Inspector Morse: Series 1-12 [DVD] [UK Import]

Heads up to customers in UK and US (so you won't panic over quality). Yes these are remastered. No, they are not in PAL (a 25fps 576i format) despite being listed that way, pretty much everywhere. If you have seen the new series in 576i then you know how good it looks compared to NTSC (the lowest resolution there is, aside from VHS), especially for a low-def transfer in a world of high-def everything. This set is presented in 480p, even though it is a UK native set with correct region labeling.For the record, I do not know if this was a conversion from an original PAL format or if the series was originally shot differently from the modern series. I do know that these episodes were filmed on 16mm, or so I was told, but that type of film can be fed through a camera at 24fps or 25fps, so that doesn't tell us anything. Given that the remaster is in 480p, the 24fps compatible rate but the run times are from 1 hour 40 to 1 hour 44, going from last episodes to earliest, that lines up with the theory of this show originally having been shot at 24fps. That means that we simply don't have the option of a better looking DVD as 576i simply can't run at a speed of 24fps.I will offer the following information, for clarity. Generally, the slow down from PAL to NTSC drives me crazy (as does the speed up on films originally running 4% slower, when converting the other way) but I noticed no such issue with Morse. This leads me to believe that Morse may well have been, originally, filmed at 24fps, as running times suggest. Regardless, this is the available version in the US and UK and I have not come across a 576i version with shorter run times, so, it is what it is and it is likely the best we will get in a home release.The picture quality, unfortunately, given 480p over 576i, will be a tick below what you are used to, if you are used to watching later Lewis and Endeavour in 576i on DVD. It isn't bad, exactly. It just isn't as good as what you and I are used to. If you are in America and are importing this, it is similar to an average DVD put out in the late 1990s to early 2000s but is not up to the standards set by, as an example, an NTSC Sony DVD from 2015. That said, again, this is the best available and there are no current plans for a Blu-ray set. The film can be a little jerky, as though the speed was fooled with in places, but it is not uniformly shaky in that way which does not support the idea that altering speed caused the jerky appearance in those few scenes. More likely, this was caused by a transfer error. The grain has not been removed so you get some nice film quality but you also get some not so nice film dust, especially on the older episodes. The colors are good and get better as you get into the mid 1990s. The sound is very good with only a couple of instances of audio running out of sync to lip movements, identical to the digital HD version, if you have seen that.Good luck in making your choice. Honestly, if you love Morse, I say this is worth it, warts and all.

I did not see this when it was screened due to working late, young kids etc and no catch up TV but was aware it was a cult and that people I knew raved about it so I thought I would watch it when I had more time. However, we were disappointed and left wondering what all the adulation was about. Around 12 episodes are very good but the rest are lacklustre and around four are so bad they should never has been screened. Using different writers has led to inconsistent characterisation. Thaw often looks uneasy and comes across as being an erratic, pedantic bully with a lack of any charm or charisma in how he treats his assistant Lewis who often comes up with the ideas which lead to solving the crimes. Also, if Thaw is a great detective as the evidence suggests, why is he always in trouble with his superior, Insp Strange, played by James Grout, whose 'one-note' performance becomes tired and repetitive as much for him one suspects as the viewer? All in all, quite good, for those that work well, but should be much better. Maybe standards have just moved on with TV detective series.

Having watched Endeavour first, I just had to go back and purchase Morse. Firstly some obvious negatives, Inspector Morse first aired in the late 80's and the quality of footage for that time unfortunately really shows on a wide-screen television. The format isn't full screen and the audio quality largely varies between music and dialogue. The packaging as well is poor, they've managed to ram 2/3 discs on top of each other which will cause eventual damage in the long run. The positives completely out way the negatives mind, I can't stress how well they've made Colin Dexter's stories come to life. Each episode (1hr 45mins) is a masterpiece, beautifully constructed and executed. Screen play and dialogue is strong, some of the slander is old school but each scene holds a purpose and slight sophistication. You cannot help but admire the bond Morse and Lewis form, the majority of cases are also very intriguing and true to the books. I wasn't old enough to appreciate this series by the time it had finished airing but I can't stress enough how fantastic it is to watch. A true masterpiece throughout, 9/10.

Having read all the books before watching the TV shows, I can can safely say the stories were "gentrified" for family viewing. Dexter's Morse is complex and complicated, not the creaky, crusty, bad tempered old man with a gammy walk that the TV version quickly becomes. The mysteries are always well thought out, even the ones made up by the production staff, not Dexter himself. You do notice how poorly made the early episodes are, watching now over 30 years later. Some are eye-poppingly awful! A cigarette gets longer during a police station interview; a cassette deck plays music when PLAY is pressed but the cassette spools clearly don't turn! And would it have been too much to ask the dvd-engineers to reformat the shows for widescreen using the original colour diapositive film stock, rather than just handing us the low-res versions made originally for RF broadcast and VHS video tape? They can do that, you know, if they care to. For best results, read the books, you won't regret it.

Never having seen an episode of Morse I wanted to see what I was missing. It’s 1987 so it’s a bit dated and the quality is ‘as expected’ but the content is great. Looking forward to a few Morse evenings.

Although inspector Morse is sometimes a grumpy policeman. He is also very we educated and therefore knowes his way with Oxford’s dons and student. Also culturaly well educated. Loves classical music and opera , and is well read. So knows a lot.Best detectiveseries ever made by British television. Lovely to watch.