Foyle's War
Encyclopedia
Foyle's War is a British detective
drama television series set during World War II
, created by screenwriter and author Anthony Horowitz
, and was commissioned by ITV
after the long-running series Inspector Morse
came to an end in 2000. It has aired on ITV
since 2002. It was axed in 2007 by director of television Simon Shaps, but positive public demand and a number of complaints about the cancellation prompted ITV to revive the series after its sixth series proved to be a ratings success. Anthony Horowitz has stated on Twitter, that Foyle's War will return for an eighth series in 2012.
, England, where Detective Chief Superintendent
Christopher Foyle (Michael Kitchen
) attempts to catch criminals who are taking advantage of the confusion the war has created. He is assisted by his driver Samantha "Sam" Stewart (Honeysuckle Weeks
) and Detective Sergeant Paul Milner (Anthony Howell).
Foyle, a widower, is quiet; methodical, very sagacious and scrupulously honest, yet frequently underestimated by his foes. Many of his cases concern profiteering
, the black market and murder. Foyle often comes up against high-ranking officials in the British military or intelligence services who would prefer that he mind his own business, but he is tenacious in seeking justice.
The stories are largely self-contained. There are some running strands, mainly involving the career of Foyle's son Andrew (played by Julian Ovenden
), a fighter pilot
in the Royal Air Force
, or Foyle's continuing relationships with cameo characters.
Each episode runs for about 95 to 100 minutes, filling a two-hour slot on ITV when commercials are included. To fit PBS
's 90-minute time-slot in the United States
, episodes, particularly in Series 1–3, were edited by several minutes each.
In a newspaper article and in his interview that accompanies the first series DVD set Anthony Horowitz was asked why he named the main character Christopher Foyle. He explained that he was seeking a name that evoked the early 1940s and thought of Foyle's Bookshop
in London's Charing Cross Road
, once known for its archaic practices and its owner Christina Foyle. Christopher was the nearest male name to Christina, but from 1999 following the death of Christina Foyle, control passed to her nephew Christopher Foyle, who was given a small walk-on cameo part in the episode "Bad Blood".
After six series the show was cancelled by ITV's then-director of programmes Simon Shaps. In April 2008 the presumed final episode "All Clear" was aired. However, on 9 April 2008 ITV announced that it was in talks with Horowitz and Greenlit Productions to revive the series, continuing Foyle's adventures beyond VE day, and some media observers saw high viewing figures for the penultimate episode (28% audience share) on 13 April that year as strengthening the case for a continuation. At the time the audience figures for the final episode were released (28% and an average of 7.3 million), ITV confirmed that it had entered and was continuing "early discussions" with Horowitz and Greenlit. These negotiations eventually led to the series being recommissioned for a further three episodes.
Series 7 commenced filming in February 2009 and premiered on UK television 11 April 2010.
Episode numbers in parentheses are a running count used in the next table
In the US airings on PBS, UK Series Four and Five were combined and shown as Season Four. Therefore, UK Series Six was aired as US Season Five.
) consistently introduces himself with the phrase (or some variation thereof), "My name's Foyle; I'm a police officer
." This is typical of the modesty, courtesy and precision of speech that he displays throughout the series. Foyle is a longstanding widower; he has one son Andrew to whom he is close, although their relationship is not demonstrative. Foyle's concern for his son's safety as a fighter pilot RAF is an ongoing theme.
Foyle is himself the son of a policeman, and a veteran of World War I
. As such, he is eager to help with the war effort. He told his son that the three years he spent in the war on enlisting were the worst in his life, and reluctantly admitted that he had to kill. He requests a transfer to the War Department
several times in the first two series of the show but, by the end of the third series, he appears to have accepted that this will not happen and that his detective work is just as important, in its own way, to the war effort. He argues that innocent victims of murder should not be forgotten just because there's a terribly costly war on.
He has high moral standards, is scrupulously honest and highly sagacious. He is portrayed as moderately liberal for a man of his time: he is compassionate when he discovers that one of Andrew’s friends is homosexual (“Among the Few”) and expresses distaste for prosecuting an attempted suicide (“Casualties of War”). (Homosexual activity and suicide were criminal offenses at the time.) He is also reluctant to harass a left-wing activist purely for his political views (“War of Nerves”). Also consistent with the value he places on human life, he says that the accidental manslaughter
of a pregnant woman took two lives (“Among the Few”).
He is unfailingly loyal to his colleagues and expects the same from them. This is seen particularly in "The White Feather" when he reproaches Sgt. Milner for disloyalty, and in "The Russian House", where he criticizes Milner's disrespectful attitude towards himself and Sam, in spite of the fact that they no longer work together. In turn, he demonstrates trust in his colleagues. He's quick to forgive Milner, and later believes in Milner's innocence when he is suspected of involvement in his estranged wife's murder (in "Bleak Midwinter"). He also displays a fatherly concern for Sam.
Foyle relaxes by playing golf (not too well) or trout-fishing (very skilled), which also supplements his wartime rations. He is often accompanied by his son or his uniformed counterpart, Hugh Reid. Cameo and guest characters are occasionally shown with him on these outings, enabling the exchange of information important to the plot.
and lost a leg in Trondheim
. In episode one, he is seen recovering in hospital. Foyle encourages him to rejoin the police and he remains with the Hastings department for the duration of the war. He also appears to be the only ranked detective in the station besides Foyle. At the start of series 6, Milner is strongly considering a transfer due to his dissatisfaction with his new superior, but decides against it once Foyle comes out of retirement to investigate the new DCS's murder.
Milner's relationship with his wife Jane becomes increasingly strained throughout the series; she does not seem to have come to terms with his injury. After a long separation, during which Milner has begun a relationship with Edith Ashford, Jane returns from her family in Wales ("Bleak Midwinter") to attempt to begin again with Milner, but she is murdered before this can come to pass. In a conversation just before Jane's death, Milner lies to Edith that he has no family. In the intended final episode "All Clear", Edith gives birth to a baby girl, to be called Clementine after the prime minister's wife.
At the beginning of series 7, Milner has been promoted to Detective Inspector, with jurisdiction in the Brighton
area. While investigating his first case, which happens to involve both Foyle and Sam, Milner is portrayed as being somewhat insecure in his new position of authority, and his attempts to hide this insecurity cause him to act in an abrupt, dismissive manner towards his old colleagues. This earns him an unusually sharp reproach from Foyle by the end of the case.
) joins the Mechanised Transport Corps
at the outbreak of the war. She is seconded to the police force as a driver in the first episode to relieve staff shortages within the police force, and becomes Foyle's driver. She is very enthusiastic about police work, offering unsolicited advice and help to Foyle and Milner—despite Foyle's initial instructions that she was not to discuss police work. As the series progresses, they come to rely on her assistance more and more. In "Plan of Attack" we learn that she left police service soon after Foyle's resignation, but in that episode she returns to be his driver on his rejoining the force.
