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Foyle's War: Bad Blood
With a couple of weeks of delay more or less, I've finally watched
Foyle's War: Bad Blood. In general, my opinion of this episode is
better than the one I had about Invasion, that you can read here.
Bad Blood is placed in August 1942. A secret section of the British Army stars working in chemical weapons (anthrax) to use against the Germans. They try the effects in sheeps before deciding to give the okay for its use in the war. Nobody has knowledge of those works,not even the Prime Minister. However the main case in which Foyle and his team has to work is a murder. It's a difficult situation because they are working in the case as a personal favor to a woman (Edith Ashford) who grew up with Milner whose brother has been accused of that named murder although she assures them he's innocent. The problem is the murder happened outside Foyle's jurisdiction and he has to get into another inspector's territory and the man doesn't take the intrusion very well. Edith's brother, Martin, is the only suspect for the murder of Tom Jenkins, a local war hero. His odds are bad since he doesn't even want to talk to the police about what happened. The case gets related to the disappearance of some cattle in a farm and the strange illness of Jenkins' widow, who curiously worked at that same farm. In a visit to the farm is where Sam also gets infected of that terrible illness.
At that point Foyle has to find the person who actually killed Jenkins, what's the origin of that strange illness and also a way to save Sam.
What I like about this episode is probably what the other one lack of, in my opinion: Here there is a bit of everything for everybody: the mystery, good characters, a good story, moral issues, an equilibrium between Milner's story and Sam's story and also Foyle's worry about Sam, that is welcomed, since he rarely expresses his concern.
There are quite a number of characters and all have things to say, lies to tell, secrets to hide... and that is very interesting, because it gives life to the mystery. The only thing that got me disappointed is that I figured out who the real murder was... I like to think more for a hunch than for the fact that was obvious ;)
Milner finally got a bit more of screen time and a bit of background. Edith and he went together at school and for what Edith's says, the almost had something going on but Milner chose Jane (I really like when Edith tells him she knew Jane wasn't right for him!). Edith still cares for Milner and I like the fact that he gets a second chance to be happy after all that happened to him. Besides, the fangirl in me was very happy there was a kiss!!
The actress playing Edith sounded familiar (her voice the most) to me but until I checked her filmography I couldn't point out from where. It ends that she was Dorothy Stanbury in He Knew He Was Right. She was the one 'dealing' with Matthew Goode ;) At the beginning I was a bit against the choice of her as Milner's love interest... At the end, I think she is okay... Of course, she is way better than Jane!
I also like a short scene at the beginning of the episode when Sam is driving Foyle and Milner to the place where they meet the other inspector in whose jurisdiction Jenkins' murder happened. Foyle comments how quiet Sam is while she is driving and she answers she is thinking. It's cute that he comments that when at the beginning of the series, when Sam stars driving Foyle, one of the things that annoys him is the very fact that she can't stop talking. It seems Foyle has grown very fond of Sam and her talking.
It makes me a bit sad to see how the poor Joe (Sam's boyfriend) is handled here. I didn't especially like the guy in Invasion (maybe because I was mad at Andrew Foyle because I really want him with Sam), but he seems nice in this episode, he really cares for Sam and is dead worried when she is ill. I feel sorry because she is going to turn his marriage proposal down when she could make him stay in Britain. However, there is a tiny thing that worries me and it was the fact that he didn't want to talk about the place where he lives in California... hmmm.
I really like the mentions of the danger that chemicals used as weapons are and the talk DCS Fielding (the other inspector) and Foyle share close to the end. Fielding reminds Foyle that this won't be the only war where chemical weapons have been used. He reminds Foyle when they both fought in WWI and how he still suffers the sequels of one of those attacks. It's sad to hear his words because Fielding, contrary to Foyle, has lost faith and hope in the world and in the mankind. He says: 'Humanity stinks... I've had enough'. Probably he has seen too much and his affirmation has a point of view that we can't accept but I'm sure that was the opinion of a lot of people who during that time had seen just too much suffering, too much loss and too much madness to deal with it. It totally contrast with Foyle's moderate but firm approach to his reality.
Another interest point also in the episode is how they gives the chance to see how not everybody called a war hero, really was one, and how there was a lot of anonymous heroes that kept what they did to themselves.
Anyway, I totally recommend the episode. Well, I recommend both series 4 episodes, but especially this one!
