"Foyles' War" begins a new season after being gone for a few years on PBS. The first episode "The Eternity Ring" ran Sunday night. Last time we met Chief Superintendent Foyle he was on his way after retiring to America. Five years have passed and it's now 1946 post-war Britain and he's in London (makes for easy back-drops). Many aren't aware but food shortages and rationing are still ongoing. They're discussing Social Security and a national health service. His driver, Sam, is back but things have changed. It's a much darker era and everything is serious (thank God for Sam who contributes to some lightheartedness. MI-5 is recruiting Foyle and it's a different world order- "The Cold War."
Think early James Bond here and LeCarre's "The Spy who Came in from the Cold." Dark. Even Sam who we last left perky & blonde, now has wrinkles and brown hair (still perky though). Her hubbie is running for Parliament as a member of the Labor Party while Sam is a Tory- Conservative (think Winston Churchill). A woman is an important member of the newly formed MI-5- think Judi Dench in "James Bond-" of course this never happened in reality (generally men-only for mgmt.). She's so serious that she wears the slightly feminized pin-striper that all the men in dark suits sport (again- makes for easy costuming).
I did have to point out one of the Britishisms" to a viewing partner- a "nancy boy" is the euphemism for a blatantly feminized homosexual, It's still used in England and Ireland.
No easy mysteries to solve here- pay attention! It's complicated, esp, when there is more than one plot going on to attend to!! Honestly, I liked the other one better, but maybe it will grow on me. Darkly. Let me know what you think of this new season. While it is fictionalized it's also fact-based.
No comments :
Post a Comment