Sam has a healthy appetite; her struggles with rationing
are a constant theme. She invites herself to eat with Foyle on a number of occasions and covets a turkey (kept for evidence) in "Bleak Midwinter".
Sam's father and uncle are Church of England
vicar
s. Her father, the Rev. Iain Stewart (Stephen Moore
), visits her in Hastings ("Eagle Day"). He wants her to return home but comes to see that her work for the police is important (after discussions with Foyle, and using his university training in art to help Milner solve a crime). Sam stays with her uncle, the Rev. Aubrey Stewart (Brian Poyser
), at his vicarage in Levenham during the episode "The French Drop", and Foyle houses him during an ecumenical conference near Hastings in "Plan of Attack". In the same episode, she states that all her uncles are vicars.
Sam becomes friendly with Andrew Foyle and, after a while, is involved romantically. The two attempt to keep their attachment from Andrew's father, fearing his disapproval. Sam provides support to Andrew when he suffers from shell shock
in "Enemy Fire". Their relationship ends when Andrew sends her a "Dear Jane letter
" in "Invasion". She becomes fond of American Private Joe Farnetti (Jonah Lotan
) but turns him down when he asks her to marry him, though the relationship appears to have continued until sometime after D Day, since she complains in "Broken Souls" that he "ran off with some French girl". Andrew returns in "All Clear" and asks Sam to forgive him and as they go out to celebrate VE day it seems that their romance will be re-established, though it is not; in the seventh series, Sam has a new love interest, Adam Wainwright, played by Max Brown
, a former Bletchley Park
codebreaker
who proposed to her in that series' final episode.
Series 7 begins in June 1945 and Sam has found a job as housekeeper to a wealthy artist. Sam seems to have lost her sense of purpose along with her uniform and position as Foyle's driver.
) is Christopher Foyle's only child. At the outbreak of the war he was a student but joined the RAF
in "The German Woman". Undergoing training as a fighter pilot
in Scotland
, he is later posted to the south coast, where he is involved in radar
trials ("Eagle Day"). He sees action in the Battle of Britain
. Eventually, in "Enemy Fire", suffering from combat fatigue
stemming from almost-constant flying, coupled with grief at the loss of many friends, he briefly goes AWOL
. His superior, Wg Cdr
Turner (Martin Turner), is understanding and transfers him to a training unit.
Andrew is seen with a girlfriend in "Among the Few" but the relationship doesn't last. For a time, he walks out with Sam Stewart but he is posted to Debden
as a training officer in "Enemy Fire" (his penultimate on-screen appearance). Soon after this posting he ends his relationship with Sam by letter
(read in voice-over only in "Invasion") after entering into a short-lived relationship with another girl there. He is subsequently promoted to Squadron Leader
and posted to Malta
on active service, but after a serious bout of sinusitis
ruins his eyesight he is demobbed and sent home. However, he remains an unseen character, referred to solely in dialogue and props, until his return to Hastings in May 1945 during the intended last episode ("All Clear"). Apologising to Sam for his poor treatment of her, he tries to resume their relationship — she, though initially only able to accept that they meet as "friends", appears to be thawing towards him by the end of the episode. In the seventh series, he is mentioned as living in London, but he is not referred to when his father visits London or when he leaves for America.
. However, the Imperial War Museum
is credited in an advisory capacity in some episodes.
There are a few anachronisms and inaccuracies in the series. The extended harbour arm in Hastings, built in 1976, has been shown several times throughout the series. Foyle's rank of Detective Chief Superintendent
was not introduced by London's Metropolitan Police
until 1949. In the episode "Bad Blood", which takes place in 1942, the drug streptomycin
was used to cure Sam's anthrax
infection, but streptomycin was not isolated until October 1943. Wartime field trials of anthrax
were conducted only on Gruinard Island
off Scotland
's north west coast near Ullapool
and not on the south coast as depicted. The episode 'Casualties of War' portrayed a naval captain
wearing only a moustache with no beard. Though not unheard of, this would have violated admiralty regulations, which allow a moustache only with a beard.
Foyle's War also incorrectly portrays American soldiers on at least two occasions. During Invasion
, which took place in March 1942, members of the U.S. First Infantry Division were based in Hastings. However, elements of the "Big Red One" did not arrive until August, briefly staying at Dorset
until their deployment for Operation Torch
in North Africa
. Moreover, Joe, the Italian-American soldier who woos Sam Stewart throughout Series 4, erroneously refers to his basic training
period at Fort Benning
, located in Georgia
-- not Virginia
, as the script indicated. In the same episode, Foyle repeatedly enters the US base as part of his investigation; this would not have been permitted in reality. Any questioning of US military personnel to assist a British police investigation would have been performed by US military police.
In one episode the lights in a house are said to have fused and remedied by replacing the "ring main fuse". In reality "Ring Mains" were not introduced until the new electricity regulations in 1947 (which introduced the 13 Amp plug) and the lighting would never be connected to a "ring main" but to a "lighting circuit".
The scrupulous approach to authenticity apparent in the visual design of the series is less evident in the script, which often includes words and phrases not used in wartime Britain. One example is "all-singing, all-dancing", which, though it had been used in publicity for the 1929 musical "Broadway Melody", was not in general conversational use until the 1970s.
Some episodes show a Bush DAC90 radio in Foyle's office. This iconic bakelite model was introduced in 1946. In one episode Milner tells Foyle that his regiment is sailing for the Middle East
the next day, but not even the commander of the convoy would know where his orders would take him, and any breach in security like Milner's would open the offender to very grave criminal charges.
In another episode workers remove recent bomb debris from a car in the street a couple of days before the July 1945 election. The last V-1
reached England on 27 March 1945, and the last V-2
on 29 March 1945.
in 2003. The series also received a nomination in 2002 in the category of Production Design.
In both the UK and the US, the currently-available DVD boxed sets are packaged such that UK broadcast Series Four and Five are combined and sold as Series 4 (or “Set 4” in the US). [The earlier UK 2-disc DVD releases were not marketed with any Series or Set numbers, and were identified by episode titles only.] Accordingly, UK broadcast Series Six is sold as Series 5 in the UK and Set 5 in the US; and UK broadcast Series Seven is due to be released as Series or Set 6. Therefore, in both the UK and US, the DVD sets now reflect the US, rather than UK, broadcast series numbers. Within both the UK and US, the DVDs are distributed by Acorn Media Group
. All seven series are currently available on Blu-ray in Australia
(Region B). Series 4 and 5 combined in one case.
on the Universal Channel
. DStv is broadcast from South Africa
. In the US it is aired on PBS
. It is broadcast in Canada
on TVOntario
. In Australia it is shown on ABC 1. In Romania
and Russia
it airs on Hallmark. In Finland
it is broadcast on YLE TV1
. In Norway
it is broadcast on NRK1
. In Portugal, it was broadcast on RTP2.
