Masterpiece Mystery!: Inspector Lewis 8 (Full UK-Length Edition) Blu-ray

PHOTO 1 = SERGEANT LEWIS (AGE 36) WITH INSPECTOR MORSEPHOTO 2 = INSPECTOR LEWIS (AGE 64) WITH INSPECTOR HATHAWAYPHOTO 3 = DR. LAURA HOBSON WITH INSPECTOR MORSE AND SERGEANT LEWISPHOTO 4 = PHILIP HATHAWAY IN 1967 (ENDEAVOUR)PHOTO 5 = PHILIP HATHAWAY IN 2016 (LEWIS)PHOTO 6 = INSPECTOR LEWIS (?) REPRIMANDED BY DCI GEORGE GENTLYPHILIP HATHAWAY:There are a number of characters common to "Inspector Morse" and "Inspector Lewis"- most prominently Pathologist Dr. Laura Hobson (played by Clare Holman), the love of Inspector Lewis.She joined the Thames Valley Police in 1995 and was originally a possible love interest for Morse (Sergeant Lewis was married at the time).Also characters common to "Endeavour" and "Morse".But only one character appeared (fifty years apart) in both "Endeavour" and "Inspector Lewis"- Philip Hathaway, father of Sergeant/Inspector James Hathaway1967: "Endeavour" Season 3, Episode 3Constable Morse investigates a series of suspicious deaths at Crevecoeur Hall, home of the incredibly wealthy Mortmaigne family.Philip Hathaway, the Mortmaigne family gardener, is one of the suspects (played by Rob Callender - photo 4)Ten years later, just in time for the birth of his son, Philip Hathaway is promoted to estate manager2010: "Inspector Lewis" Season 3, Episode 2 (UK Season 4, Episode 1)There is another suspicious death at Crevecoeur Hall.Inspector Lewis is surprised to learn that Sergeant Hathaway is no stranger to Crevecoeur Hall or the Mortmaigne family2015: "Inspector Lewis" Season EightPhilip Hathaway (played by Nicholas Jones - photo 5) returns for the final season of Inspector Lewis.Now in his seventies, Philip Hathaway is suffering from Alzheimer's and does not recognize his son James--------------------Sad NewsSeries Eight - this box - is the final season of Inspector Lewis.33 episodes broadcast on British television between 2006 and 2015.Actor Kevin Whately actually played Robbie Lewis for 28 years (1987-2015).Before becoming Inspector Lewis, he was Sergeant Lewis to John Thaw’s Inspector MorseFinal total:Inspector Morse = 33 Episodes (with Sergeant Lewis)Inspector Lewis = 33 Episodes (27 with Sergeant Hathaway + the final 6 shared with Inspector Hathaway)-- Hathaway played by Laurence Fox.ONE GOOD REASON TO WATCH INSPECTOR LEWIS ON BLU-RAY INSTEAD OF PBS:Each episode broadcast on PBS was at least ten minutes shorter than the original BBC broadcast.The Blu-Ray/DVD contains the uncut BBC version.Season Eight, Episode One was 1:20:32 on Masterpiece Mystery, but is 1:32:10 on the Blu-Ray(not counting the closing credits).One slight error: The Blu-Ray reverses the order of the first two episodes."One for Sorrow" is the first episode of Season Eight.Watch it first.There is some confusion about Season numbers in the United States and the United Kingdom.This is due to PBS's decision to broadcast the first three British seasons as two US seasons.Series 8 (UK) = Season 7 (US)Series 9 (UK) = Season 8 (US) - the box under review.There is no difference in content (at least on Blu-Ray/DVD - The PBS broadcasts are a different matter)From the start, Inspector Lewis has featured a wide-screen picture and English SDH subtitles.Cast change for Season Eight:Chief Superintendent Jean Innocent (Rebecca Front) has left the series (transferred to the Suffolk Constabulary).replaced by:Chief Superintendent Joseph Moody (Steve Toussaint), who suspects that Inspector Lewis may no longer be up to the job.Superintendent Innocent felt the same way in 2006, but gradually came around.Apparently Lewis does not make a good first impression.This may simply be British class distinction - unlike Morse and Hathaway, Lewis does not seem at home in Oxford.But Lewis is smarter than he looks.This can be an advantage. Better-educated villains consistently underestimate Inspector Lewis.[Morse and Hathaway are exactly as smart as they look.]For the past thirty years, Oxford University has averaged a murder a week.Actor Kevin Whately (born 1951) has played the same character - Sergeant, then Inspector Robert Lewis - from age 36 through age 64.-- a) Inspector Morse, aired 1987-2000 (his Sergeant = D.S. Robert Lewis)following Morse's death, Sergeant Lewis was promoted to Inspector.-- b) Inspector Lewis, aired 2006-2015 (his Sergeant = D.S. James Hathaway)following Lewis's retirement, Sergeant Hathaway was promoted to Inspector.-- c) Inspector Hathaway doesn't have his own series [yet] because Inspector Lewis, bored with retirement, came back part-time in Season SevenA slightly resentful Inspector Hathaway now shares the 'Inspector Lewis' series with Inspector Lewis.Together they share Sergeant Lizzie Maddox (played by Angela Griffin)-- When Britain's ITV announced the cancellation of "Inspector Lewis" in November 2015, they also announced that there would not be an "Inspector Hathaway" series.Let's hope they change their mind.For the official announcement, see my first comment (dated April 9, 2016) following this review.--------------------SERIES BUYING OPTIONS:[hint: for ease of navigation, read the review through to the end, then come back and click on the links.]The Complete Series - 33 episodes on 18 DVDs is now available - a fabulous bargain.A good investment if you are new to Inspector Lewis.WARNING:Amazon has screwed up the listing of the Complete Series box, confusing it with the Season 1-4 box (which was a disaster - edited episodes, no subtitles)The top posted reviews on Amazon are for the Season 1-4 box.The reviewer complaints are no longer valid.The first posted review of the "Complete Series" box was my review titled "REVIEW OF COMPLETE SERIES IN 18 DVD BOX" (dated October 15, 2016)Search for it by date, or click on one of the photos in "Customer Images".I hope it explains the mess Amazon has made of this.Here it is: Masterpiece: Inspector Lewis - The Complete Series Complicated by the question of Blu-Ray.Seasons 1-3 were only issued on standard DVDsFor Seasons 4-8 you have the choice of DVD or Blu-Ray.I recommend Blu-Ray - The architecture and environs of Oxford University are pretty spectacular.Scandalously, the earliest DVD release of Seasons 1-3 used the edited PBS episodes, but since then all three have been reissued in uncut form.These versions are OK: Inspector Lewis: The Pilot and Complete 1st Series Inspector Lewis: Series 2 Inspector Lewis: Series 3 Seasons 4-8 did not have a problem with editingBlu-Ray or DVD: Masterpiece Mystery: Inspector Lewis 4 [Blu-ray] Original UK Edition Masterpiece Mystery: Inspector Lewis Series 5 [Blu-ray ] Masterpiece Mystery: Inspector Lewis Season Six [Blu-ray ] Masterpiece Mystery: Inspector Lewis 7 [Blu-ray ]Masterpiece Mystery: Inspector Lewis Season 8 - reviewed on this page.----------------Kevin Whately doesn't look 64 in the Inspector Lewis series, but check out his guest appearance as Inspector Don McGhee in the final episode ("Gently in the Cathedral") of George Gently, Series Five:  George Gently, Series 5 [Blu-ray ]Inspector Morse - played by John Thaw - was the first and best of modern British Police Inspectors.He is long overdue for remastering and repackaging at a reduced price.The 25th Anniversary set was a disappointment: Elderly video transfers, No subtitles, Expensive. Inspector Morse 25th Anniversary Collection (read the review by Happy Reader dated November 11, 2012)I only hope the upcoming Thirtieth Anniversary may bring an improvement.And don't forget 'Endeavour', aired 2011-present.This is a prequel to the Inspector Morse series.Set in 1960s England (Robbie Lewis was still a schoolboy), when young Police Constable Endeavour Morse joined the force.(Morse dropped the first name after he made Inspector).For links to Endeavour, see the first comment (dated April 9, 2016) following this review.If "Endeavour" is still on the air twenty years from now we might even meet Robbie Lewis again.

