Review of Inspector Morse: Greeks Bearing Gifts/Promised Land

Introduction

The episodes "Greeks Bearing Gifts" and "Promised Land" are the last two episodes in the fifth series of Inspector Morse, originally broadcast in 1991.

In "Greeks Bearing Gifts", the murder of the chef at Lewis` favourite Greek restaurant sparks an investigation that shapes up to be even more tragic. The chef`s unmarried sister travels to England for the funeral with her baby (suspected to have been fathered by a married Englishman) and both promptly disappear. Many Morse stories contain elements of classic Greek tragedy - this takes the source to its logical conclusion.

"Promised Land" is one of the most memorable Morse episodes. In it, he travels with Lewis to Australia to track down a supergrass (Kenny Stone) who was relocated there 10 years previously. The gangland boss that Stone testified against has discovered his identity Down Under and Stone`s life may be in jeopardy However, Morse and Lewis have no jurisdiction in Australia and this, plus the culture shock, places strain on their relationship and their effectiveness in averting a tragedy.

Video

Video is Full Frame 1.33:1 on both episodes and, while the image quality is decent, it is still not as good as we could hope for. The images are slightly soft and there is noticeable grain. Aesthetically, the visuals are lovely especially on "Promised Land". This is a visual feast from the opening cemetery scene to the closing moments on the steps of the Sydney Opera House.

Audio

The audio is DD 2.0 for both discs but there is little use made of stereo separation that I could hear. That said, the audio is perfectly acceptable and dialogue is very clear. Barrington Pheloung`s evocative scores are reproduced well and overall the sound is very enjoyable. As with video, "Promised Land" is the standout episode. The shift in locale has allowed Country textures to be added to the score and these are used effectively. As Morse comments during the episode, the music is eclectic (cue quip about not hearing any guitars from Lewis).

Features

None other than a dull photo gallery.

Conclusion

"Greeks Bearing Gifts" is a good Morse episode but on this set is utterly eclipsed by "Promised Land" which is probably the best Morse episode ever.

With tight direction by John (Shakespeare in Love) Madden, Promised Land uses the transposition of the Morse/Lewis team to Australia to good effect. Morse is comfortable amongst the Dreaming Spires of Oxford and the more down to earth Lewis is usually the outsider when dealing with the academic and business population. In Australia, the tables are completely turned. Lewis takes to the pretension-free culture immediately but Morse feels like a complete outsider. This shift in dynamics allows both Thaw and Whatley scope to stretch out in what had possible become constraining roles. This episode helped rejuvenate the series for the following years.

The episodes are great British entertainment. However, as usual with these Carlton discs, the lacklustre presentation detracts slightly from the overall excellence.