Detective fiction
Detective fiction is a sub-genre of crime fiction and mystery fiction in which an investigator , either professional or amateur, investigates a crime, often murder.-In ancient literature:...
drama television series set during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, created by screenwriter and author Anthony Horowitz
Anthony Horowitz
Anthony Craig Horowitz is an English novelist and screenwriter. He has written many children's novels, including The Power of Five, Alex Rider and The Diamond Brothers series and has written over fifty books. He has also written extensively for television, adapting many of Agatha Christie's...
, and was commissioned by ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
after the long-running series Inspector Morse
Inspector Morse (TV series)
Inspector Morse is a detective drama based on Colin Dexter's series of Chief Inspector Morse novels. The series starred John Thaw as Chief Inspector Morse and Kevin Whately as Sergeant Lewis. Dexter makes a cameo appearance in all but three of the episodes....
came to an end in 2000. It has aired on ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
since 2002. It was axed in 2007 by director of television Simon Shaps, but positive public demand and a number of complaints about the cancellation prompted ITV to revive the series after its sixth series proved to be a ratings success. Anthony Horowitz has stated on Twitter, that Foyle's War will return for an eighth series in 2012.
Overview
The programme is set during, and after, the Second World War in HastingsHastings
Hastings is a town and borough in the county of East Sussex on the south coast of England. The town is located east of the county town of Lewes and south east of London, and has an estimated population of 86,900....
, England, where Detective Chief Superintendent
Chief Superintendent
Chief superintendent is a senior rank in police forces organised on the British model.- United Kingdom :In the British police, a chief superintendent is senior to a superintendent and junior to an assistant chief constable .The highest rank below Chief Officer level, chief...
Christopher Foyle (Michael Kitchen
Michael Kitchen
Michael Kitchen is an English actor and television producer, best known for his starring role as DCS Foyle in the British TV series Foyle's War.-Early life:...
) attempts to catch criminals who are taking advantage of the confusion the war has created. He is assisted by his driver Samantha "Sam" Stewart (Honeysuckle Weeks
Honeysuckle Weeks
Honeysuckle Weeks is a British actress, best known for her starring role as Samantha Stewart in the British TV series Foyle's War, since 2002.-Background:...
) and Detective Sergeant Paul Milner (Anthony Howell).
Foyle, a widower, is quiet; methodical, very sagacious and scrupulously honest, yet frequently underestimated by his foes. Many of his cases concern profiteering
War profiteering
A war profiteer is any person or organization that profits from warfare or by selling weapons and other goods to parties at war. The term has strong negative connotations. General profiteering may also occur in peace time.-International arms dealers:...
, the black market and murder. Foyle often comes up against high-ranking officials in the British military or intelligence services who would prefer that he mind his own business, but he is tenacious in seeking justice.
The stories are largely self-contained. There are some running strands, mainly involving the career of Foyle's son Andrew (played by Julian Ovenden
Julian Ovenden
Julian Ovenden is an English stage, television and film actor and singer. He is one of three children of Canon John Ovenden, chaplain to Queen Elizabeth II....
), a fighter pilot
Fighter pilot
A fighter pilot is a military aviator trained in air-to-air combat while piloting a fighter aircraft . Fighter pilots undergo specialized training in aerial warfare and dogfighting...
in the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
, or Foyle's continuing relationships with cameo characters.
Each episode runs for about 95 to 100 minutes, filling a two-hour slot on ITV when commercials are included. To fit PBS
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
's 90-minute time-slot in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, episodes, particularly in Series 1–3, were edited by several minutes each.
In a newspaper article and in his interview that accompanies the first series DVD set Anthony Horowitz was asked why he named the main character Christopher Foyle. He explained that he was seeking a name that evoked the early 1940s and thought of Foyle's Bookshop
Foyles
W & G Foyle Ltd. is a bookshop at 113–119 Charing Cross Road, London, England. Foyles was once listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the world's largest bookshop in terms of shelf area and number of titles on display...
in London's Charing Cross Road
Charing Cross Road
Charing Cross Road is a street in central London running immediately north of St Martin-in-the-Fields to St Giles Circus and then becomes Tottenham Court Road...
, once known for its archaic practices and its owner Christina Foyle. Christopher was the nearest male name to Christina, but from 1999 following the death of Christina Foyle, control passed to her nephew Christopher Foyle, who was given a small walk-on cameo part in the episode "Bad Blood".
After six series the show was cancelled by ITV's then-director of programmes Simon Shaps. In April 2008 the presumed final episode "All Clear" was aired. However, on 9 April 2008 ITV announced that it was in talks with Horowitz and Greenlit Productions to revive the series, continuing Foyle's adventures beyond VE day, and some media observers saw high viewing figures for the penultimate episode (28% audience share) on 13 April that year as strengthening the case for a continuation. At the time the audience figures for the final episode were released (28% and an average of 7.3 million), ITV confirmed that it had entered and was continuing "early discussions" with Horowitz and Greenlit. These negotiations eventually led to the series being recommissioned for a further three episodes.
Series 7 commenced filming in February 2009 and premiered on UK television 11 April 2010.
