Inspector Morse: The Way Through the Woods (1995 John Madden)

A departure for a number of reasons. Just one episode filmed this - and subsequent - years, no doubt the schedule was taking its toll and Thaw was getting busier with alternate roles like Chaplin, A Year in Provence and a new series, Kavanagh Q.C., which ran 1995 - 2001. For the first time since the early days, this is based on Dexter's (1992) novel, though with some revisions. And it's the series debut screenplay of Russell Lewis who went on to write the whole of Endeavour.

Starting with Dexter's brilliantly twisty plot, Lewis R. has focused on the Morse-Lewis relationship and given it serious testing over a case that another DI had worked on (Malcolm Storry) and come up with the wrong conclusion. This DI calls Lewis 'Bob' until, frustrated, he reacts with ''Actually, sir, I prefer Robbie, or Sgt. Lewis" (which puts him down wonderfully at the same time). For the first time, Lewis really loses it with Morse, who's not giving him the recognition he's due. Writer Lewis also writes a terrific and tense new finale.

You can tell from the credits scene it's going to be a good one. Morse fails to pick up a woman at a concert (though it's a plot point in itself), a man is murdered in prison, and a dog finds a head in the woods (then drops it).

There's some great misdirection then going on later.

With Vivienne Ritchie, Nicholas Le Prevost, Neil Dudgeon (Midsomer), Chris Fairbank, Michelle Fairley (good). And -

New pathologist Clare Holman: "DI Mouse, is it?"
"I take it you're the new pathologist."
"Well I'm not here for the bouncy castle."