Colin Dexter's creation MORSE can't be beat for quality storytelling and characters with more than enough depth to hold our fascinated interest. As proof, look at the two tv spin-offs: LEWIS and ENDEAVOR. The first shows life after Morse's demise starring his loyal Sergeant who steps up and must fill Morse's shoes, and ENDEAVOR, a prequel to the parent show, shows Morse as a young cop starting his long career.

I am glad that I have found Morse again. Enjoying it just as much as the first time around!
Later: OK so now I've watched the first series, and I am disappointed! I am finding Morse irritating and his stupidity around women rather boring. His reasoning actually holds very little that is enticing or unique. Definitely not up to the Lewis and Hathaway follow ups!
Later still! : Ok it gets better so perhaps I'd better hold off of my ratings for a while, until my opinion has settled down............

This episode provides yet another wrinkle in the Morse series. Over and above the mystery itself, are confrontations that run throughout this entry - between Superintendent Strange, Detective Chief Inspector Johnson, Sergeant Lewis and of course Morse. They don't take sides but rather clash within themselves, two or three at a time, frequently changing allegiances. This by play adds much to the story. As for the mystery: a prison inmate indicates, before his death, he did not kill the last of the five women he is incarcerated for. Johnson insists he did kill her while Morse is skeptical. Johnson, the investigating officer, has not been able to find the fifth body and is removed from the case - replaced by Morse. Morse goes over all the evidence again, finds a post card with a copy of a painting of woods in a forest by Jean Francois Millet, and concludes the missing body is located in Wytham Woods near Oxford. Characters and suspects arrive and depart as the story unfolds including an attractive woman who owns a book shop and peaks Morse's interest, a body with only the bones remaining but alas forensics reveals it is not the body of the fifth victim. Throw in suspected pornography as well as suspected adultery and a mega-twist in the plot and we have one of the top ten in this series.

This series is very smart. It assumes a level of intelligence on its viewers' part, too, and doesn't beat you over the head to point out every clue and nuance. One of the things we love about this series - and the others with its characters [ie, Endeavour, Inspector Lewis] - is that there's always one moment in each episode that makes us laugh out loud with its [usually dry] humor. We also enjoy the time periods for these settings, revisiting the mid-1960s in Endeavour and perhaps the late 1980s for Inspector Morse, although he appears to be much older than that 20[ish]-year span of time would account for.

This is really a 3 1/2 rating because of two things: First, the quality of filming in the late 80s for television is of significantly lower quality than today. Second, the story line is good but the characters haven't had time to fully develop as happens in subsequent seasons. Still, if you enjoy the Inspector Lewis and Endeavor series, you will like how the story began. I remember watching Inspector Morse when it was first shown. I still like watching it decades later.

I have read all of Colin Dexter's Inspector Morse books. It was great to find all of the Morse seasons on Amazon prime. Now when the regular cable TV is filled with mind numbing reality shows, I can watch a great detective series. As are all of the British detective series, Morse is well written, well acted, and delightfully presented. I can hardly wait until Amazon acquires more of the British mysteries.

Morse is simply the best police drama from Great Britain since Conan Doyle gave life to Sherlock Holmes. I must also suggest he, Morse, requires your full attention when viewing the hour and forty-five minute production; the detective inspector is, admittedly, an acquired taste. Morse has a penchant for classical music, the louder the better, and a pint of beer (to allow his thoughts to focus more clearly on the clues at hand). He is quick to correct his partner, Sgt. Lewis, in referring to the deceased victim in the past tense and not in the present tense as Lewis habitually does - "the dead WAS a husband and father, Lewis, not IS ...". If you love working jigsaw puzzles you will be well taken by these productions, the first ten, fifteen minutes the many characters are presented in snippets of activity that seemingly are unrelated, but you know these are necessary parts of the puzzle that Morse will locate a nearby pub and "clear his head" to do justice, find cause, and prevail in solving the evil deed. The city of Oxford is the background, the acting is always top quality, and JohnThaw is perfectly cast.

Each episode is better than the previous. It was a real treat growing up with John Thaw's characterizations. And the poor inspector Lewis always trying and always by the book. One of PBS' finest productions and there have been many. Will always remember how Morse always tried for love,so close at times,but never made it.