Inspector Morse - The British TV Phenomenon
You will have a hard time finding a British person who has never heard of Inspector Morse.
No wonder, what with the series running for 33 two-hour-episodes from 1987 until 2000! The inspector was invented by British writer Colin Dexter.
Over the years, he wrote 13 novels, the first one being published in 1975, the last one in 1999.
In 1987, the first season of the TV series had its original run with John Thaw playing the title role.
The audience and Dexter loved Thaw's performance, and soon he was seen as the embodiment of the character.
Dexter was so impressed that he changed Inspector Morse's appearance in the books - Morse was slim, with dark hair and gray eyes.
After the debut of the TV series, Morse's looks in the books change into a better likeness of Thaw with white hair and blue eyes.
A big part of the series' appeal lies in the believability of Morse's character.
Although he is often seen as a lead in the long chain of classic British detectives, his personal life and even his police work at the Thames Valley Police.
Morse has his prejudices, which sometimes lead him to arrest the wrong person.
His private life is impacted by his oftentimes sullen mood, unlucky love life and excessive drinking.
On the other hand, he likes to spend his time with eclectic hobbies like listening to opera, drinking English beers, and, most famously, solving cryptic crossword puzzles.
This is actually a hobby Morse shares with his creator - Dexter is one of the foremost crossword clue writers in Britain.
Especially his crossword skills, but even his love for opera and classic cars often help Morse to solve his cases.
Just as his American colleague Columbo, Inspector Morse does not like to tell anyone his first name.
After answering "Inspector" when asked after his first name for quite some name, it is revealed that Morse's father was a big fan of Captain James Cook, and he named his son after Cook's ship, Endeavour.
On Morse's side the viewer often finds Sergeant Lewis, who is in many respects Morse's opposite.
On the TV-show, he is a younger working-class man, married with children, getting along well with their supervisor.
Morse on the other hand, is portrayed as a sarcastic, Oxford-educated man who has a hard time with authority figures.
Despite their differences, both men are loyal to each other when it counts.
Inspector Morse has been so successful that a prequel is planned for 2011, showing the life of a young Morse.
No wonder, what with the series running for 33 two-hour-episodes from 1987 until 2000! The inspector was invented by British writer Colin Dexter.
Over the years, he wrote 13 novels, the first one being published in 1975, the last one in 1999.
In 1987, the first season of the TV series had its original run with John Thaw playing the title role.
The audience and Dexter loved Thaw's performance, and soon he was seen as the embodiment of the character.
Dexter was so impressed that he changed Inspector Morse's appearance in the books - Morse was slim, with dark hair and gray eyes.
After the debut of the TV series, Morse's looks in the books change into a better likeness of Thaw with white hair and blue eyes.
A big part of the series' appeal lies in the believability of Morse's character.
Although he is often seen as a lead in the long chain of classic British detectives, his personal life and even his police work at the Thames Valley Police.
Morse has his prejudices, which sometimes lead him to arrest the wrong person.
His private life is impacted by his oftentimes sullen mood, unlucky love life and excessive drinking.
On the other hand, he likes to spend his time with eclectic hobbies like listening to opera, drinking English beers, and, most famously, solving cryptic crossword puzzles.
This is actually a hobby Morse shares with his creator - Dexter is one of the foremost crossword clue writers in Britain.
Especially his crossword skills, but even his love for opera and classic cars often help Morse to solve his cases.
Just as his American colleague Columbo, Inspector Morse does not like to tell anyone his first name.
After answering "Inspector" when asked after his first name for quite some name, it is revealed that Morse's father was a big fan of Captain James Cook, and he named his son after Cook's ship, Endeavour.
On Morse's side the viewer often finds Sergeant Lewis, who is in many respects Morse's opposite.
On the TV-show, he is a younger working-class man, married with children, getting along well with their supervisor.
Morse on the other hand, is portrayed as a sarcastic, Oxford-educated man who has a hard time with authority figures.
Despite their differences, both men are loyal to each other when it counts.
Inspector Morse has been so successful that a prequel is planned for 2011, showing the life of a young Morse.
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