It's no longer Inspector Lewis, because he has retired from the Thames Valley Police. To take his place, Detective Sergeant Hathaway is promoted to DI Hathaway. But they still work together because the chief hires Mr. Lewis as a consultant on the thorny jobs.And the three jobs in Series 8 do have thorns. In addition, we watch Hathaway struggle to bridge the long-standing estrangement with his father, even if it may seem too late. While Lewis and pathologist Laura Hobson are indeed a couple now, Robbie finds that he is more worried about keeping his job than is good for him or their relationship....."Magnum Opus" (in 2 parts) Phil Beskin has had a lively night at the pub and is on his way home when he receives a text: "At Boars Hill... Going to end it all." He rushes to the wooded park, shouting, "Bina? Bina?" And then he finds her cell phone.The next morning, Lewis and Hathaway are called to examine a body found in the woods. Surprise – it is Beskin who is dead. Not only that, he is "half buried with a bucketful of maggots and dead ravens." Not your run-of-the-mill murder, and the killer obviously wanted him to be found in all his macabre glory....."One For Sorrow" (2 parts) Renegade artist Talika Desai has her first gallery opening. At the open house, she introduces her main piece: "It's taxidermy-meets-video art and it's called 'One For Sorrow'. " Whatever it is, it's going to get her killed....."What Lies Tangled" (2 parts) The suave and charming Professor Adam Capstone arrives at work to find a package waiting for him. Unfortunately, it blows him and his office apart when he opens it. His brother, David, who worked with Adam, tells Lewis and Hathaway that Adam had been getting threatening letters. Could it be a disgruntled student, a disgruntled "fling", or a disgruntled wife? Or perhaps something to do with the company's genetic research? Part 1 sets you up with a list of suspects a mile long.The 3-stories of Series 8 originally aired in October/November 2015. These BluRay and DVD sets are of the "full UK-Length Edition", which is 4 ½ hours of mysteries. English SDH subtitles are available on all episodes. There are no Bonus Features.It can be confusing, but this package is called Series 9 in England. That's because, for U.S. audiences and Region 1 BluRay and DVD releases, the British Series 2, 3 and 4, were combined into only two series.Whether you call it Series 8 or 9, this is the last we'll see of "Inspector Lewis" (titled just "Lewis" in England). Laurence Fox decided he would not return for another season as James Hathaway. Then Kevin Whately also announced that playing Robbie Lewis for 30 years was long enough.Another enjoyable mystery series bites the dust. Ah me!If you haven't seen Whately's performance as the young Lewis in the original series, "Inspector Morse", you are missing an excellent mystery series  Inspector Morse - The Dead of Jericho .Happy Reader

