User Reviews

All of the Inspector Lewis mysteries are beautifully produced, well acted, and respectful of the intelligence of the viewer. This episode delves once again into the back structure of Oxford, with numerous and varied views of the institution and its participants. The story this time revolves around the participants in a theatrical group and their associates. There is the requisite quantity of suspects, motives, and opportunities to keep things interesting. There is also the continued development of the relationship between Lewis and Hathaway. Kevin Whately and Laurence Fox are great in their portrayals in this episode, as in the entire series. One can only hope that another series of "Inspector Lewis" is forthcoming. I, for one, am anxious to enjoy many more of these intelligent and well executed presentations.

This chapter cleverly studies effects of corruption on idealistic students by misguided campus authorities and also develops in pensive fashion the association between its leading characters, Detective Inspector Robert Lewis (Kevin Whately) and Detective Sergeant James Hathaway (Laurence Fox), who discovers during the course of a double homicide investigation the identity of the perpetrator in the five-year-old cold case murder of Valerie Susan Lewis, late wife of his partner, Robert....

As Oxford University Thespians prepare for their opening night performance of a William Shakespeare Play, "The Merchant of Venice," Doctor Emma Golding (Daisy Lewis) directs them to aspire to great heights, as this adaptation could create stars of the lot of them.

This student cast includes Sally (Jo Herbert), Alison (Sonya Cassidy), Isabel Dawson (Abby Ford), Barham Rezvani (Tariq Jordan), (Antonio?) Webster (William Petrie), and Richard Scott (Daniel Sharman) in the role of Shylock the Money-lender.

For rehearsals on the eve of opening night, the troupe prepares its outdoor stage to perform for a roster of 20 guests, including Professor Denise Gregson (Maureen Beattie) a singer and Theatre Department Head; Professor James Alderson (Nicholas Pritchard) an Archaeologist and ex-husband of Denise; Simon Monkford (Ronan Vibert), a former embezzler, staying at Randall Hotel; Phil Beaumont (Bryan Dick), an Oxford dropout and playwright, returning from Edinboro, and working as a gardener and waiter; and Joe Myers (Geoff Breton) a current student and Understudy for the role of Shylock the Moneylender.

But, backstage, Sally screams when she stumbles across a body, the victim of a stabbing, with a note beside the body, reading "Neither a borrower nor a lender be," from Shakespeare's "Hamlet."

The team of Detective Inspector Robert Lewis, Detective Sergeant James Hathaway, Doctor Laura Hobson (Clare Holman) and Chief Superintendent Innocent (Rebecca Front) is called to investigate the homicide, they strangely discovering that only one of many suspects weeps for the loss of the victim.

Amanda Costello (Shereen Martineau), a journalist and theatre critic who has graduated from Oxford two years ago arrives on the afternoon of opening night to review the Play, she also remarking upon the absence of feelings from the higher-ups, but is invited to the opening night celebration, at Prospero's Bar, just the same, when a second body is discovered, the victim of strangulation by string, again with a note beside it, this reading, "I will lead them up and down," from Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream."

Lewis and Hathaway investigate, they questioning suspects together and separately, while obtaining additional information from Christine Harper (Annabelle Dowler), the sister of Simon Monkford; Mrs. Scott (Penny Bunton), the mother of Richard Scott; Graham Wilkinson (Shaughan Seymour), the former Second in Command at Oxford P.D.; Terry Bainbridge (Gwilym Lee), the Editor of Oxford student newspaper; and Duffy (Aled Pedrick), the Desk-clerk at Randall Hotel, all in search of a blonde wig.

But when James Hathaway learns which suspect is responsible for the vehicular homicide of Valerie Susan Lewis, he pensively confides with Chief Superintendent Innocent for the manner in which he should inform Robert Lewis, who also pensively confides similar thoughts to Chief Superintendent Innocent regarding James Hathaway. Neither over-acts over inspiring appreciation for his partner, but handles his emotions professionally and without excessive sentiment.

A break-in at the residence of Professor Denise Gregson, which she shares with several professors and students from time to time, leads to another Forensics investigation and, ultimately, to Lewis and Hathaway's showdown scene once they are able to figure their solutions for "The Quality of Mercy" which Lewis may see fit to bestow.

Is Lewis becoming more grumpy as the series goes on?? He seems to hate everyone and everything. I quite enjoy it. Hathaway is his perfect partner. He's humble, respectful and seems to care for Lewis quite a bit. I guess he sees him as a father figure. It is rather endearing. Nice that he was there for Lewis when he needed him. Lewis should also be grateful that he solved the circumstances around his wife's death. I enjoyed that part of the episode more than anything else.

As a big fan of the Morse series, I have been watching the Lewis series in the order in which they originally appeared. This episode is my favorite thus far. A story on Shakespearean actors is a natural for the Oxford based Lewis. They even give a passing mention of Timon Of Athens which a great overlooked Shakespeare play.

