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Foyle's War

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Foyle's War is a British detective drama television series set during and shortly after the Second World War, created by Midsomer Murders screenwriter and author Anthony Horowitz and commissioned by ITV after the long-running series Inspector Morse ended in 2000. It began broadcasting on ITV in October 2002. ITV director of programmes Simon Shaps cancelled Foyle's War in 2007, but Peter Fincham (Shaps' replacement) revived the programme after good ratings for 2008's fifth series.[1][2] The final episode was broadcast on 18 January 2015, after eight series.[3]

Foyle's War
Genre
Created byAnthony Horowitz
Starring
Opening themeJim Parker
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of series8
No. of episodes28
Production
Executive producerJill Green
Producers
  • Jill Green
  • Simon Passmore (2002–2003)
  • Keith Thompson (2004–2006)
Running time86–100 minutes
Production companiesGreenlit Productions (seasons 1-6)
Eleventh Hour Films (seasons 7-8)
Original release
NetworkITV
Release27 October 2002 (2002-10-27) –
18 January 2015 (2015-01-18)

Description

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Detective Chief Superintendent Christopher Foyle (Michael Kitchen), a widower, is quiet, methodical, sagacious, scrupulously honest and frequently underestimated by his foes. Many of his cases concern profiteering, the black market and murder, and he is often called on to catch criminals who are taking advantage of the confusion created by the war. Although Foyle often comes up against high-ranking officials in the British military or intelligence services who would prefer that he mind his own business, he seeks justice tenaciously. Throughout the series, he is assisted by his driver, Samantha "Sam" Stewart (Honeysuckle Weeks), and Detective Sergeant Paul Milner (Anthony Howell).

The first six series are set during the Second World War in Hastings, Sussex, England, and in series seven, Foyle works after retirement for MI5 on Cold War espionage. The stories are largely self-contained. There are some running plot strands, primarily involving the career of Foyle's son Andrew Foyle (Julian Ovenden) – a fighter pilot in the Royal Air Force – or Foyle's relationships with minor characters. Each episode runs for 90 to 100 minutes, filling a two-hour time slot on ITV when commercials are included.

Production

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In a newspaper article and an interview accompanying the series-one DVD set, Horowitz explained that he was seeking a name which evoked the early 1940s. He thought of Foyles bookshop in London's Charing Cross Road, once known for its archaic business practices and its owner, Christina Foyle; Christopher was the nearest male name to Christina. After Christina Foyle's death, control of Foyles passed in 1999 to her nephew Christopher. Christopher Foyle made a cameo appearance in the episode "Bad Blood", although his scene was cut from PBS airings in the US.[4][5]

The series is also notable for its attention to historical detail, and the drama is frequently moved along by historical events of the Second World War. Horowitz considered that to honour the veterans of the war it was important to get the details correct.[notes 1] As the series progressed, he became more interested in the "murder mystery" format than the portrayal of history and exploration of the Home Front.[notes 2] Nevertheless, the Imperial War Museum is credited in an advisory capacity in some episodes.

St Just, in Croft Road, Hastings, was used as the location for Foyle's home.[6]

Cancellation and revival

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After five series, Foyle's War was cancelled abruptly by ITV director of programmes Simon Shaps.[7] This forced Horowitz to discard scripts set during most of 1943 and 1944, resulting in time jumps of nine months to a year between episodes; previous series had gaps of a month at most. In April 2008, the presumed final episode, "All Clear" (during which the end of the war is announced) was broadcast.

