Perfect ingredients
Of all the crime/mystery series that have been on television, I enjoyed "Lewis" the most. At first I didn't think it was possible for it to supersede my love for "Morse" but it happened quickly.It took me a little longer to work out why. Even the stars of the show, Kevin Whately and Laurence Fox, don't seem able to explain why the series is such a success. In an interview in Radio Times before the start of the ninth series, Laurence Fox said, " I've never quite worked it out. But I think that if you've had a bad day, then there's a soothing quality to Lewis. It's quite a salve. There's the lovely music, this beautiful city and these two men who are just gently walking around "
However I don't think that remotely explains it.
"Lewis" has two qualities that elevate it above the ordinary and it's not necessarily cutting edge stories. First and foremost, Lewis and Hathaway are empathetic characters; they have feeling for their fellow human beings. They accept that failings are also part of the human condition. Hathaway in particular has inner conflict over the direction his life should take while Robbie on the other hand is the more straightforward copper, but a great deal of his powers of detection come from an understanding of human nature.
The other quality that gives every episode of Lewis the edge is that they are buddy movies – buddy movies par excellence. The boys have become friends, not just colleagues. That is such a powerful ingredient that I'm surprised more series don't employ it. It worked for Newman and Redford in "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid", and it works for Lewis and Hathaway. The buddy has your back, even after a falling out. They may be different types of people but these guys will throw themselves on a grenade for each other.
And look at what Hathaway brings to the partnership, he's bigger than Robbie and he is handy in a scrap. He also has untapped knowledge acquired in his search for the meaning of life – he exudes all this without it ever being stated in the scripts.
Compare a show like "Lewis" with ones that have plenty of action, but where the heroes pursue criminals with the single mindedness and lack of emotion of Javert from "Les Miserables".
Robbie and James are a reassuring constant in a chaotic world.
Even the last episode of "Lewis" (and I am sorry if it is the last), "What Lies Tangled", may not have been one of the strongest stories but the ending is perfect. Incidentally, Laurence Fox was right about the music. Lets hope Barrington Pheloung gets another great series to score.
score 10/10
tomsview 31 May 2016
Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw3479823/15061
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