Lewis - The Oxford Thriller Season 6 - DVD

Content: There are few examples of spin-offs created from hit series that have been able to replicate the success of their origin. The Cheers sequel Frasier comes to mind, as does the M.A.S.H. spin-off Trapper John M.D.. However, a successful prequel is no guarantee of a successful spin-off - as the failed Friends sequel Joey showed, for example. Lewis - The Oxford Thriller is one of the few truly successful exceptions, averaging 11 million viewers in the UK and 3.5 million in Germany. Created as a spin-off of the series Inspector Morse, Detective Sergeant Robert Lewis, who was promoted to Inspector in 2006, has now had seven very successful seasons himself. In Germany, the four cases of the sixth season are now released on DVD. And these once again demand all the skills of the experienced investigator, who together with his colleague DS James Hathaway (Laurence Fox) must again solve some mysterious murders in the university town of Oxford.

And that is exciting as ever. Although the rather calm production almost seems a bit stale in a TV world dominated by fast cuts and action. Yet this is precisely where the charm of Lewis - The Oxford Thriller lies. Because the way Lewis tackles crime with his analytical mind and dry humour is so likeable and entertaining that there's no need for great pace and breathtaking action. And also the as always good chemistry between Whatley and his co-star Laurence Fox, the catchy music, the beautiful, atmospheric locations as well as the exciting stories make the series TV entertainment on a very high level.

The creators succeed very well in giving the two main characters within the actual cases enough space for personal moments and a certain development. For example, Hawkins is allowed to develop a tiny bit of feelings for a young female employee of a botanical garden in The Riddle of Genius, which leads to a small but very emotional moment between Lewis and Hawkins. It's moments like this that give Lewis - The Oxford Thriller a certain humanity and warmth alongside the suspense. The resulting mixture is then enriched with a dash of dry British humour. And the result is simply wonderful crime entertainment. If you already liked the first five seasons or generally like solid British crime fare, you simply can't miss this box set.

And this is what the sixth season is about:

DVD 1: Caught in the Net

Literature professor Miranda Thornton is found dead in her Oxford townhouse. She was discovered there by one of her students. At first glance, there is much to suggest suicide. Even the medical examiner Dr. Hobson cannot rule out the possibility that Miranda killed herself. Inspector Lewis, however, is convinced that the victim did not leave life voluntarily. Miranda Thornton, who for years embodied the image of the self-confident single woman and had also declared it to be the ideal in her own book, had apparently come to the conclusion in her late thirties that she no longer wanted to live alone. At the partnership exchange "Heart and Soul" she had therefore put a video on the net. Under still unexplained circumstances, this video ended up on the cynical Internet portal "Barker's", where it was showered with scorn, ridicule and malice by thousands of "viewers". Should Miranda Thornton have ended her own life out of shame after all? Lewis and Hathaway come across clues in their research that seem to refute this obvious theory. The slick journalist Mitchell, who was dating Miranda at about the time of the crime, and the big businessman Connelly, with whom Miranda had had a very strained relationship, deny having anything to do with Miranda's death. But are they telling the truth? So is Susanna Leland, the head of Heart and Soul, and the cynical Barker's manager Renton, whom Lewis has set his sights on. Is it just a coincidence that all the suspects know each other from their shared student days? At the latest when Renton's attractive employee Briony, who at Hathaway's request wanted to do some internal research, falls victim to a brutal murder, it is clear that Miranda's death was also a coldly planned murder. But where does the motive lie? Keeping track of a web of former love and friendships, internet activities, multi-million dollar financial deals, addictions and blackmail isn't easy for Lewis and Hathaway. In the end, it's a few nondescript old-fashioned letters that put the two on the trail of the culprit. (Text: ZDF)

DVD 2: The Riddle of Genius

During an excursion into the woods of Roak Wood, a group of plant lovers discover a body recently buried there. Liv Nash, a young gardener employed at the Botanic Gardens, has a passing acquaintance with the victim. The victim is the scientist Professor Murray Hawes. During their investigation Inspector Lewis and his colleague Sergeant Hathaway come across some puzzles. Professor Hawes had apparently made it his primary goal to uncover the mystery surrounding the legendary book "The Hunt for the Snark" by Lewis Carroll. To this end, shortly before his death, he had purchased Carroll's original 19th century manuscript at auction for a great deal of money. Conor Hawes, a chaplain and theology lecturer, is initially unimpressed by his brother's violent death. There was, it seems, an intensely competitive relationship between the two. Conor Hawes is also on a quest to solve the mystery of the "Schnark". Was Professor Hawes one step ahead of him in this and therefore had to die? Neither Professor Helena Wright, the head of the botanical garden where Professor Hawes regularly went to study, nor her colleague Liv Nash, who seems to have taken a particular liking to Hathaway, can rule out this possibility. But there's also the enigmatic Michelle Marber, who, much to Lewis and Hathaway's chagrin, has started her own investigation into the case, posing as a police employee. She puts them on the trail of Dr. Falconer, a professor of medicine, whom she blames not only for Professor Hawe's death, but also for that of her son Stevie. And indeed, there was a connection between Professor Hawes and Dr. Falconer. As Lewis and Hathaway investigate in all directions, encountering a strange young couple mysteriously connected to Chaplain Conor Hawes, another murder occurs. Chaplain Hawes, of all people, who was pretty high on the list of suspects, has been murdered. Lewis and Hathaway still have to solve many a mystery until, with the kind assistance of forensic pathologist Dr. Hobson, they can unravel without a hitch why two brothers had to die who had dedicated their lives to the hunt for the "Schnark". (Text: ZDF)