Episodes
| Series | When Set | Episode Names | Writer(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Series One Foyle's War Series One Series One of the ITV programme Foyle's War was first aired in 2002. It comprised four episodes. It is set in Spring/Summer 1940. Series One was broadcast in the United States on PBS on Masterpiece Theatre on February 2, 9, 16 and 23, 2003 as Foyle's War.-"The German Woman":-Cast notes:* William... 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 Two Foyle's War Series Two Series Two of the ITV programme Foyle's War was first aired in 2003. It comprised four episodes. It is set in Autumn 1940. Series Two was broadcast in the United States on PBS on Mystery! on July 18, 25, and August 1 and 8, 2004 as Foyle's War II.-"Fifty Ships":-Historical context:The title... 2003 |
September–October 1940 | 1 (5) "Fifty Ships" 2 (6) "Among the Few" 3 (7) "War Games" 4 (8) "The Funk Hole" |
Anthony Horowitz & Matthew Hall Anthony Horowitz Anthony Horowitz & Michael Russell Anthony Horowitz |
| Series Three Foyle's War Series Three Series Three of the ITV programme Foyle's War was first aired in 2004. It comprised four episodes. It is set in early 1941. Series Three was broadcast in the United States on PBS on Mystery! on September 11, 18, 25 and October 2, 2005 as Foyle's War III.-"The French Drop":-Character and plot... 2004 |
February–June 1941 | 1 (9) "The French Drop" 2 (10) "Enemy Fire" 3 (11) "They Fought in the Fields" 4 (12) "War of Nerves" |
Anthony Horowitz Anthony Horowitz Anthony Horowitz Rob Heyland |
| Series Four Foyle's War Series Four Series Four of the ITV programme Foyle's War was first aired in 2006. It comprised two episodes. It is set in 1942. Series Four was broadcast in the United States on PBS on Mystery! on June 17 and 24, 2007... 2006 |
March–August 1942 | 1 (13) "Invasion" 2 (14) "Bad Blood" |
Anthony Horowitz Anthony Horowitz |
| Series Five Foyle's War Series Five Series Five of the ITV programme Foyle's War was first aired in 2007. It comprised two episodes. It is set in 1942-3. Series Five was broadcast in the United States on PBS on Mystery! on July 1 and 8, 2007... 2007 |
December 1942 – March 1943 | 1 (15) "Bleak Midwinter" 2 (16) "Casualties of War" |
Anthony Horowitz Anthony Horowitz |
| Series Six Foyle's War Series Six Series Six of the ITV programme Foyle's War was first aired in 2008, and comprised three episodes. It is set in the period from April 1944 to May 1945. Series Six was broadcast in the United States on PBS stations on Masterpiece Mystery! as Foyle's War V on July 13, 20 and 27, 2008... 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 Seven Foyle's War Series Seven Series Seven of the ITV programme Foyle's War was first aired in 2010, beginning Sunday 11 April. It is set in the period from June to August of 1945. The series contains three episodes, The Russian House, Killing Time and The Hide.... 2010 |
June–August 1945 | 1 (20) "The Russian House" 2 (21) "Killing Time" 3 (22) "The Hide" |
Anthony Horowitz David Kane Anthony Horowitz |
Episode numbers in parentheses are a running count used in the next table
In the US airings on PBS, UK Series Four and Five were combined and shown as Season Four. Therefore, UK Series Six was aired as US Season Five.
Main characters
| Name | Rank or role | Episodes | Portrayed by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christopher Foyle | Detective Chief Superintendent UK police ranks Most of the police forces of the United Kingdom use a standardised set of ranks, with a slight variation in the most senior ranks for Greater London's Metropolitan Police Service and the City of London Police... |
all | Michael Kitchen Michael Kitchen Michael Kitchen is an English actor and television producer, best known for his starring role as DCS Foyle in the British TV series Foyle's War.-Early life:... |
| Paul Milner | Detective Sergeant/Detective Inspector UK police ranks Most of the police forces of the United Kingdom use a standardised set of ranks, with a slight variation in the most senior ranks for Greater London's Metropolitan Police Service and the City of London Police... |
all (except 21) | Anthony Howell |
| Samantha Stewart | Police driver, MTC Mechanised Transport Corps The Mechanised Transport Corps , sometimes erroneously called the Motor Transport Corps, was a British women's organisation that existed during the Second World War. It was a civilian uniformed organisation which provided drivers for government departments and other agencies... |
all | Honeysuckle Weeks Honeysuckle Weeks Honeysuckle Weeks is a British actress, best known for her starring role as Samantha Stewart in the British TV series Foyle's War, since 2002.-Background:... |
| Andrew Foyle | DCS Foyle's son, RAF Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world... Plt Off/Fg Off/Flt Lt/Sqn Ldr |
1, 4, 6, 8, 10, 19 | Julian Ovenden Julian Ovenden Julian Ovenden is an English stage, television and film actor and singer. He is one of three children of Canon John Ovenden, chaplain to Queen Elizabeth II.... |
| Hugh Reid | Uniformed Superintendent Superintendent (police) Superintendent , often shortened to "super", is a rank in British police services and in most English-speaking Commonwealth nations. In many Commonwealth countries the full version is superintendent of police... |
2, 3, 4 | Michael Simkins Michael Simkins Michael Simkins is an English actor.-Life and career:Simkins was born in Brighton, Sussex. He attended Brighton, Hove and Sussex Grammar School and while still at school performed works by Gilbert and Sullivan in a group called the Wandering Minstrels, which he co-founded in Brighton in the... |
| Jane Milner | DS Milner's wife (later murdered) | 2, 3, 5, 15 | Mali Harries Mali Harries Mali Harries is a Welsh actress and has been in the television industry since 1999 and is still ongoing in her work. She is renowned for her roles in several TV series, such as Holby City, The Bill and Doctors.... |
| Fisher | Police Constable UK police ranks Most of the police forces of the United Kingdom use a standardised set of ranks, with a slight variation in the most senior ranks for Greater London's Metropolitan Police Service and the City of London Police... |
2, 4 | Fergus Webster |
| Eric Rivers | Police Sergeant UK police ranks Most of the police forces of the United Kingdom use a standardised set of ranks, with a slight variation in the most senior ranks for Greater London's Metropolitan Police Service and the City of London Police... |
5, 7, 9, 10, 12 | Geoffrey Freshwater Geoffrey Freshwater Geoffrey Freshwater is an English actor. His television appearances include The Government Inspector and the recurring character of Sgt Eric Rivers in 5 episodes of Foyle's War, and he is also a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company, appearing in their 2007-08 This England cycle of Shakespeare's... |
| Turner | Wing Commander Wing Commander (rank) Wing commander is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries... (Andrew's superior) |
6, 10 | Martin Turner Martin Turner (actor) Martin Turner is an English stage and television actor.In the 1970s he was a member of the Inter-Action Community Arts Trust founded by Ed Berman, before deciding to train as an actor at the Drama Centre, London, under Yat Malmgren and Christopher Fettes.His stage career has been distinguished by... |
| Hilda Pearce | Special Operations Executive Special Operations Executive The Special Operations Executive was a World War II organisation of the United Kingdom. It was officially formed by Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Minister of Economic Warfare Hugh Dalton on 22 July 1940, to conduct guerrilla warfare against the Axis powers and to instruct and aid local... |
7, 9, 19 | Ellie Haddington Ellie Haddington Ellie Haddington is a British actress who had a starring role in 2005 and 2006 as Governing Governor Joy Masterton in the ITV1 prison drama Bad Girls.... |
| Alistair Rose | Assistant Commissioner UK police ranks Most of the police forces of the United Kingdom use a standardised set of ranks, with a slight variation in the most senior ranks for Greater London's Metropolitan Police Service and the City of London Police... |
8, 12 | Corin Redgrave Corin Redgrave Corin William Redgrave was an English actor and political activist.-Early life:Redgrave was born in Marylebone, London, the only son and middle child of actors Michael Redgrave and Rachel Kempson... |
| Perkins | ARP Warden | 12, 15, 16 | Tony Turner |
| Ian Brooke | Police Sergeant | 13, 15, 16 17, 18, 19 | Jay Simpson Jay Simpson (actor) Jay Simpson is a prolific English film, television and stage actor.Simpson is perhaps best known in television for portraying cockney desk sergeant Ian 'Brookie' Brooke in Foyle's War, he has also appeared on television in Recovery with David Tennant and Sarah Parish, Hot Money, Bad Crowd, A Touch... |
| Joe Farnetti | Private First Class, U.S. Army Military history of the United States during World War II The military history of the United States during World War II covers the involvement of the United States during World War II. The Empire of Japan declared war on the United States of America on 7 December 1941, immediately after the attack on Pearl Harbor on the same day. On 11 December 1941,... ; Sam's boyfriend |
13, 14 | Jonah Lotan Jonah Lotan -Career:Lotan stars in the HBO mini-series Generation Kill. He has been cast as the lead in David Milch's upcoming HBO pilot Last of the Ninth.-Filmography:-External links:... |
| Edith Ashford / Edith Milner | Milner's girlfriend, later his second wife | 14, 15, 19 | Caroline Martin / Polly Maberly |
| Aubrey Stewart | Samantha's uncle; vicar | 9, 17 | Brian Poyser Brian Poyser Brian Poyser is an English actor whose career started in the early 1960s. His appearances include the musical Poppy, the BBC Television Shakespeare , the series Sex, Chips & Rock n' Roll, an episode of Agatha Christie's Poirot, and as the recurring character the Revd Aubrey Stewart in two... |
| John Kiefer | CPT/MAJ, U. S. Army, Farnetti's CO and Foyle's friend | 13, 19 | Jay Benedict Jay Benedict Jay Benedict is an American actor, best known in the United Kingdom for his role as Captain John Kieffer in Foyle's War .He has lived and worked in Europe since the 1960s... |
| Adam Wainwright | Samantha's friend, later fiancé | 20, 21, 22 | Max Brown Max Brown Max Brown is an English actor. Max was born in Ilkley, Yorkshire, England, but spent most of his childhood in the town of Shrewsbury, Shropshire, which he refers to as his home.... |
Christopher Foyle
Foyle (Michael KitchenMichael Kitchen
Michael Kitchen is an English actor and television producer, best known for his starring role as DCS Foyle in the British TV series Foyle's War.-Early life:...