On 9 April 2008, however, ITV announced that it was negotiating with Horowitz and Greenlit Productions to revive the series and continue Foyle's adventures beyond VE Day;[1] some media observers saw high viewing figures for the penultimate episode (a 28-percent audience share) on 13 April as strengthening the case for continuing.[8] When the audience figures for the final episode were released (28 percent and an average of 7.3 million viewers), ITV confirmed that it had entered "early discussions" with Horowitz and Greenlit.[2] The negotiations led to Foyle's War's recommissioning for an additional three series.[9] Series six began filming in February 2009 and premiered on UK television on 11 April 2010.[9][10] Series seven was filmed in Ireland and London from late August to December 2012, and was broadcast in the UK in March and April 2013.[11] Series eight, three two-hour episodes, aired in the UK in January 2015.[12]

Foyle's Last Case

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Even after this second cancellation, Horowitz continued to hold out hope for some sort of revival, spin-off around Honeysuckle Weeks's character, or even just some Christmas specials.[13] An example of the later concept was even developed by Horowitz as Foyle's Last Case, an exclusive two-part Christmas short story for The Daily Mail newspaper, published there on the 22nd and 23 December 2018.[14]

Episodes

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Series Time Title Writer(s)
Series 1
2002		 May – August 1940

1 (1) "The German Woman"
2 (2) "The White Feather"
3 (3) "A Lesson in Murder"
4 (4) "Eagle Day"

Anthony Horowitz
Anthony Horowitz
Anthony Horowitz
Anthony Horowitz
Series 2
2003		 September – October 1940

1 (5) "Fifty Ships"
2 (6) "Among the Few"
3 (7) "War Games"
4 (8) "The Funk Hole"

Anthony Horowitz
Anthony Horowitz & Matthew Hall
Anthony Horowitz & Michael Russell
Anthony Horowitz
Series 3
2004		 February – June 1941

1 (9) "The French Drop"
2 (10) "Enemy Fire"
3 (11) "They Fought in the Fields"
4 (12) "A War of Nerves"

Anthony Horowitz
Anthony Horowitz
Rob Heyland
Anthony Horowitz
Series 4 Part 1
2006		 March – August 1942 1 (13) "Invasion"
2 (14) "Bad Blood"

Anthony Horowitz
Anthony Horowitz

Series 4 Part 2
2007 		December 1942 – March 1943 1 (15) "Bleak Midwinter"
2 (16) "Casualties of War" 		Anthony Horowitz
Anthony Horowitz
Series 5
2008 		April 1944 – May 1945

1 (17) "Plan of Attack"
2 (18) "Broken Souls"
3 (19) "All Clear"

Anthony Horowitz
Michael Chaplin
Anthony Horowitz
Series 6
2010 		June – August 1945

1 (20) "The Russian House"
2 (21) "Killing Time"
3 (22) "The Hide"

Anthony Horowitz
David Kane
Anthony Horowitz
Series 7
2013 		August – September 1946

1 (23) "The Eternity Ring"
2 (24) "The Cage"
3 (25) "Sunflower"

Anthony Horowitz
David Kane
Anthony Horowitz
Series 8
2015 		October 1946 – January 1947

1 (26) "High Castle"
2 (27) "Trespass"
3 (28) "Elise"

Anthony Horowitz
Anthony Horowitz
Anthony Horowitz

Episode numbers in parentheses are a running count used in the following table, "Main Characters".

Characters and cast

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Main

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  • Michael Kitchen as Detective Chief Superintendent Christopher Foyle (Series 1–8)
  • Honeysuckle Weeks as MTC Driver Samantha Stewart (Series 1–8)
  • Anthony Howell as Detective Sergeant, later Detective Inspector, Paul Milner (Series 1–6)

Recurring

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Guest appearances

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International broadcast

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  • Africa - The series began broadcasting in 2009 on the pay service DStv (broadcast from South Africa) on the Universal Channel.[15]
  • Australia - Aired on the ABC, with repeats on Seven Network
  • Canada - Broadcast in Ontario on TV Ontario and in British Columbia on Knowledge Network
  • Finland - Broadcast on YLE1; series seven and eight broadcast in 2015-2016
  • Sweden - Broadcast on TV8.se, SVT and TV4
  • US - Aired on PBS.[16] Series 1-8 are available for streaming on Acorn TV and occasionally on Netflix (the latest run in 2014–2017) via paid subscription. Acorn Media contracted Cre-a-TV to repackage Foyle's War in two-part episodes to run in PBS' time slots. The episodes were fed by satellite to the public-television system by former PBS affiliate KCET in Los Angeles (now an independent station), and public TV stations began rebroadcasting the series in the fall of 2011. Each episode was aired in two parts, each in a one-hour time slot (usually separated by a week), and each part ran about 50 minutes.

