Had I been faster on the draw I could have had these done before the TV shows were aired on PBS but I’ve had a busy summer and lots of media to get through. Foyle’s War is a very nice, tight, and clean British murder mystery series set during World War II. The plots are so good Madam Agatha would be proud! The premise of the series centers around three characters: Christopher Foyle Detective Chief Superintendent played by the illustrious Michael Kitchen, Paul Milner Detective Sergeant played by up and coming Anthony Howell and the lovely Samantha Stewart Police driver, MTC played by Honeysuckle Weeks.

This latest 3 show set has DCS Foyle coming out of retirement due to a shake-up at the Hastings police force where he formerly worked and now is tolerating retirement. The first episode (Plan of Attack) is about the death of a young Air Ministry cartographer. A very interesting and grueling case that greets Foyle even as his title is drying on his door. The case is hard to work due to the sensitive nature of the information and the fact that an ecumenical conference is in town discussing the morality of Allied bombing. A lot of drama for one small British coastal town.

Episode 2 begins in mid 1944. The war is dragging on towards an end that seems so far away. A jewish-polish psychologist named Dr. Novak is treating soldiers coming back from the front for war stress (PTSD as we know it now). However when one of the doctor’s turns up dead there is no shortage of suspects that includes Dr. Novak.

Episode 3 begins in early 1945. The end of the war has practically happened and everyone is waiting for a formal announcement that the war has ended with victory for the Allies Foyle has just joined a committee to organize things to preserve order during the post-war festivities. However, even during his office move and the beginning of retirement part 2 and Detective Seargeant Milner’s wife’s impending birth of their first child, 2 people have to die! This Episode finishes off with that glorious announcement by Winston Churchill that war is over.

I love this series and I have ever since they started releasing them in the US. This series boasts great camera angles, good television strategies, and extremely real and developed characters. Sometimes it almost seems as if you are a fly on the wall to the real thing. It’s a great way to see life in Britain during World War II. I highly recommend it. You can get the DVD box set for this summer’s series as well has back seasons at Acorn Media. (www.acornonline.com) Rumor on the street in London is that there maybe a revival in 2009!