Foyle's War (TV)

 

2002-2015
Created and Written by Anthony Horowitz
Starring Michael Kitchen, Honeysuckle Weeks, Anthony Howell
IMDB Entry

I've been watching a lot of TV now that I'm retired, and a big part of it are British mysteries. The BBC and the other channels have a menu of top-notch mysteries, often cozy that turn out to be excellent. I came upon Foyle's War and am loving it.

The show follows Christopher Foyle (Michael Kitchen), the chief detective of the police in Hastings in the UK. The show is set during World War II. Foyle would prefer to be fighting, but is not called up. Instead, he solves mysteries and murders with the background of the war creating roadblocks. The show is praised for its accurate portray of life during that time -- the fear during the Blitz, the profiteering, the rationing, and the conflict of the investigations with the needs of the war effort.  Foyle is assisted by his driver, Samantha Stewart (Honeysuckle Weeks*) and Sgt. Paul Milner (Anthony Howell), who lost a leg at Dunkirk and this cannot serve again.

The episodes were each set in a specific month during the war and shows what life on the home front actually was. 

The war adds an extra dimension to the stories but the show is carried by Kitchen's performance. Foyle is motivated in finding justice, and doesn't give up even when it carries him into places where the military doesn't want him. He had a nicely sardonic streak when he tears apart people's excuses with a quiet sarcastic comment, but he's never afraid to show compassion when it's warranted.

Honeysuckle Weeks plays Sam as a fairly independent woman, who does more than drive, and discovers things to help Foyle figure things out.  Anthony Howell is an able assistant, but loses some of his personality as the show progresses and he adapts to his prosthetic.

The show was created by Anthony Horowitz, the same guy who created the most successful of British mystery shows, Midsomer Murders, and has many of the same qualities.  Various guest stars appeared, including two future Doctor Whos.  

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* I love that name.