Awards

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Foyle's War was nominated in the Best Production Design category for the 2003 BAFTA Television Awards, and won a Lew Grade Award for Best Entertainment Programme that year.[17] The series was nominated for the 2004 BAFTA Best Drama Series award.[18] That year, Honeysuckle Weeks was nominated for the 10th National Television Awards' Most Popular Newcomer award.[citation needed]

Media

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DVD releases

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In the UK, the first four series of Foyle's War were released as two two-disc DVDs per series, with two episodes each and episode titles instead of series numbers. In March 2007, UK and US distributor Acorn Media began re-releasing series 1–3 as four-disc DVDs for the UK (as they had in the US) and labelling them with series numbers. A complete box set of the series is available.

DVD series/sets TV series Episodes Originally aired DVD release
UK (Region 2) US (Region 1) Discs
1 1 4 Oct–Nov 2002 2+2 disc release: 10 February 2003[19][20]
Re-released 7 March 2007[21] 		11 March 2003[22] 4
2 2 4 Nov–Dec 2003 2+2 disc release: 9 February 2004[23][24]
Re-released: 12 March 2007[25] 		20 July 2004[26] 4
3 3 4 Oct–Nov 2004 2+2 disc release: 7 March 2005[27][28]
Re-released: 11 June 2007[29] 		1 November 2005[30] 4
4 4 4 Jan 2006 - Apr 2007 2-disc release: 9 Oct 2006[31], 16 April 2007[32]
Re-released: 11 June 2007[33] 		17 July 2007[34] 4
5 5 3 Jan - Apr 2008 28 April 2008[35] 5 August 2008[36] 3
6 6 3 Apr 2010 26 April 2010[37] 1 June 2010[38] 3
7 7 3 Mar & Apr 2013 15 May 2013[39] 24 September 2013[40] 3
8 8 3 Jan 2015 19 January 2015[41] 14 April 2015[42] 3

Blu-ray releases

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All but the last two series have been released on Blu-ray in Australia (all discs are region-free).[43] While it may appear the "complete collection"[44] box set includes seven seasons, there are only the first six series included. This is due to Icon entertainment releasing parts 1 & 2 of series four as seasons 4 & 5 respectively. Hence after the fourth season the Australian season numbering is one greater than the series that is included in the release.[45]

Blu-ray seasons/sets TV series Episodes Originally aired Blu-ray release
Aus (Region B) US (Region A) Discs
1 1 4 Oct–Nov 2002 7 Jul 2010[46] n/a 2
2 2 4 Nov–Dec 2003 7 Jul 2010[47] n/a 2
3 3 4 Oct–Nov 2004 4 Aug 2010[48] n/a 2
4 & 5 4 parts 1 & 2 4 Jan 2006 - Apr 2007 4 Aug 2010[49] n/a 2
6 5 3 Jan - Apr 2008 1 Sep 2010[50] n/a 2
7 6 3 Apr 2010 1 Sep 2010[51] n/a 2
8 7 3 Mar & Apr 2013 n/a 24 Sep 2013[52] 2
9 8 3 Jan 2015 n/a 14 April 2015[53] 2

Other media releases

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Hastings Borough Council and Rod Green have produced books to accompany the popular series and these go behind the scenes, as well as celebrate aspects of the series. Notable authors on the town during this period and who are acknowledged in these books as offering further information are Nathan Dylan Goodwin, Victoria Seymour and Mary Haskell Porter.

  • Foyle's Hastings, Hastings Borough Council, 2006 (No ISBN available)
  • Foyle's Hastings, Hastings Borough Council, 2006 (updated version), ISBN 0-901536-08-3
  • The Real History Behind Foyle's War, Green, R., (2nd Ed.), 2010, ISBN 978-1847325426

Notes

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  1. ^ "Production Notes", Series Four DVD extras.
  2. ^ "Production Notes", Series Five DVD extras.

