Review of Inspector Morse

Through the wonders of smart TV and BritBox this Yank can now partake of these classic series. My favorite of the triumvirate - Endeavor, Inspector Morse, and Lewis- so far is Endeavor, but Inspector Morse shares the compelling story lines and rich production values of it's prequel. John Thaw's Morse is an Anderson Cooper--like figure, silently bearing witness to the world's pain as he drives away from the latest mystery resolution of humanity's criminal cruelty. The running gag is Morse's blatant insensitivity and bullying to his loyal sidekick, Lewis, played to patient and forebearing perfection by Kevin Whately. The third star, or maybe the first, is the setting of Oxford University. The series manages to be both respectful and mocking of this venerable institution. Where else would you find John Geilgud as an Oxford Head of College unable to stop himself from insulting his American benefactors in the very process of begging for money? Mostly it is the air of reverential excellence that throughout all of these series, spanning many years, seems to reflect the best of Oxford. "We better get this right" they seem to say. Thankfully, they do. This rich multi-year legacy satisfies that craving to peak behind the veil of privilege and excellence that is the Public (expensive private) school system in the UK where the rich and connected educate their offspring. I strangely see a relationship between this oeuvre and Star Trek, which similarly explored issues of social class and limitations of capitalism with a tongue-in-cheek humor and set of characters so beloved that audiences could not bear to part with them, even after a long-running series. Perhaps we could do a doctoral thesis compare-and-contrast between The Enterprise and Oxford. Alas, if there were only such a selective Public School in upstate New York when I was growing up...