Inspector Morse: Masonic Mysteries (1990)
Season 4, Episode 4
4/10
Chump Cop Gets Busted
15 September 2022
In fictional time Morse had been an Inspector for around 30 years by season 4 of "Inspector Morse."

Morse gets into an argument with his date to the opera rehearsal at the very first scene of this episode. She tells him in front of several other members of the opera group that she wants nothing to do with him, that he drives too fast, that she was scared to get into a car with him, and that she wants her friend (another opera group member) to drive her home after the rehearsal.

So a few minutes later when everyone hears a chilling scream in the concert hall building, Morse runs directly to the scream, and finds his ex-date has been murdered. Just like any dumb patsy in any old Perry Mason TV series episode, Morse immediately holds the dead woman to him as if she had been the love of his life (not just a casual acquaintance).

Then Morse sees the huge carving knife laying next to the dead woman and picks it up (destroying any possible fingerprints of the real killer). When the rest of the opera group arrive, Morse is holding the knife over the dead woman, and he is covered in her blood. What a moron.

Morse should have been sacked from the Police force on the spot just for being so stupid. Any copper that can pull the dumbest and most cliche self-incrimination move of a TV show from the 1950s needs to be canned. I am surprised he did not also claim amnesia and PTSD to top it off.

When Morse gets suspended because he is a suspect in the murder, he pulls his tired "I am the victim" routine. It is consistent with his alcoholism that he resents the people assigned to clean up after his incompetence for incriminating himself.

Sergeant Lewis should have taken him out back of the police station and administered a sobering beating, so that Morse could take time while at Hospital to reflect on his many dumb mistakes during his suspension. Considering the way Morse treats Lewis, it would have been nice to see Lewis pound his flabby face in.

This episode was perhaps the worst of the series. In later years, Morse occasionally played the victim of police politics, and did not take accountability for his own bad choices and mistakes. Like the many times when Morse would try dating a witness or suspect, and it usually blew up in his face. Morse routinely took advantage of his position to ask witnesses and suspects out for a drink, so he could hit on them, as the "dirty old man" without any scruples.
12 out of 21 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

Recently Viewed