References

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  1. ^ a b "ITV may revive second world war drama Foyle's War". The Guardian. 9 April 2008. Archived from the original on 6 August 2017. Retrieved 16 May 2017.
  2. ^ a b Tryhorn, Chris (21 April 2008). "TV ratings - April 20: Baftas watched by 5.6 million". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 6 August 2017. Retrieved 16 May 2017.
  3. ^ "Final Foyle's War episode". ITV.com. 12 January 2015. Archived from the original on 6 May 2017. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
  4. ^ Lynette. "Scenes Cut From the US Screening on PBS, Foyle's War Bad Blood". nothing-fancy.com. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 21 March 2015. The next cut was a seemingly extraneous little exchange which does nothing to advance the plot, but which affords a cameo appearance to a real-life man named "Christopher Foyle", chairman of Foyles Bookshop in London and Anthony Horowitz' inspiration for the name of his fictional DCS.
  5. ^ Teather, David (3 November 2007). "Raconteur who wrestled to keep Foyles in the family". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  6. ^ "Foyle's War - Visit 1066 Country". www.visit1066country.com. Archived from the original on 25 September 2020. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
  7. ^ Dowell, Ben (10 February 2009). "Foyled again – ITV revives wartime drama Foyle's War". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 6 March 2016. Retrieved 2 May 2010.
  8. ^ Tryhorn, Chris (14 April 2008). "Foyle's War sweeps to victory for ITV". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 28 February 2014. Retrieved 14 April 2008.
  9. ^ a b Horowitz, Anthony (17 December 2008). "I'm off for Christmas…and the next Alex". anthonyhorowitz.com. Archived from the original on 15 April 2009. Retrieved 16 May 2017.
  10. ^ "Foyle's War - Series 7, New Series filmed in 2009". Violetdesigns.co.uk. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 27 June 2010.
  11. ^ Cummins, Steve (29 August 2012). "Exclusive: Irish Cast Join 'Foyle's War' As Production Gets Underway in Dublin". The Irish Film & Television Network. Archived from the original on 30 October 2017. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
  12. ^ Horowitz, Anthony (4 January 2015). "Foyle's War: Anthony Horowitz on the show's dark, discerning and absolutely true storylines". Radio Times. Archived from the original on 27 January 2016. Retrieved 9 January 2016.
  13. ^ "Anthony Horowitz: New episodes of Foyle's War?". Honeysuckle Weeks Blogspot. 3 August 2019. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
  14. ^ "Foyle's Last Case". Honeysuckle Weeks Blogspot. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
  15. ^ "Foyle's War". TVSA. Archived from the original on 14 March 2012. Retrieved 17 May 2017.
  16. ^ "Foyle's War". PBS. Archived from the original on 10 October 2016. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
  17. ^ "Foyle's War Awards". IMDb. Archived from the original on 24 October 2015. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
  18. ^ "Television in 2004". BAFTA. Archived from the original on 14 August 2017. Retrieved 17 May 2017.
  19. ^ "Foyle's War - The German Woman / The White Feather 2002 DVD". Amazon.co.uk. 10 February 2003. Archived from the original on 3 May 2021. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
  20. ^ "Foyle's War - A Lesson In Murder / Eagle Day 2002 DVD". Amazon.co.uk. 10 February 2003. Archived from the original on 3 May 2021. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
  21. ^ "Foyle's War - Series 1 Complete". Amazon.co.uk. 5 March 2007. Archived from the original on 3 May 2021. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
  22. ^ "Foyle's War: Set 1 (The German Woman / The White Feather / A Lesson in Murder / Eagle Day)". Amazon.com. 11 March 2003. Archived from the original on 3 May 2021. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
  23. ^ "Foyle's War - Fifty Ships / Among the Few DVD 2002". Amazon.co.uk. 9 February 2004. Archived from the original on 3 May 2021. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