) consistently introduces himself with the phrase (or some variation thereof), "My name's Foyle; I'm a police officer
." This is typical of the modesty, courtesy and precision of speech that he displays throughout the series. Foyle is a longstanding widower; he has one son Andrew to whom he is close, although their relationship is not demonstrative. Foyle's concern for his son's safety as a fighter pilot RAF is an ongoing theme.
Foyle is himself the son of a policeman, and a veteran of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. As such, he is eager to help with the war effort. He told his son that the three years he spent in the war on enlisting were the worst in his life, and reluctantly admitted that he had to kill. He requests a transfer to the War Department
War Office
The War Office was a department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence...
several times in the first two series of the show but, by the end of the third series, he appears to have accepted that this will not happen and that his detective work is just as important, in its own way, to the war effort. He argues that innocent victims of murder should not be forgotten just because there's a terribly costly war on.
He has high moral standards, is scrupulously honest and highly sagacious. He is portrayed as moderately liberal for a man of his time: he is compassionate when he discovers that one of Andrew’s friends is homosexual (“Among the Few”) and expresses distaste for prosecuting an attempted suicide (“Casualties of War”). (Homosexual activity and suicide were criminal offenses at the time.) He is also reluctant to harass a left-wing activist purely for his political views (“War of Nerves”). Also consistent with the value he places on human life, he says that the accidental manslaughter
Manslaughter
Manslaughter is a legal term for the killing of a human being, in a manner considered by law as less culpable than murder. The distinction between murder and manslaughter is said to have first been made by the Ancient Athenian lawmaker Dracon in the 7th century BC.The law generally differentiates...
of a pregnant woman took two lives (“Among the Few”).
He is unfailingly loyal to his colleagues and expects the same from them. This is seen particularly in "The White Feather" when he reproaches Sgt. Milner for disloyalty, and in "The Russian House", where he criticizes Milner's disrespectful attitude towards himself and Sam, in spite of the fact that they no longer work together. In turn, he demonstrates trust in his colleagues. He's quick to forgive Milner, and later believes in Milner's innocence when he is suspected of involvement in his estranged wife's murder (in "Bleak Midwinter"). He also displays a fatherly concern for Sam.
Foyle relaxes by playing golf (not too well) or trout-fishing (very skilled), which also supplements his wartime rations. He is often accompanied by his son or his uniformed counterpart, Hugh Reid. Cameo and guest characters are occasionally shown with him on these outings, enabling the exchange of information important to the plot.
Paul Milner
Milner (Anthony Howell) was a policeman before the war; he left to enlist in the army. He was involved in the British Norwegian CampaignNorwegian Campaign
The Norwegian Campaign was a military campaign that was fought in Norway during the Second World War between the Allies and Germany, after the latter's invasion of the country. In April 1940, the United Kingdom and France came to Norway's aid with an expeditionary force...
and lost a leg in Trondheim
Trondheim
Trondheim , historically, Nidaros and Trondhjem, is a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. With a population of 173,486, it is the third most populous municipality and city in the country, although the fourth largest metropolitan area. It is the administrative centre of...
. In episode one, he is seen recovering in hospital. Foyle encourages him to rejoin the police and he remains with the Hastings department for the duration of the war. He also appears to be the only ranked detective in the station besides Foyle. At the start of series 6, Milner is strongly considering a transfer due to his dissatisfaction with his new superior, but decides against it once Foyle comes out of retirement to investigate the new DCS's murder.
Milner's relationship with his wife Jane becomes increasingly strained throughout the series; she does not seem to have come to terms with his injury. After a long separation, during which Milner has begun a relationship with Edith Ashford, Jane returns from her family in Wales ("Bleak Midwinter") to attempt to begin again with Milner, but she is murdered before this can come to pass. In a conversation just before Jane's death, Milner lies to Edith that he has no family. In the intended final episode "All Clear", Edith gives birth to a baby girl, to be called Clementine after the prime minister's wife.
At the beginning of series 7, Milner has been promoted to Detective Inspector, with jurisdiction in the Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
area. While investigating his first case, which happens to involve both Foyle and Sam, Milner is portrayed as being somewhat insecure in his new position of authority, and his attempts to hide this insecurity cause him to act in an abrupt, dismissive manner towards his old colleagues. This earns him an unusually sharp reproach from Foyle by the end of the case.
Samantha Stewart
Sam (Honeysuckle WeeksHoneysuckle Weeks
Honeysuckle Weeks is a British actress, best known for her starring role as Samantha Stewart in the British TV series Foyle's War, since 2002.-Background:...