Strong stories

This is the climex of one of the best Copper shows to come out of England and as a spin-off from another great for its time, Inspector Morse. In the series, it was satisfying that Lewis accepted Hathaway, or vice versa as it were, and equally so that he learned who killed his wife. It was interesting to learn why Hathaway became a cop and left the Catholic ministry (pre-seminary at Cambridge). Throughout the series, poor Lewis, with a consolidated school education through high school, learned his skills the hard way, with Morse being worn down by Morse his boss, always correcting his grammar, and who attended Oxford, and then Lewis his Sergeant, quoting to him Shakespeare or some other poet or writer or philosopher, below him and educated at Cambridge. But, he took it as he had to and learned to get it right. And learn, he did. It was a great run for Kevin Whately, from the mid 80's to the mid teens in a new century, about 30 years and his early role in Miss Marple A Murder is Announced playing a cop guarding the door of the home of the murderer. A lot of copping for Whately.

The editing is a little clipped, but the stories and characters are great. Just felt like a fourth of some of the stories got edited out. The cinematography and score are worth would be worth your time even if there were no dialogue. Someone who loves both gardens and architecture has hand a hand in these.

Excellent packaging - full length - timely delivery.

The moment this series starts , for those that care about these things , one will notice a cinematography that is beguiling beautiful , then comes the story lines and the acting between all actors that may be the best I have seen. Even from the get go , all actors are in real sync and synergy with one another and dare I say at a very high level. The film making behind these stories is set on near high definition recording plateau. Without giving anything away , I was made to think that even from the get go as I started this series, that here we had simply something just better than C/Inspector Morse. Season 7 and this last Season from the Lewis story lines have that feel and magic that Inspector Morse had , at least at the same level . I am stating a lot here because John Thaw was on another playing field where acting was, but he is no longer with us .I make a living from music , dare I also say that the soundtrack is implicitly well one and timed, this is Barrington's ( the composer behind Morse and Lewis sound tracks ) best work ever !What I am left with is that Lewis series leaves us on the highest note that one could hope for. The journey was extremely nice to start with these chaps , and so it goes that , as it was with C/Inspector Morse. I am sure if Our " Morse fella " is floating in the heavens above at the time this series stopped filming on the Lewis set , he would be saying 10 thumbs up and a hearty hurray. Lewis and I are finishing both our tenure folks , this will be also my last review for Amazon...its time too move on as well , many thanks , Luc

I loved Morse so when Inspector Lewis was announced I had high expectations. While it started slowly the dynamic between Lewis and Hathaway quickly became what made Inspector Lewis a wonderful show. Oxford also like in Morse was the third partner of this excellent who done it series, as was the excellent music by Barrington Pheloung . These last episodes are amongst their best, Like many fans I would love to see a Inspector Hathaway series but sadly Lawrence Fox sais he wasn't interested wanted to do other projects. For all that love that series a must in your collection!

While this states it is the full series 8 it is in fact the complete series 9 that being the final season. I am greatly disappointed by this buy.

I love the way these two detectives interact with each other. So sad this is the final DVD.