Foyle's War

This episode was my first exposure to "Foyle's War," and I was delighted. Sometimes in "period" mysteries, the writers pay so much attention to the period itself that character and story are sacrificed, but thankfully this is not the case here.



In the tradition of the best mysteries, what appears to be a suicide turns out to be a murder, and Detective Foyle finds that the crime is linked to a spree of wartime looting and the midnight arrival by boat of a man who may be a German spy.



Michael Kitchen is superb, delivering a nuanced performance in an episode where Foyle is confronted with a lost love, meets his wartime enemy face to face and is ultimately thwarted in the pursuit of justice by government pressures.



All of this is set against a beautiful English backdrop, with supporting players that feel like they walked out of history. I can't wait for the rest of Series 2.

Christopher Foyle is one of the least talkative male leads in the history of television. But every word he utters is carefully measured and worthy of careful attention. In this episode, his final speech is a masterpiece of economy. It tells you everything you want to know about his character - his pursuit of justice, his doggedness, even his politeness. And all in 64 wonderful words.



"Precisely, Mr Paige. It's the war. And no war has lasted forever, and neither will this one. A year, maybe ten, but it will end. And when it does, Mr Paige, you will still be a thief, a liar, and a murderer, and I will not have forgotten. And wherever you are, I will find you. You are not escaping justice, merely postponing it. Au revoir."



The final "Au revoir" contrasts beautifully with his earlier parting from Meyer, the captured German spy. Meyer casually says "Auf wiedersehen", but Foyle cannot bring himself to reply, as he knows the literal meaning of the phrase, "until we see each other again", and he also knows that Meyer will be shot. In contrast, he uses "Au revoir" as a final promise to Paige that they will meet again, and that he will achieve justice for the man that Paige killed.