DVD 3: Secret Games

Eighteen-year-old Jessica Lake, living in a squat and on odd jobs, fills in at short notice for her friend Yasmin on a babysitting job at the home of young Oxford businessman Nick Addams and his wife Honey. The Addams couple are spending the weekend with Nick's boss Tom Garland and his wife Davina. When the Addams return from their trip, they find the child unharmed, but Jessica is dead. She has been strangled and, after her death, artfully tied to the bed bondage-style. Inspector Lewis and his colleague Hathaway cannot at first rule out the possibility that Jessica was the victim of mistaken identity, as it was actually her friend Yasmin who was supposed to be babysitting. But what is interesting is that both young women have been working in the medical lab of Dr. Jushua Ezrin, who does behavioral research on monkeys. Jessica's friend Gideon Massey has no explanation for Jessica's death, including ritual bondage. Gideon's father, Dr. Massey, a behavioral scientist also employed in Dr. Ezrin's lab, tries to comfort his son but can't quite connect with him. Lewis and Hathaway can't quite figure out what might have happened at the Addams' house. Are they dealing with a ritual murder? Or a jealous murder? And it seems the Addams homeowner doesn't have an entirely flawless alibi for the time of the crime either. It's quite possible that he was at home that night after all. But then erotic photos turn up in which Jessica has been photographed in an artistically very appealing way, including bondage style. The photos were taken in the studio of the renowned artist and photographer Marion Hammond. She does not deny to Lewis that she had appreciated Jessica as a model. But she has no explanation for the violent death of the young woman. While Inspector Lewis listens with some trepidation to the attractive woman's talk about eroticism, Hathaway asks around among Jessica's friends in the squat. Silas Whittaker, in particular, who is rather secretive, gives the impression that he misses more than he is prepared to disclose to the police. But then there is another ritual murder. Did the taciturn Silas, who is found pierced by arrows on the riverbank the next morning, possibly know too much? Finally, an inconspicuous stuffed animal puts Hathaway on the trail of the killer. (Text: ZDF)

DVD 4: The Indelible Stigma

At Oxford's prestigious Institute of Criminology, guest speaker Professor Paul Yelland gives a lecture on "Criminal Dangerousness" that is as well-received as it is controversial. His allegedly racist theses provoke fierce opposition in the hall and violent reactions outside the doors. After Professor Yelland consoles himself with a few glasses of wine, he is escorted to his lodgings by lecturer Robert Fraser and student Nina, who is having an affair with Fraser. They are the last to see Professor Yelland alive, for that night he is strangled to death by a stranger. For Inspector Lewis and Sergeant Hathaway it stands to reason that the crime could have a political background. It cannot be ruled out that one of Professor Yelland's numerous opponents got carried away to prove his "criminal dangerousness". Strangely, the local criminologists Dr. Anne Rand and Professor Lipton seem to think nothing of Yelland's theories. So why did they invite him to give a guest lecture in the first place? The longer Lewis and Hathaway investigate around the criminology institute, the more the suspicion grows that Yelland's murder might not be based on political motives at all, but very private ones. Anne Rand has another problem, though. Her husband Robert Fraser is having an affair with the attractive student Nina Clemens. When Nina is found murdered shortly afterwards, the suspicion is obvious that Anne Rand wanted to get rid of a rival in this way. Or could Robert Fraser not get over the fact that Nina wanted to heed Anne Rand's advice to separate from her lover immediately? At first glance, the murder of Nina Clemens seems to have nothing to do with the death of Professor Yelland. But only at first glance. Inspector Lewis and especially his assistant Hathaway are very adept at drawing conclusions from inconspicuous details, such as the damaged cloth binding of a book or a gap in a library, that lead directly to the perpetrator and his motive. And in this case, they bring to light a story that had its beginning many years ago. (Text: ZDF)

Picture + Sound: Business as usual applies here: the technical implementation of the four new episodes is, as in previous seasons, on a good TV level. Colors are powerfully mixed and overall sharpness is good to very good, especially in the numerous brighter outdoor scenes. The audio is almost entirely dominated by the front-mixed dialogue and restrained music. It's not exactly spectacular, but still leaves an absolutely satisfying impression. Overall, there is a deserved good for the technical implementation of this box again!

Extras: Bonusmaterial has also the sixth DVD box unfortunately not to offer.

Conclusion: With well-drawn characters, exciting cases, a nice pinch of dry humor and atmospheric locations, the sixth season of Lewis can again fully convince. Who appreciates crime fare of the fine English kind, which comes here again fully at his expense. Although this box again has no bonus material to offer, the four films are quite enough to be able to attest the sixth season a clear absolutely recommendable

Source: Sebastian Betzold / Inhaltsangaben: ZDF