Another BBC series on Netflix is Foyle’s War. Detective Foyle was in World War I. After that war, he became a policeman and rose to the rank of DCI. Then World War II broke out and he elected to stay in his small town, keeping the peace, even in wartime. He enlists the help of a female soldier from the motor pool as his driver.
The main conflict on the show is when Foyle’s police investigations conflict with the work of the war effort. When someone in the military commits a crime, Foyle will be told to stand down because this accused soldier is important for the war effort. Other times, he must conduct an investigation during air raids and bombing raids. In one episode, the Germans bombed a residential block. When the rubble was cleared, a man with a knife in his chest was found. Foyle conducted an investigation into his murder during the cleanup effort. Foyle even investigates a murder during Dunkirk.
In another episode, a very wealthy, American, aircraft manufacturer murdered the person who invented his airplane engine. Foyle was told by the highest level of the British army to let this man return to America to build Airplane for the war effort. Foyle vows that when the war is over, this man will pay for his crime. After a couple of seasons, the war ended and Foyle boarded a plane for America. Mi-5 is waiting for him when he comes back. They have news that they had to pull many strings with the FBI to let Foyle leave the country after he did something. The show never tells us what he did in America, but they imply that it was not nice.
After the war, Foyle is approached by mi-5. He had several run ins with them during the war, and now they want him to join their spy organization. He works for them for the rest of the series as the Cold War progresses.
A regular sub-plot of the series is Foyle’s son who joins up as soon as he is able. He becomes a pilot and flew missions against Germany and protecting the coast from German aircraft. DCI Foyle is understandably concerned about his son’s welfare, but he does not leave his post as a police inspector.
I like this show because it portrays the fact that right and wrong are still right and wrong even though the Germans might invade any day now. It shows that people have to conduct themselves properly without any notion that bombing raids will cover up their crimes. Foyle is methodical, detail oriented and does not take any crap from anyone, including active duty military.
Like any small town British show, the main characters of Foyle, his son, a couple of mi-5 and his driver are the only constants. It makes for a fun, clever and thought provoking series that covers many years, that is always designed to please.
The main conflict on the show is when Foyle’s police investigations conflict with the work of the war effort. When someone in the military commits a crime, Foyle will be told to stand down because this accused soldier is important for the war effort. Other times, he must conduct an investigation during air raids and bombing raids. In one episode, the Germans bombed a residential block. When the rubble was cleared, a man with a knife in his chest was found. Foyle conducted an investigation into his murder during the cleanup effort. Foyle even investigates a murder during Dunkirk. In another episode, a very wealthy, American, aircraft manufacturer murdered the person who invented his airplane engine. Foyle was told by the highest level of the British army to let this man return to America to build Airplane for the war effort. Foyle vows that when the war is over, this man will pay for his crime. After a couple of seasons, the war ended and Foyle boarded a plane for America. Mi-5 is waiting for him when he comes back. They have news that they had to pull many strings with the FBI to let Foyle leave the country after he did something. The show never tells us what he did in America, but they imply that it was not nice.
After the war, Foyle is approached by mi-5. He had several run ins with them during the war, and now they want him to join their spy organization. He works for them for the rest of the series as the Cold War progresses.
A regular sub-plot of the series is Foyle’s son who joins up as soon as he is able. He becomes a pilot and flew missions against Germany and protecting the coast from German aircraft. DCI Foyle is understandably concerned about his son’s welfare, but he does not leave his post as a police inspector.
I like this show because it portrays the fact that right and wrong are still right and wrong even though the Germans might invade any day now. It shows that people have to conduct themselves properly without any notion that bombing raids will cover up their crimes. Foyle is methodical, detail oriented and does not take any crap from anyone, including active duty military.
Like any small town British show, the main characters of Foyle, his son, a couple of mi-5 and his driver are the only constants. It makes for a fun, clever and thought provoking series that covers many years, that is always designed to please.
Comments
Post a Comment