) joins the Mechanised Transport Corps
Mechanised Transport Corps
The Mechanised Transport Corps , sometimes erroneously called the Motor Transport Corps, was a British women's organisation that existed during the Second World War. It was a civilian uniformed organisation which provided drivers for government departments and other agencies...
at the outbreak of the war. She is seconded to the police force as a driver in the first episode to relieve staff shortages within the police force, and becomes Foyle's driver. She is very enthusiastic about police work, offering unsolicited advice and help to Foyle and Milner—despite Foyle's initial instructions that she was not to discuss police work. As the series progresses, they come to rely on her assistance more and more. In "Plan of Attack" we learn that she left police service soon after Foyle's resignation, but in that episode she returns to be his driver on his rejoining the force.
Sam has a healthy appetite; her struggles with rationing
Rationing in the United Kingdom during and after World War II
Rationing in the United Kingdom refers to rationing introduced by the government of the United Kingdom several times during the 20th century, mostly during and immediately after war....
are a constant theme. She invites herself to eat with Foyle on a number of occasions and covets a turkey (kept for evidence) in "Bleak Midwinter".
Sam's father and uncle are Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
vicar
Vicar
In the broadest sense, a vicar is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior . In this sense, the title is comparable to lieutenant...
s. Her father, the Rev. Iain Stewart (Stephen Moore
Stephen Moore (actor)
Stephen Moore is an English actor, known for his work on British television since the 1980s. He is known for his appearances in Rock Follies and other TV series such as The Last Place on Earth, the children's series The Queen's Nose and the drama Mersey Beat and the British TV comedy series Solo,...
), visits her in Hastings ("Eagle Day"). He wants her to return home but comes to see that her work for the police is important (after discussions with Foyle, and using his university training in art to help Milner solve a crime). Sam stays with her uncle, the Rev. Aubrey Stewart (Brian Poyser
Brian Poyser
Brian Poyser is an English actor whose career started in the early 1960s. His appearances include the musical Poppy, the BBC Television Shakespeare , the series Sex, Chips & Rock n' Roll, an episode of Agatha Christie's Poirot, and as the recurring character the Revd Aubrey Stewart in two...
), at his vicarage in Levenham during the episode "The French Drop", and Foyle houses him during an ecumenical conference near Hastings in "Plan of Attack". In the same episode, she states that all her uncles are vicars.
Sam becomes friendly with Andrew Foyle and, after a while, is involved romantically. The two attempt to keep their attachment from Andrew's father, fearing his disapproval. Sam provides support to Andrew when he suffers from shell shock
Shell Shock
Shell Shock, also known as 82nd Marines Attack was a 1964 film by B-movie director John Hayes. The film takes place in Italy during World War II, and tells the story of a sergeant with his group of soldiers....
in "Enemy Fire". Their relationship ends when Andrew sends her a "Dear Jane letter
Dear John letter
A "Dear John letter" is a letter written to a husband or boyfriend by his wife or girlfriend to inform him their relationship is over, usually because the author has found another lover. Dear John Letters are often written out of an inability or unwillingness to inform the person face to face...
" in "Invasion". She becomes fond of American Private Joe Farnetti (Jonah Lotan
Jonah Lotan
-Career:Lotan stars in the HBO mini-series Generation Kill. He has been cast as the lead in David Milch's upcoming HBO pilot Last of the Ninth.-Filmography:-External links:...
) but turns him down when he asks her to marry him, though the relationship appears to have continued until sometime after D Day, since she complains in "Broken Souls" that he "ran off with some French girl". Andrew returns in "All Clear" and asks Sam to forgive him and as they go out to celebrate VE day it seems that their romance will be re-established, though it is not; in the seventh series, Sam has a new love interest, Adam Wainwright, played by Max Brown
Max Brown
Max Brown is an English actor. Max was born in Ilkley, Yorkshire, England, but spent most of his childhood in the town of Shrewsbury, Shropshire, which he refers to as his home....
, a former Bletchley Park
Bletchley Park
Bletchley Park is an estate located in the town of Bletchley, in Buckinghamshire, England, which currently houses the National Museum of Computing...
codebreaker
Codebreaker
Codebreaker may refer to:*A person who performs cryptanalysis*The Codebreakers, a 1967 book on history of cryptography by David Kahn*Codebreaker , a 1981 puzzle-based computer game, originally released for the Atari 2600...
who proposed to her in that series' final episode.
Series 7 begins in June 1945 and Sam has found a job as housekeeper to a wealthy artist. Sam seems to have lost her sense of purpose along with her uniform and position as Foyle's driver.
Andrew Foyle
Andrew Foyle (Julian OvendenJulian Ovenden
Julian Ovenden is an English stage, television and film actor and singer. He is one of three children of Canon John Ovenden, chaplain to Queen Elizabeth II....
) is Christopher Foyle's only child. At the outbreak of the war he was a student but joined the RAF
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
in "The German Woman". Undergoing training as a fighter pilot
Fighter pilot
A fighter pilot is a military aviator trained in air-to-air combat while piloting a fighter aircraft . Fighter pilots undergo specialized training in aerial warfare and dogfighting...
in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, he is later posted to the south coast, where he is involved in radar
Radar
Radar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
trials ("Eagle Day"). He sees action in the Battle of Britain
Battle of Britain
The Battle of Britain is the name given to the World War II air campaign waged by the German Air Force against the United Kingdom during the summer and autumn of 1940...
. Eventually, in "Enemy Fire", suffering from combat fatigue
Combat stress reaction
Combat stress reaction , in the past commonly known as shell shock or battle fatigue, is a range of behaviours resulting from the stress of battle which decrease the combatant's fighting efficiency. The most common symptoms are fatigue, slower reaction times, indecision, disconnection from one's...
stemming from almost-constant flying, coupled with grief at the loss of many friends, he briefly goes AWOL
Desertion
In military terminology, desertion is the abandonment of a "duty" or post without permission and is done with the intention of not returning...
. His superior, Wg Cdr
Wing Commander (rank)
Wing commander is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries...
Turner (Martin Turner), is understanding and transfers him to a training unit.
Andrew is seen with a girlfriend in "Among the Few" but the relationship doesn't last. For a time, he walks out with Sam Stewart but he is posted to Debden
RAF Debden
RAF Debden is a former RAF airfield in England. The field is located 3 miles SE of Saffron Walden and approximately 1 mile north of the village of Debden in North Essex.-RAF Fighter Command:...
as a training officer in "Enemy Fire" (his penultimate on-screen appearance). Soon after this posting he ends his relationship with Sam by letter
Dear John letter
A "Dear John letter" is a letter written to a husband or boyfriend by his wife or girlfriend to inform him their relationship is over, usually because the author has found another lover. Dear John Letters are often written out of an inability or unwillingness to inform the person face to face...