  24. ^ "Foyle's War - War Games / The Funk Hole DVD 2002". Amazon.co.uk. 9 February 2004. Archived from the original on 3 May 2021. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
  25. ^ "Foyle's War - Series 2 Complete". Amazon.co.uk. 26 February 2007. Archived from the original on 3 May 2021. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
  26. ^ "Foyle's War: Set Two". Amazon.com. 20 July 2004. Archived from the original on 3 May 2021. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
  27. ^ "Foyle's War: The French Drop / Enemy Fire". Amazon.co.uk. 7 March 2005. Archived from the original on 3 May 2021. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
  28. ^ "Foyle's War – They Fought / War of Nerves". Amazon UK. Archived from the original on 3 May 2021. Retrieved 1 August 2013.
  29. ^ "Foyle's War - Series 3 - Complete". Amazon.co.uk. 11 June 2007. Archived from the original on 3 May 2021. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
  30. ^ "Foyle's War - Set 3". Amazon.com. November 2005. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
  31. ^ "Foyle's War: Invasion / Bad Blood". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
  32. ^ "Foyle's War - Bleak Midwinter / Casualties of War DVD 2007". Amazon.co.uk. 16 April 2007. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
  33. ^ "Foyle's War - Series 4 - Complete DVD 2006". Amazon.co.uk. 11 June 2007. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
  34. ^ "Foyle's War: Set Four". Amazon.com. 17 July 2007. Archived from the original on 3 May 2021. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
  35. ^ "Foyle's War - Series 5 - Complete [2008 DVD]". Amazon.co.uk. 28 April 2008. Archived from the original on 3 May 2021. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
  36. ^ "Foyle's War: Set Five". Amazon.com. 5 August 2008. Archived from the original on 3 May 2021. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
  37. ^ "Foyle's War - Series 6 DVD". Amazon.co.uk. 26 April 2010. Archived from the original on 3 May 2021. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
  38. ^ "Foyle's War: Set Six". Amazon.com. June 2010. Archived from the original on 3 May 2021. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
  39. ^ "Foyle's War - Series 7 DVD". Amazon.co.uk. 15 May 2013. Archived from the original on 3 May 2021. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
  40. ^ "Foyle's War: Set 7". Amazon.com. 24 September 2013. Archived from the original on 3 May 2021. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
  41. ^ "Foyle's War - Series 8 DVD". Amazon.co.uk. Archived from the original on 3 May 2021. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
  42. ^ "Foyle's War, Set 8". Amazon.com. 14 April 2015. Archived from the original on 28 September 2017. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
  43. ^ "Foyle's War: The Complete First Season Blu-ray (Australia)". Blu-ray.com. Archived from the original on 5 January 2018. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
  44. ^ "Foyle's War: The Complete Collection Blu-ray (Australia)". Blu-ray.com. Archived from the original on 5 January 2018. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
  45. ^ "Foyle's War - Blu-ray Forum". forum.blu-ray.com. Archived from the original on 19 June 2018. Retrieved 19 June 2018.
  46. ^ "Foyle's War: Season 1". JB Hi-Fi.[dead link]
  47. ^ "Foyle's War: Season 2". JB Hi-Fi.[dead link]
  48. ^ "Foyle's War: Season 3". JB Hi-Fi.[dead link]
  49. ^ "Foyle's War: Season 4 & 5". JB Hi-Fi. Archived from the original on 26 May 2015. Retrieved 16 May 2015.
  50. ^ "Foyle's War: Season 6". JB Hi-Fi. Archived from the original on 26 May 2015. Retrieved 16 May 2015.
  51. ^ "Foyles War The Complete Season 7 [Region B Blu-ray by Icon]". Fishpond.com.au. 1 September 2010. Archived from the original on 3 May 2021. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
  52. ^ "Foyle's War: Set Seven [Blu-ray]". Amazon.com. 24 September 2013. Archived from the original on 3 May 2021. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
  53. ^ "Foyle's War, Set 8 [Blu-ray]". Amazon.com. 14 April 2015. Archived from the original on 3 May 2021. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
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