Foyle's War - Set 1 (2003)

Foyle's War is the rare mystery series that does more than plop a good detective into the middle of a decorative and bygone era. Created by writer Anthony Horowitz, Foyle's War makes profoundly resonant use of British society in 1940, a terrifying time in which the threat of an Axis assault on England disrupted ordinary life in often horrible ways, from the resettlement of city children (into the care of rural strangers) to a spike in xenophobia to a loss of personal freedoms. Against this heady backdrop is the near-solitary figure of Detective Chief Superintendent Christopher Foyle (Michael Kitchen), a London investigator who would rather be fighting Hitler abroad but is stuck solving domestic homicides--generally sparked by wartime fervor--with the help of a plucky driver (Honeysuckle Weeks) and a steadfast assistant (Anthony Howell). Kitchen's magnificently measured performance and Horowitz's masterful grasp of the moral and dramatic issues of his battle-scarred milieu make Foyle's War a must. --Tom Keogh Amazon.com

Great Series

This box series was even better than I expected. I love most of the British mysteries and I am so glad to be able to be able to get them in a box series. August 29, 2008

ONE OF THE BEST TV SERIES!!

This is a BBC made for TV series about Chief Detective Christopher Foyle (Kitchen) set in 1940 England in a small coastal community. Foyle would rather be defending his country somewhere but he must stay home solve the crimes (often related to war activities) that still occur on the home front. The chemistry between Foyle and his driver, Samantha Stewart (Weeks), and his assistant, Sgt. Paul Milner (Howell) is outstanding, as they go about solving crimes in this WWII environment which affects everyone in England. If you like WWII, detective mysteries, and character driven shows this is almost perfection. I can't recommend this highly enough. Aside from some violence around the crime scene, there is almost nothing to deter family viewing. This is about real people living out real life in a war-plagued country and they do it in a most entertaining and satisfying way. Try one and I think you'll be hooked.
August 23, 2008

Character Above All -- DCS Foyle is a man to be admired & enjoyed

Foyle, a police detective in the English coastal town of Hastings, is eager to do his bit for the war. But, it's not to be. Instead, against his will, he stays in Hastings to fight another kind of war.

Committed to the truth, no matter where it takes him, DCS Foyle (without the slightest whiff of aloofness or self-righteousness) resists the million little compromises that most of us make to get along and go along.

The stories are compelling, the characters are real, and the acting is restrained but full of depth and feeling. There is much to admire, and enjoy, in this series at every level. Television doesn't get much more intelligent, or engaging, than this. August 16, 2008

Movie Buff

Almost a five but because they make all the stories in the series 100 minutes exactly sometimes they leave holes in the story. August 14, 2008

Numero Uno

This is, quite simply, the best British mystery series. Period. Morse, Dangerous Davies, Tom Barnaby, et al. are excellent, but Foyle is simply on another plane. Why? The Anthony Horowitz scripts are consistently superb. The period details are scrupulously evoked. (Part of the problem with the series is its cost. Each episode requires the extinguishing of road lines, the altering of signage, and a host of other touches in addition to the period costumes, cars, farm implements, and so on.) The fundamental concept is excellent--the so-called history meets mystery conceit. However, many historical mysteries are exaggerated, with over-the-top or stereotypical characters and bizarre events. Here, the actual facts of WWII meet the brutal realities of wayward humanity. Kitchen is the center piece and his acting is consistently astonishing in its economy and precision. He acts with his eyes and the slightest movement of his lips. A single word speaks paragraphs and the swirling emotions within are controlled and canalized. The supporting cast are excellent and the guest members of the ensembles consistently first-rate. This is simply in a class by itself. If you haven't yet discovered it, do. Immediately. And pray that the series is revived. July 21, 2008

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