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| Caught out – Sam and Foyle break into a flat containing stolen uranium. Pics: ITV |
ITV: Sunday, 24 March, 8pm
Story: The war is over, but retired former Detective Chief Superintendent Foyle is recruited, somewhat reluctantly, to help MI5 investigate a spy ring in London.
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| Is Sam a spy? |
Foyle's War has now gone cold. The Second World War is over and the new battle is against Soviet subversion and the threat of nuclear war. There's a prologue in this first of three mysteries – called The Eternity Ring – which begins in New Mexico in 1945 before switching to London a year later. At the Soviet Embassy someone is stealing documents.
Finally, we encounter Foyle – who retired, of course, at the end of series 7 – having just arrived at dockside in Liverpool after sailing from the USA. He is unexpectedly whisked off to meet some frightfully serious chaps from MI5.
Foyle investigates a Russian defector
They want him to investigate the Russian who defected with the documents and the possible passing of secrets to the Commies. Why Foyle? Because his former driver, Samantha, has been photographed with a suspected Russian agent.
And so the popular author and screenwriter Anthony Horowitz pitches the pair into another twisting, murky escapade. Sam is now married to a prospective Labour Parliamentary candidate, Adam, while also working as an assistant to a leading physicist. Hence her proximity to some valuable nuclear secrets.
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| No time to retire for Foyle |
Foyle and Sam and the missing uranium
The one character we never find out too much about is Foyle himself. He is as non-confrontational and modest as ever, as he untangles the mystery of some missing uranium – which partly contaminates him and Sam – and finally realises who is really double-crossing whom.
It's a handsome production, which has a sepia quality that really evokes ration-blighted post-war London at times. Horowitz cleverly reboots the series by taking his much loved hero out of his comfort zone in Hastings and the police and pitching into a world where the stakes have national importance.
While it's hard to be surprised by tales of intelligence agency duplicity having seen a hundred adaptations of Le Carré and Deighton and Ludlum, this new series will still please fans of the phlegmatic, unassuming detective. And period crime series are a ratings safe bet these days (with Marple, Poirot, Father Brown, Miss Fisher, Mrs Biggs, Spies of Warsaw, Vegas, The Lady Vanishes coming soon, Ripper Street, Mr Whicher – OK, that's enough).
Like an old soldier, Foyle will not die any time soon – particularly, if ITV's efficient and stylish productions keep nabbing his customary ratings of around 7million.
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No continuity. Sam married Foyles son. Where is he now?
ReplyDeleteStory very weak. No action.
No, although Andrew was keen, Sam wanted to be just friends. Adam is far more her reliable, unassuming type.
DeleteGood acting, sets etc but, as usual, not much period feel to script (eg Do you have for Have you got? American market - wouldnt they understand) with modern vocabulary and attitudes.
ReplyDeleteLondon bus shown in the episode is the famous Routemaster, but this was not introduced until the late fifties......!
ReplyDeleteRoute master London bus seen in new series did not enter service until 1956 also the school sign is too modern ie two children it should show a flaming torch (like an ice cream cone)
ReplyDeleteSchool sign is too modern,it have been the flaming torch one ie like an ice cream cone
ReplyDeleteDid anyone notice the similarity between this story and the true story of Dr. Klaus Fuchs, east German, atomic scientist and spy, who worked at the Atomic Energy Research Establishment Harwell in late forties early fifties. I belive he was imprisoned then later exchanged.
ReplyDeleteWll I liked it anyway
ReplyDeleteBrilliant series, always enjoyed it. Hope there is another series
ReplyDeleteI want to know if Foyle has found Howard Paige in the USA and given him his comeuppance for Hunter's death (Fifty Ships ).
ReplyDelete