For clarity. Scored 3 out of a possible 10 because even a wretched episode of Foyle is still darn good TV. But that misses the point. And the point that there should be an option, an accommodation, given to writers who really in their heart of hearts no longer want to have to keep a character of theirs alive. Who no longer feel the joy of narration they used to feel when they started writing the character. And who find themselves trapped by circumstances they cannot control into having to send said character once more into the breach, damn the torpedoes. If such an option were given, I am sure Anthony Horowitz would have taken it. I deduce this fact because of the utter lack of passion or joy in this, series 8. And I deduce here (this is a cheat) from an interview Mr. Horowitz did in 2013 in which he said, whatever the reaction to the new series, he would not be writing any more. To illustrate, one is tempted to look at the evolution of one of the most successful series in the modern era, BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, a production which has been credited by PhDs as changing the very nature of plot development in a series, and making its own writer Joss Whedon a force to be reckoned with in modern film. In the first Buffy series, where the character is in High School, there is abundant sunshine in the outdoor scenes and cleaver sprightly things happen to the players -- along with the inevitable supernatural nonsense, of course. As the series ages, however, the sunshine disappears, along with the good nature, and the characters get very very dark. Ditto for the first few years of Foyle, arguably for the entire first 7 years. Whimsey, nuance, humour, all mixed nicely with murder and death. No such luck with Foyle the Spy. Find me a sunny day in any of the three episodes this season and I will eat it. What little time Weeks and Kitchen spend together is utilized doing things completely un-natural to the relationship built over earlier years. She risks her life spying. In earlier episodes he would never allowed that. She uses her position in MI6 to help her hubby advance his career and deceives Foyle in the process. In the past, he would have fired her on the spot. But that is point. This is new Foyle, not old Foyle, and clearly Horowitz wants nothing more to do with new Foyle. And neither should we, especially with the DVDs of the old episodes available.
Review of Sunflower