(read in voice-over only in "Invasion") after entering into a short-lived relationship with another girl there. He is subsequently promoted to Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure. In these...
and posted to Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
on active service, but after a serious bout of sinusitis
Sinusitis
Sinusitis is inflammation of the paranasal sinuses, which may be due to infection, allergy, or autoimmune issues. Most cases are due to a viral infection and resolve over the course of 10 days...
ruins his eyesight he is demobbed and sent home. However, he remains an unseen character, referred to solely in dialogue and props, until his return to Hastings in May 1945 during the intended last episode ("All Clear"). Apologising to Sam for his poor treatment of her, he tries to resume their relationship — she, though initially only able to accept that they meet as "friends", appears to be thawing towards him by the end of the episode. In the seventh series, he is mentioned as living in London, but he is not referred to when his father visits London or when he leaves for America.
Historical accuracy
The series is notable for its claim to attention to historical detail and the drama is frequently moved along by historical events of World War II. Creator Anthony Horowitz considered that, to honour the veterans of the war, it was important to get the details correct. As the series progressed, Horowitz became more interested in the 'murder mystery' format than the portrayal of history and exploration of the Home FrontHome front during World War II
The home front covers the activities of the civilians in a nation at war. World War II was a total war; homeland production became even more invaluable to both the Allied and Axis powers. Life on the home front during World War II was a significant part of the war effort for all participants and...
. However, the Imperial War Museum
Imperial War Museum
Imperial War Museum is a British national museum organisation with branches at five locations in England, three of which are in London. The museum was founded during the First World War in 1917 and intended as a record of the war effort and sacrifice of Britain and her Empire...
is credited in an advisory capacity in some episodes.
There are a few anachronisms and inaccuracies in the series. The extended harbour arm in Hastings, built in 1976, has been shown several times throughout the series. Foyle's rank of Detective Chief Superintendent
Chief Superintendent
Chief superintendent is a senior rank in police forces organised on the British model.- United Kingdom :In the British police, a chief superintendent is senior to a superintendent and junior to an assistant chief constable .The highest rank below Chief Officer level, chief...
was not introduced by London's Metropolitan Police
Metropolitan police
Metropolitan Police is a generic title for the municipal police force for a major metropolitan area, and it may be part of the official title of the force...
until 1949. In the episode "Bad Blood", which takes place in 1942, the drug streptomycin
Streptomycin
Streptomycin is an antibiotic drug, the first of a class of drugs called aminoglycosides to be discovered, and was the first antibiotic remedy for tuberculosis. It is derived from the actinobacterium Streptomyces griseus. Streptomycin is a bactericidal antibiotic. Streptomycin cannot be given...
was used to cure Sam's anthrax
Anthrax
Anthrax is an acute disease caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis. Most forms of the disease are lethal, and it affects both humans and other animals...
infection, but streptomycin was not isolated until October 1943. Wartime field trials of anthrax
Anthrax
Anthrax is an acute disease caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis. Most forms of the disease are lethal, and it affects both humans and other animals...
were conducted only on Gruinard Island
Gruinard Island
Gruinard Island ) is a small, oval-shaped Scottish island approximately long by wide, located in Gruinard Bay, about halfway between Gairloch and Ullapool. At its closest point to the mainland it is just more than offshore...
off Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
's north west coast near Ullapool
Ullapool
Ullapool is a small town of around 1,300 inhabitants in Ross and Cromarty, Highland, Scotland. Despite its small size, it is the largest settlement for many miles around, and is a major tourist destination of Scotland. The North Atlantic Drift passes by Ullapool, bringing moderate temperatures...
and not on the south coast as depicted. The episode 'Casualties of War' portrayed a naval captain
Captain (naval)
Captain is the name most often given in English-speaking navies to the rank corresponding to command of the largest ships. The NATO rank code is OF-5, equivalent to an army full colonel....
wearing only a moustache with no beard. Though not unheard of, this would have violated admiralty regulations, which allow a moustache only with a beard.
Foyle's War also incorrectly portrays American soldiers on at least two occasions. During Invasion
Invasion
An invasion is a military offensive consisting of all, or large parts of the armed forces of one geopolitical entity aggressively entering territory controlled by another such entity, generally with the objective of either conquering, liberating or re-establishing control or authority over a...
, which took place in March 1942, members of the U.S. First Infantry Division were based in Hastings. However, elements of the "Big Red One" did not arrive until August, briefly staying at Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
until their deployment for Operation Torch
Operation Torch
Operation Torch was the British-American invasion of French North Africa in World War II during the North African Campaign, started on 8 November 1942....
in North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
. Moreover, Joe, the Italian-American soldier who woos Sam Stewart throughout Series 4, erroneously refers to his basic training
Basic Training
Basic Training may refer to:* Basic Training, a 1971 American documentary directed by Frederick Wiseman* Basic Training , an American sex comedy* Recruit training...
period at Fort Benning
Fort Benning
Fort Benning is a United States Army post located southeast of the city of Columbus in Muscogee and Chattahoochee counties in Georgia and Russell County, Alabama...
, located in Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
-- not Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, as the script indicated. In the same episode, Foyle repeatedly enters the US base as part of his investigation; this would not have been permitted in reality. Any questioning of US military personnel to assist a British police investigation would have been performed by US military police.
In one episode the lights in a house are said to have fused and remedied by replacing the "ring main fuse". In reality "Ring Mains" were not introduced until the new electricity regulations in 1947 (which introduced the 13 Amp plug) and the lighting would never be connected to a "ring main" but to a "lighting circuit".
The scrupulous approach to authenticity apparent in the visual design of the series is less evident in the script, which often includes words and phrases not used in wartime Britain. One example is "all-singing, all-dancing", which, though it had been used in publicity for the 1929 musical "Broadway Melody", was not in general conversational use until the 1970s.
Some episodes show a Bush DAC90 radio in Foyle's office. This iconic bakelite model was introduced in 1946. In one episode Milner tells Foyle that his regiment is sailing for the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
the next day, but not even the commander of the convoy would know where his orders would take him, and any breach in security like Milner's would open the offender to very grave criminal charges.
In another episode workers remove recent bomb debris from a car in the street a couple of days before the July 1945 election. The last V-1
V-1 flying bomb
The V-1 flying bomb, also known as the Buzz Bomb or Doodlebug, was an early pulse-jet-powered predecessor of the cruise missile....
reached England on 27 March 1945, and the last V-2
V-2 rocket
The V-2 rocket , technical name Aggregat-4 , was a ballistic missile that was developed at the beginning of the Second World War in Germany, specifically targeted at London and later Antwerp. The liquid-propellant rocket was the world's first long-range combat-ballistic missile and first known...
on 29 March 1945.
Awards
Foyle's War was nominated for best drama series at the 2003 BAFTA Television AwardsBritish Academy Television Awards
The British Academy Television Awards are presented in an annual award show hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts . They have been awarded annually since 1954, and are analogous to the Emmy Awards in the United States.-Background:...
in 2003. The series also received a nomination in 2002 in the category of Production Design.
