura Hobson, the police forensic pathologist (played by Clare Holman) is a clarinet player in the very same orchestra that needs investigating?
PS>>> When are Dr. Hobson and Inspector Lewis finally going to see that they are absolutely perfect for each other? I mean, I can remember when Inspector Morse “dated” every woman around… even the major suspects!
Stephanie says
Haha on the Inspector Lewis/Dr. Hobson comment. Although I do seem to remember Lewis going ahead and “dating” one of his suspects, too, in one of the Inspector Lewis episodes!
What a joy this spin-off series is to watch. I know this is tantamount to blasphemy, but I’d say that I rather enjoy them a bit more than some of the Morse episodes. I just find it easier to relate to Lewis and even to Hathaway, even though the latter is a bit of an egghead like Morse was.
Carol says
I have grown to love this series. I do like Inspector Lewis, but the truth of the matter is that I find Hathaway to be absolutely “dishy”. And I enjoy his erudite comments and very dry humor. The two of them together do indeed make a wonderful pair.
Eveline says
I must say that it is such a delight to see the forensic pathologist Dr. Laura Hobson having a bit of a social life.
And, I do agree that liking Inspector Lewis is really almost tantamount to blasphemy. But, the very first time I saw the first episode, I immediately fell in love with this spin-off. Lewis and Hathaway are a great combination; so unlike each other and yet so perfect together.
I am really looking forward to many, many more episodes to come.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Stephanie, while I do like Inspector Lewis and Sergeant Hathaway, I love Inspector Morse and Sergeant Lewis.
Carol, as for “dishy”… He sure comes from a family of… “dishy” actors…
Eveline, I love that Dr. Hobson is finally getting out and about without a corpse being present.
Eveline says
Carol, I wholeheartedly agree. And, apparently, Hathaway, err Lauren Fox has a younger brother (the newest of the Fox clan to join the film industry) who will be in the next episode. I can’t wait to see how he fares. And, yes, Dr. Hobson getting out and about, and even having a drink with Lewis gives this series a bit of levity or should I say a lady’s touch?
Eveline says
In the “Falling Darkness” – Can anyone please tell me why Ligeia Willard put Laura Hobson’s name in the birth registry as the mother of the twins that she delivered? I didn’t quite get that part.
Also, I noticed in this episode that Inspector Lewis is, again, in a different house. I know there was a different house in the pilot, then, an apartment, and then another house. Why can’t he stay in one house like Chief Inspector Barnaby?
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Eveline, I don’t know about your first question, but will keep it in mind when we (finally!!!) watch the last episode of the Inspector Lewis series. I would have liked to have watched it when it aired on Sunday night, but we don’t watch live television. Hopefully we’ll get to it this weekend!
As for Inspector Lewis changing houses… I haven’t noticed a continuity problem in the other four episodes, but will try to watch for it during Falling Darkness. I thought he lived by himself in an apartment – now that his children have grown and left the nest. I’ll keep an eye out for that also…
Eveline says
Danna, I think you will like this episode. The entire story revolves around Dr. Laura Hobson; which gives the viewers a slice of her life during her college years in Oxford. Definitely, the story is well thought of and well written.
It is now, also, apparent why they had to kill Mrs. Lewis off, for she cannot always be the invisible Mrs. Lewis, just like Mrs. Columbo was.
Much as we all love and miss Chief Inspector Morse, and the incomparable John Thaw, I think we will all embrace Inspector Lewis and Kevin Whately, as well.
Eveline says
Danna, in the pilot episode, Inspector Lewis was in a house surrounded by greenery. He was so tired from his trip that he fell asleep in the kitchen (located on the ground floor) with his head on the table. Then, came Sergeant Hathaway to pick him up. Through the glass window, he saw him sleeping, and he tapped on the glass to wake him up.
(Because they didn’t show a shot of the house, it is entirely possible that it may be an apartment complex, and he is just situated on the ground floor.) Whatever it is, I like it very much because it feels airy, and there is natural light filtering through the kitchen glass window.
In another episode – I can’t remember which one – he had an apartment in a huge building complex. They showed the building and the long hallway that he had to walk through before getting to his door. He had a mattress to throw away, and didn’t quite know where to dispose it. When Sergeant Hathaway came to pick him up, he saw the mattress and persuaded Inspector Lewis to throw it in a garbage bin sitting on the street close to his building.
