Foyle's War

What a great series {so far}. Well done to the cast & all the many others associated/involved with this series. Both my parents were caught up in the war: My Dad was in the RAF, & my mum being nine years younger was evacuated from Portsmouth to an Aunt who lived in the 'country'. I never knew what a 'funk hole' was until watching this series, & when I mentioned it to my Mum, she quite calmly said 'oh yes we all knew about them'. I'm sure others may think that some things are not accurate, but books don't always tell the truth: if ever in doubt ask someone who lived through this time period. Let's hope series three lives up to the other two.

This series (to date rented from online rental rentflix company) builds credibility in all characters, intricate though typically British murder mystery confrontations, come-uppances to the antagonists who deign to impugn Foyle in the beginning of episodes (with excellent plot lines throughout) and a believable interplay between complex characters. The only question NOT answered to date is WHY Foyle does not drive. Fortunately because he doesn't, he gets to have Sam as a driver. Maybe that is the reason! Would buy this boxed set when it is available, have not seen it yet. The realism achieved by set design, as well as the opportunity to see a real spitfire flying in many scenes makes it a pilot's movie as well. The series musical theme is also hauntingly beautiful. Foyle's quiet calm and non-reactive traits are especially lovable.

This is a good idea for a mystery series and it is done well. Michael Kitchen gets a lot of acting mileage out of a slight tilt of the head or a raised eyebrow. He's definitely the master of delivering lines in a low key manner. All the episodes I saw were well constructed narratives and the WW II era was recreated very well. I hope this series continues on for it seems like the producers are capable of coming up with more intriguing stories. Credit must be given to the parents of Honeysuckle Weeks for not only producing a talented daughter but giving her such a charming name. It's a nice little touch to have her character drive Foyle around as he does not drive a car.

The most derogatory remark I've ever heard an intelligent people make about this program is that it drags on a bit, but quite frankly that's only because ITV go and stick 25 minutes of adverts into a otherwise perfect fluid 95minute program. I suppose you could argue that the sheer lack of offended and dishearten viewers is testament to its boring nature, but that quite frankly is nonsense as well. You see the thing about this program is that it soothes you, it's relaxing to watch but doesn't insult your intelligence. I could go on for pages and pages about the acting, writing and attention to period detail but I won't bother because by the looks of it many before me have done so already. The two simple and only facts you really need to know about this program are that Kitchen is an underrated genius and that as detective/murder mysteries go this is, and will remain, a timeless masterpiece.

Foyle's War tackles a great many of perceived truths of World War 2 head on, attempting to show a view of wartime Britain in a new light. These are dealt with against the backdrop of a murder which the considered, but burdened detective is called to.

Michael Kitchen is absolutely superb as Christopher Foyle. He plays him with a subtle mix of determination and humanity; each performance is multi-layered, giving the viewer the opportunity to see something new each time. The support cast is also extremely good, with each character given appropriate depth and screen time.

Overall, this is one to get if you like to watch well-crafted, intelligent drama.