Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Amazon has screwed up the reviews of the new Complete Series box, confusing it with the Season 1-4 box (which was a disaster - edited episodes, no subtitles) The new "Complete Series" box (18 DVDs) is Seasons 1-8. It was released in October 2016. The top posted reviews on Amazon are for the Season 1-4 box. Ignore the 200 reviews dated before October 13, 2016. The reviewer complaints are no longer valid. All problems were fixed by the time the Season 1-6 box was released, and remain fixed for the Complete Series box. -- all 33 episodes in the Complete Series box are the unedited UK version. -- all 33 episodes in the Complete Series box have English subtitles. PHOTO 1 = SERGEANT LEWIS (AGE 36) with Inspector Morse PHOTO 2 = INSPECTOR LEWIS (AGE 64) with Inspector Hathaway PHOTO 3 = DR. LAURA HOBSON WITH SERGEANT LEWIS AND INSPECTOR MORSE 1995 The writers originally envisioned Pathologist Laura Hobson as a possible love interest for Inspector Morse (Sergeant Lewis was married at the time). PHOTO 4 = PHILIP HATHAWAY IN 1967 (Endeavour), father of James Hathaway. PHOTO 5 = PHILIP HATHAWAY IN 2016 (Lewis) PHOTO 6 = INSPECTOR LEWIS (?) reprimanded by DCI George Gently PHILIP HATHAWAY: There are a number of characters common to "Inspector Morse" and "Inspector Lewis" (most prominently Lewis' love Dr. Laura Hobson) 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 Hathaway 1967: "Endeavour" Season 3, Episode 3 Constable 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 manager 2010: "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 family 2015: "Inspector Lewis" Season Eight Philip 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 -------------------- My only regret about the new box is that it has not been released on Blu-Ray. Individual releases of Seasons 1-3 were on standard DVD, but Seasons 4-8 give you the option of Blu-Ray. Justifiable - the architecture and environs of Oxford University are spectacular. In the future, the "Complete Series" box may be released on Blu-Ray (but this would require going to the expense of remastering Seasons 1-3) Or there could be a mixed version with Seasons 1-3 on DVD, and 4-8 on Blu-Ray. Maybe. [hint: for ease of navigation, read the review through to the end, then come back and click on the links.] SCANDAL: The original UK broadcasts of Inspector Lewis were 93 to 96 minutes. PBS broadcasts averaged 80 minutes. UK timing is complicated: Lewis was was broadcast in two 46-48 minute program segments a week apart. [with duplicate sets of credits, plus "Next on Lewis" and "Last Time on Lewis" plus room in the hour for commercials etc. - Lewis was broadcast on ITV, not BBC] Seasons 1-7 in this box have the UK program content, but the two parts are spliced together, deleting the duplicate credits. Season 8 is the only American release presented in literal two-part UK form (I prefer 96 minutes without interruption). STUPIDITY: The initial DVD release of Seasons 1-3 lacked subtitles, and used the cut PBS episodes. Problem repeated in the Season 1-4 box (Amazon reviewers noticed). But corrected in the Season 1-6 box. The individual DVDs of Seasons 1-3 were corrected and reissued. The new "Complete Series" box is fine. These versions of Seasons 1-3 should be OK: Inspector Lewis: The Pilot and Complete 1st Series Inspector Lewis: Series 2 Inspector Lewis: Series 3 (but only buy from reputable dealers, and be wary of used DVDs of Seasons 1-3) Seasons 4-8 on DVD or Blu-Ray never had a problem with editing: 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 8 (Full UK-Length Edition) (Blu-ray) CONFUSION: There were nine seasons of Inspector Lewis in the United Kingdom, but only eight in the US. PBS broadcast the original UK Seasons 1-3 as US Seasons 1-2. Still a total of 33 Episodes. Inspector Lewis features a wide-screen picture and English SDH subtitles. I already own Seasons 1-3 on DVD, and Seasons 4-8 on Blu-Ray, so I won't be ordering the new box. If you have not already invested a lot of money in the series (and don't need Blu-Ray) you can save a great deal of money by ordering the new "Complete Series" box. ---------------- Inspector Lewis was broadcast on British television between 2006 and 2015, but actor Kevin Whately (born 1951) has played the same character since 1987 - from age 36 (photo 1) through age 64 (photo 2) Before becoming Inspector Lewis, he was Sergeant Lewis to John Thaw's Inspector Morse. Final total: Sergeant Lewis = 32 Episodes with Inspector Morse (33 episode series - Lewis missed one episode). Inspector Lewis = 33 Episodes, 27 with Sergeant Hathaway + the final 6 episodes with Inspector Hathaway (played by Laurence Fox) -- a) Inspector Morse, aired 1987-2000 with Detective Sergeant Robert Lewis - Following Morse's death, Sergeant Lewis was promoted to Inspector. -- b) Inspector Lewis, aired 2006-2015 with Detective Sergeant James Hathaway - Following Lewis's retirement, Sergeant Hathaway was promoted to Inspector. -- c) Inspector Hathaway never had his own series, because Inspector Lewis, bored with retirement, came back part-time in Seasons Seven and Eight. A slightly resentful Inspector Hathaway now shares the "Inspector Lewis" series with Inspector Lewis. Together they share Detective Sergeant Lizzie Maddox (played by Angela Griffin) Kevin Whately doesn't look 64 in the Inspector Lewis series, but check out his guest appearance as Inspector Don McGhee (photo 6) in the final episode ("Gently in the Cathedral") of 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 See Comment One (dated October 15, 2016) for information about inexpensive imported DVDs of the "Complete Inspector Morse". 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). If "Endeavour" is still on the air twenty years from now we might even meet Sergeant Lewis again For links to "Endeavour" on DVD and Blu-Ray, see the first Comment (dated October 15, 2016) following this review. Click on "sort by oldest" TRIVIA: Inspector Morse and Sergeant Lewis worked for the "Thames Valley Constabulary" - the actual police jurisdiction containing Oxford University. By the time "Inspector Lewis" debuted, a new Chief Constable had taken over. She was not as cooperative with the media as her predecessor had been. Inspector Lewis (and Constable Endeavour Morse) now work for the "Oxfordshire Police" - a fictional name.