Review of Inspector Morse: Fat Chance/Who Killed Harry Field?

Introduction

You don`t watch Morse, you live it.

That is an example of the TV following Morse built up over its 14 year spell as one of Britain`s most watched crime drama series. The late John Thaw and Kevin Whately were the main reason behind the success of the show - their performances gave it class and character, and not just any old whodunnit borefest. This DVD comprises of the following episodes:

Fat Chance
A classic episode - after the death of a female deacon, the Church is shrouded in suspicion as Morse and Lewis try to piece together what really happened. This episode marks the first appearance of Emma Pickford (played by Zoe Wanamaker - My Family), the female cleric whom Morse becomes attracted to.

Who Killed Harry Field?
A run-of-the-mill episode, whilst this is not the worst, it certainly is not the best. After an artist is mysteriously killed, Morse must prepare himself for Field`s arty friends, and their bohemian world.

Video

It is presented in Standard 1.33:1 form, which is a typical TV-DVD transfer. The palette is OK, although the print is slightly grainy at times. There is the odd compression sign as well, but nothing too major.

The episodes are both shot well, showing off Oxford`s cinematic qualities, and it provides a good backdrop for the drama.

Audio

A DD 2.0 track is on offer, and it does its job. Since this is dialogue-driven, a 5.1 track isn`t a necessity, although surround use would add more to the ambience levels. The dialogue is constantly clear and crisp, so now complaints there.

The scripts are both good (although Fat Chance is superior), and they throw in the odd twist and red herring as they progress.

Features

As with all Inspector Morse discs, a Photo Gallery and interactive moving menus are the only extras on offer.

There are 20 stills on the Fat Chance disc, and 19 on the Who Killed Harry Field? disc. They are what you would expect from a photo gallery...worth looking at, but it doesn`t come close to offering a good insight into the production process.

The menus are presented well, with a moving animation and some music in the background.

Inspector Morse: Fat Chance/Who Killed Harry Field? is supplied in a clear Amaray case, with 2 disc holders, and a 4-page booklet containing chapter listings for both of the episodes.

Conclusion

Like all Inspector Morse discs, they are ideal for fans, and for others make a pleasant viewing experience. This volume is one of the better ones - although the second episode isn`t as good as it could be, they are still very watachable. The acting is the main strong point, but all the elements combine to make a pleasant change from other genres.

Disc wise, everything is fine, although more extra features are needed to make the DVD a better purchase than its VHS counterpart.

Overall, an ideal gift if you know any Morse fans, and if you get bored with the constant flow of average Hollywood crime thrillers, take a look at one of Britain`s finest.