DVD releases
| Series | UK (Region 2) DVD region code DVD region codes are a digital-rights management technique designed to allow film distributors to control aspects of a release, including content, release date, and price, according to the region... | US (Region 1) DVD region code DVD region codes are a digital-rights management technique designed to allow film distributors to control aspects of a release, including content, release date, and price, according to the region... | Discs | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Foyle's War Series One Series One of the ITV programme Foyle's War was first aired in 2002. It comprised four episodes. It is set in Spring/Summer 1940. Series One was broadcast in the United States on PBS on Masterpiece Theatre on February 2, 9, 16 and 23, 2003 as Foyle's War.-"The German Woman":-Cast notes:* William... |
4 | 2002 2002 in television The year 2002 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 2002.For the American TV schedule, see: 2002–03 United States network television schedule.-Events:-Debuts:-1940s:... |
10 February 2003 | 11 March 2003 | 4 |
| 2 Foyle's War Series Two Series Two of the ITV programme Foyle's War was first aired in 2003. It comprised four episodes. It is set in Autumn 1940. Series Two was broadcast in the United States on PBS on Mystery! on July 18, 25, and August 1 and 8, 2004 as Foyle's War II.-"Fifty Ships":-Historical context:The title... |
4 | 2003 2003 in television The year 2003 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 2003.For the American TV schedule, see: 2003-04 United States network television schedule.-Events:-Debuts:-1940s:... |
9 February 2004 | 20 July 2004 | 4 |
| 3 Foyle's War Series Three Series Three of the ITV programme Foyle's War was first aired in 2004. It comprised four episodes. It is set in early 1941. Series Three was broadcast in the United States on PBS on Mystery! on September 11, 18, 25 and October 2, 2005 as Foyle's War III.-"The French Drop":-Character and plot... |
4 | 2004 2004 in television The year 2004 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 2004.For the American TV schedule, see: 2004–05 United States network television schedule.-Events:-Debuts:-1940s:... |
7 March 2005 | 1 November 2005 | 4 |
| 4 Foyle's War Series Four Series Four of the ITV programme Foyle's War was first aired in 2006. It comprised two episodes. It is set in 1942. Series Four was broadcast in the United States on PBS on Mystery! on June 17 and 24, 2007... |
2 | 2006 2005 in television The year 2005 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 2005.For the American TV schedule, see: 2005–06 United States network television schedule.-Events:-Debuts:-Miniseries:... |
9 October 2006 | 17 July 2007 | 2 |
| 5 Foyle's War Series Five Series Five of the ITV programme Foyle's War was first aired in 2007. It comprised two episodes. It is set in 1942-3. Series Five was broadcast in the United States on PBS on Mystery! on July 1 and 8, 2007... |
2 | 2007 2007 in television 2007 in television may refer to:*2007 in American television*2007 in Australian television*2007 in British television*2007 in Canadian television*2007 in Japanese television... |
16 April 2007 | 2 | |
| 6 Foyle's War Series Six Series Six of the ITV programme Foyle's War was first aired in 2008, and comprised three episodes. It is set in the period from April 1944 to May 1945. Series Six was broadcast in the United States on PBS stations on Masterpiece Mystery! as Foyle's War V on July 13, 20 and 27, 2008... |
3 | 2008 2008 in television The following is a list of events affecting American television in 2008. Events listed include television show debuts, finales, cancellations, and new channel launches.-January:-February:-March:-April:-May:-June:-July:-August:... |
28 April 2008 | 5 August 2008 | 3 |
| 7 Foyle's War Series Seven Series Seven of the ITV programme Foyle's War was first aired in 2010, beginning Sunday 11 April. It is set in the period from June to August of 1945. The series contains three episodes, The Russian House, Killing Time and The Hide.... |
3 | 2010 2010 in television 2010 in television may refer to:*2010 in American television*2010 in Australian television*2010 in British television*2010 in Canadian television*2010 in Japanese television... |
26 April 2010 | 1 June 2010 | 3 |
In both the UK and the US, the currently-available DVD boxed sets are packaged such that UK broadcast Series Four and Five are combined and sold as Series 4 (or “Set 4” in the US). [The earlier UK 2-disc DVD releases were not marketed with any Series or Set numbers, and were identified by episode titles only.] Accordingly, UK broadcast Series Six is sold as Series 5 in the UK and Set 5 in the US; and UK broadcast Series Seven is due to be released as Series or Set 6. Therefore, in both the UK and US, the DVD sets now reflect the US, rather than UK, broadcast series numbers. Within both the UK and US, the DVDs are distributed by Acorn Media Group
Acorn Media UK
Acorn Media UK is a DVD publisher which distributes and sells home video products with a particular focus on British television.- Company history :The company was founded in 1997 when Lesley Fromant set up a branch of parent company Acorn Media in the UK....
. All seven series are currently available on Blu-ray in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
(Region B). Series 4 and 5 combined in one case.
Worldwide screenings
The show began airing Africa-wide in 2009 on the pay service DStvDStv
DStv is MultiChoice's multi-channel digital satellite TV service in Africa, launched in 1995. It operates from two satellites over Africa, broadcasting on Ku band via Eutelsat W7 and Intelsat 7 , which only requires a small satellite dish...
on the Universal Channel
Universal Channel
Universal Channel is a television channel specializing in movies and television series in the thriller, drama, comedy, horror, crime and investigation genres, owned by Universal Networks International, a division of NBCUniversal and available on satellite and cable platforms...
. DStv is broadcast from South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. In the US it is aired on PBS
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
. It is broadcast in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
on TVOntario
TVOntario
TVOntario, often referred to only as TVO , is a publicly funded, educational English-language television station and media organization in the Canadian province of Ontario. It is operated by the Ontario Educational Communications Authority, a Crown corporation owned by the Government of Ontario...
. In Australia it is shown on ABC 1. In Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
and Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
it airs on Hallmark. In Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
it is broadcast on YLE TV1
YLE TV1
YLE TV1 is a Finnish television channel owned and operated by Finnish public broadcaster Yleisradio. It is the first and oldest Television channel in Finland. More than 70% of channel's programs are documentaries, news or educative programmes...
. In Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
it is broadcast on NRK1
NRK1
NRK1 is the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation's main television channel. Test broadcasts started on 12 January 1954, regular test broadcasts started on 13 April 1958 and regular broadcasts started in 20 August 1960. It is Norway's oldest and largest television channel...
. In Portugal, it was broadcast on RTP2.
External links
- Foyle's War at www.foyleswar.com
- Foyle's War at Greenlit Productions
- Foyle's War at Icon Entertainment International, Distributor
- Foyle's War at PBS, Masterpiece Theater/Mystery!
- Foyle's War Messageboard at AnthonyHorowitz.com
- Foyle's War on location in Hastings
- Foyle's War: Hastings and WWII in Austerity by Victoria Seymour, a Hastings historian
- Foyle's War Series 7 Film Location, Midhurst, April 27th 2009
- Foyle's War Messageboard