Discovery: Tom Harper, the young man playing Leonard Cartwright. Surprisingly enough, he is also in Poirot: The Mystery of Blue Train and a Silent Witness episode, both of which are waiting in my to watch list ;)
Bad Blood is placed in August 1942. A secret section of the British Army stars working in chemical weapons (anthrax) to use against the Germans. They try the effects in sheeps before deciding to give the okay for its use in the war. Nobody has knowledge of those works,not even the Prime Minister. However the main case in which Foyle and his team has to work is a murder. It's a difficult situation because they are working in the case as a personal favor to a woman (Edith Ashford) who grew up with Milner whose brother has been accused of that named murder although she assures them he's innocent. The problem is the murder happened outside Foyle's jurisdiction and he has to get into another inspector's territory and the man doesn't take the intrusion very well. Edith's brother, Martin, is the only suspect for the murder of Tom Jenkins, a local war hero. His odds are bad since he doesn't even want to talk to the police about what happened. The case gets related to the disappearance of some cattle in a farm and the strange illness of Jenkins' widow, who curiously worked at that same farm. In a visit to the farm is where Sam also gets infected of that terrible illness.
At that point Foyle has to find the person who actually killed Jenkins, what's the origin of that strange illness and also a way to save Sam.
What I like about this episode is probably what the other one lack of, in my opinion: Here there is a bit of everything for everybody: the mystery, good characters, a good story, moral issues, an equilibrium between Milner's story and Sam's story and also Foyle's worry about Sam, that is welcomed, since he rarely expresses his concern.
There are quite a number of characters and all have things to say, lies to tell, secrets to hide... and that is very interesting, because it gives life to the mystery. The only thing that got me disappointed is that I figured out who the real murder was... I like to think more for a hunch than for the fact that was obvious ;)
Milner finally got a bit more of screen time and a bit of background. Edith and he went together at school and for what Edith's says, the almost had something going on but Milner chose Jane (I really like when Edith tells him she knew Jane wasn't right for him!). Edith still cares for Milner and I like the fact that he gets a second chance to be happy after all that happened to him. Besides, the fangirl in me was very happy there was a kiss!!
The actress playing Edith sounded familiar (her voice the most) to me but until I checked her filmography I couldn't point out from where. It ends that she was Dorothy Stanbury in He Knew He Was Right. She was the one 'dealing' with Matthew Goode ;) At the beginning I was a bit against the choice of her as Milner's love interest... At the end, I think she is okay... Of course, she is way better than Jane!
I also like a short scene at the beginning of the episode when Sam is driving Foyle and Milner to the place where they meet the other inspector in whose jurisdiction Jenkins' murder happened. Foyle comments how quiet Sam is while she is driving and she answers she is thinking. It's cute that he comments that when at the beginning of the series, when Sam stars driving Foyle, one of the things that annoys him is the very fact that she can't stop talking. It seems Foyle has grown very fond of Sam and her talking.
It makes me a bit sad to see how the poor Joe (Sam's boyfriend) is handled here. I didn't especially like the guy in Invasion (maybe because I was mad at Andrew Foyle because I really want him with Sam), but he seems nice in this episode, he really cares for Sam and is dead worried when she is ill. I feel sorry because she is going to turn his marriage proposal down when she could make him stay in Britain. However, there is a tiny thing that worries me and it was the fact that he didn't want to talk about the place where he lives in California... hmmm.
I really like the mentions of the danger that chemicals used as weapons are and the talk DCS Fielding (the other inspector) and Foyle share close to the end. Fielding reminds Foyle that this won't be the only war where chemical weapons have been used. He reminds Foyle when they both fought in WWI and how he still suffers the sequels of one of those attacks. It's sad to hear his words because Fielding, contrary to Foyle, has lost faith and hope in the world and in the mankind. He says: 'Humanity stinks... I've had enough'. Probably he has seen too much and his affirmation has a point of view that we can't accept but I'm sure that was the opinion of a lot of people who during that time had seen just too much suffering, too much loss and too much madness to deal with it. It totally contrast with Foyle's moderate but firm approach to his reality.
Another interest point also in the episode is how they gives the chance to see how not everybody called a war hero, really was one, and how there was a lot of anonymous heroes that kept what they did to themselves.
Anyway, I totally recommend the episode. Well, I recommend both series 4 episodes, but especially this one!
Discovery: Tom Harper, the young man playing Leonard Cartwright. Surprisingly enough, he is also in Poirot: The Mystery of Blue Train and a Silent Witness episode, both of which are waiting in my to watch list ;)