In the “Falling Darkness” episode and the one before, he is yet, again, in a different house with a stairwell that leads to his front door with a red paint trimming. When Sergeant Hathaway came to discuss the case that they were working on, they both had a beer in the kitchen. Clearly, this kitchen looks a bit cramped and dim – so unlike the kitchen in the pilot episode.
I think it confuses the viewers when this type of change is done without any explanation – in the form of a dialogue – by the characters.
It may be inconsequential to some, but I am so detail-oriented that this really bothers me to no end.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Eveline,
Anything that gives Dr. Hobson more air time on the Inspector Lewis mysteries is OK by me!
(I remember wondering what Mrs. Columbo would be like… and was quite shocked when they finally tried a Mrs. Columbo series. The actress was nothing like what I had envisioned… As for the Mrs. Columbo show unveiling a young daughter >>> YIKES! I was NOT prepared for that!
eveline says
Danna, it is really funny because each time Columbo mentions Mrs. Columbo, my imagination goes into high gear. I keep wondering what she looks like, and what the heck is that woman doing right now. (She seems to be always busy doing something.)
Although the Columbo series is not really a mystery but more like a methodical one, I really miss this show. Again, here is another very good show that A & E dropped. I keep wondering about the mentality of the person who is now running the A & E program.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Mrs. Columbo (on the short-lived television show)turned out to be a beautiful, young woman! (played by Kate Mulgrew)
Eveline says
Wow, Danna. I didn’t expect that. Patterned, maybe, to his real life young and sexy wife?
It must have really been short-lived since I never even saw one episode of it.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
It didn’t last long…
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Eveline,
We finally watched the Inspector Lewis episode called Falling Darkness. We think that her friend simply used Laura’s name as her alias when giving birth and signing the adoption papers.
As for the apaprtment, we just haven’t been paying that much attention to his apartment/house. Sorry!
patricia says
Ligea used Laura’s name out of spite. She thought Laura had usurped her place in Alec’s heart when he dumped her. When in fact it had been Ellen. Although I think Alec secretly carried the torch for Laura. Why else would he be drawing her on the houseboat????? Nice to see Laura’s character being developed more. Great performance in Falling Darkness. Little tender romance between her and Lewis would be nice. She has been throwing sheep’s eyes at him since this series started. He now seems to realise how much she means to him. Love some of her one liners, really inject a sense of humour into the show. In Allegory of Love when she tells the boys (Lewis and Hathaway) they better hurry up and solve the case before Noddy kills Big Ears really cracked me up. I am sure it was totally lost on our american audience.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
It looks like a lot of us would like to see Laura and Lewis get together. Lewis is so UNlike Morse! There never seemed to be any women present who Morse hadn’t tried to date…
Bob and Mary from Boston says
The Lewis series is wonderful, we enjoy them very much – Lewis, Hathaway, and Laura Hobson are terrific – they’re smart (Robbie so street-wise, Hathaway very savvy also, AND academically brilliant, Laura obviously smart, but in a quieter way – ) – and they’re all so decent and good (though Lewis and Hathaway would be most uncomfortable to hear that out loud)….as Americans, we occasionally have to play a few frames back to understand what Lewis might have said…no worries….but can someone tell us what he says to Laura in the very last phrase of Falling Darkness, immediately after telling Laura that he and Hathaway will always be there (for her – what a worthy object of their devotion!) Thank you!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Bob/Mary/Boston, I sure wish I had kept a copy of Falling Darkness, so I could check out that last phrase. Hopefully someone else can help us with this mystery…
gary says
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In the episode Old, Unhappy, Far Off Things the young student that had found Poppy’s body was murdered while returning to her dorm. Why was she killed and by whom?
Georgio says
Gary asked a good question. Does anybody know why the young student was murdered?
As for Morse vs Lewis, I feel that the Lewis/Hathaway combo is far superior to Morse/Lewis. Lewis/Hathaway are entertaining individuals who are very different but respect each other. Their interactions amuse and intrigue, really broadening the show. With Thaw, while entertaining, it was a more of a one man show