In one of the last episodes of Morse, he finally gets the girl. But with a price, providing his first name, never previously mentioned as he always insisted on being called “Morse.” As he reveals this to the lady, Sergeant Lewis overhears. Morse greatly values Lewis. But he has often treated him a bit cavalier, making Lewis work all hours and often sticking him with the bar tab. As Morse looks for a reaction to revealing he was named “Endeavour” – a name satisfying Quaker parents and a dad who idealized Captain Cook – John Thaw captures, with great vulnerability, his asking if they would now laugh at him. The lady demurs but Lewis finally gets to make the judgement he may have always felt in the face of Morse’s lack of much life beyond crime and beer: “You poor sod.”
Kevin Whately played “Robbie” Lewis in the entire Morse series (1987-2000) as a detective sergeant. I described him in my Morse post as a bit plodding. Morse was sometimes condescending towards him. But they got along well and, in his own way, Lewis was his match. Some five years after Morse’s death in the last show, Lewis returns via his own ITV Lewis spinoff in 2006 as an inspector. We first see him arriving at the airport from two years serving in the British Virgin Islands. (He sought a change after the hit-and-run death of his wife.) Lewis is received by Sergeant Hathaway and finds his way into his first case (with a few echoes from Morse thrown in).y to experience British detective fiction. Originally on PBS in America, you can find it now on Britbox with some episodes on the Internet. An easy 5+.
Will you take a look at VERA, too. I think its well written.
I'm very glad that you reminded me of the LEWIS series. I admit that I'd unfairly judged it as unworthy of my time. I have watched several episodes since your post, and have enjoyed the writing very much. The cast is great. I'd like to see a smile on Hathaway's face once in a while.
It is nice to see the trust and loyalty developing between our two lead characters. I'm anxious to see more.
Also, I presented my comments on A Study in Scarlet, to one of my bookclubs, last night. It was your mention of it that had me reading it. Because I was going to speak about it, I did some additional study. I found a great website that really delved into the possible explanation for ACD setting up his novel in the way he did, leaving London after Part one, and taking us to the American West with a story centered around the Mormons traveling to and settling in the future Utah. I can appreciate the story more, not that I understand his intent. And I learned too that he apologized for his mis-characterization of Mormons, based on his lack of first hand experience, at the time.