The only small complaint I have about this one is ease in which Hathaway got the insurance fraud duo to admit to their crime after only a few polite questions. Even more bizarre was the man admitting to the hit and run of Lewis' wife after 5 years of keeping it concealed. Again this happened after only a few questions. With criminals like that anybody could become a detective. Otherwise it was a great show.

During a student production of The Merchant of Venice, the actor playing Shylock is murdered. He was not well liked at all, making just about every cast and crew member a suspect. In another development, a man's suitcase is stolen at his hotel. This turns out to have a connection to the death of Lewis's wife.

A fairly intriguing episode. The secondary characters are reasonably well developed an the theatrical and Shakespearean element added some flavour. The link to the death of Lewis's wife made for an interesting sub-plot and completed an arc that had been slowly developing throughout the series.

As with many Lewis, and Morse, episodes this does suffer from the out-of-the-blue culprit revelation. The murderer is not obvious at all and the suddenness of the ending makes it feel very rushed.

Hearing about 'Lewis' for the first time when it first started, there was a big touch of excitement seeing as 'Inspector Morse' was and still is one of my favourites but also a little intrepidation, wondering whether the series would be as good. The good news is, like the prequel series 'Endeavour', 'Lewis' is every bit as good as 'Inspector Morse' and stands very well on its own two feet as a detective mystery and show in general.

As said a number of times already, 'Lewis' started off very promising with the pilot and Season 1. It was with Season 2 where 'Lewis' hit its stride with things generally feeling more settled. Season 3 started off disappointingly with "Allegory of Love", which to me wasn't that bad but compared to the high calibre of the best episodes it could have been much better. "The Quality of Mercy" is an improvement and sees the show back on track.

My only complaints are the underdeveloped and not particularly logical ending, with a practically non-existent motive for the killer, and the pacing occasionally lacks tightness.

On the other hand, the acting is fine, anchored by Kevin Whately and Laurence Fox. Whately is again very good and carries the episode with aplomb, advantaged by that Lewis is much more developed and as said he has more development. Clare Holman adds a lot. Fox is a breath of fresh air in a great contrasting role that reminds one of a more intelligent Lewis in his younger days and his sparkling sparring chemistry with Whately is a big part of the episode's, and show's, appeal. Innocent has more to do and is more commanding, her character not as problematic as in the pilot and Season 1. Ronan Vibert gives the best performance of the solid supporting cast.

Production values are of very high quality. It's beautifully shot (some of the best of the show at this point), and Oxford not only looks exquisite but is like a supporting character in itself. Barrington Pheloung returns as composer, and does a first-rate job. The theme tune, while not as iconic or quite as clever as Morse's, is very pleasant to listen to, the episode is charmingly and hauntingly scored and the use of pre-existing music is very well-incorporated.

Much of the writing is smart and thoughtful, some lovely droll exchanges with Lewis and Hathaway and some emotional impact. The story is gripping with great twists and turns, Lewis' subplot is incredibly well done with lots of intensity and poignancy, one relates to him here too.There is also a real effort to properly develop all the ideas introduced rather than leaving questions in the balance. The characters are well written and engaging.

In conclusion, good episode with Season 3 and the show back on track. 8/10 Bethany Cox

This is the best Episode of all the many great episodes. Great story and cast on this one. Too bad some.of the other episodes were weak from start to finish.

The Lewis banging his head against a wall about his wife's death was getting old. But, surprisingly it's solving turned out to be quite good intense viewing. Lewis' unglued anger at Hathaway for not revealing the perpetrator until factual verification was a bit much.

Again the best looking actress stunning Shereen Martin as Amanda Costello was killed off too early in the midst of lighting up the screen. Pretty Daisy Lewis and Sonya Cassidy also were excellent.

The weak motive villain ending gave a big thud. Denial then all of a sudden blurting out the weapon is in the river was too abrupt. Decent episode with a memorable subplot could of been a classic with a more believable villain.

Two dramatic entities at work here. First involves the murder of a young actor performing in "The Merchant of Venice." Soon, thereafter, a young female critic is also done in, and everyone is close mouthed. The second issue has to do with news concerning the hit and run death of Lewis's wife. The whole thing is intricately plotted and well done.

A student at Oxford dies just before opening in "The Merchant of Venice." This introduces us to an almost cultlike grouping of actors who have no respect or concern for one another. Before long, there are other murders. But a secret hangs over everything as a professor has more than a passing interest in one of the students.

One of those episodes you never forget, it stays with you -- perfect.

This episode of Lewis isn't as obnoxious as the last one. It is, still, inconsequential. The pace is slow, choices of killers seem illogical, and Lewis "made it personal" to boot. It was totally unrelated to the story, but you know, best sellers have to include the "personal motive" cliché in order to "catch everybody quickly" :(. I assume if you're a Shakespeare's "Merchant in Venice" fan, you'll enjoy this episode as you see a quote repeated like 3 times over the film. Yes, the one about "mercy" (thus, the title). Rehearsals, the meanness of the director, journalist/ critic and actors are all there. As a "social critique" of Oxbridge's class system, how money makes a rich Iranian "be in" and a poor Northerner who also happens to be a genius (but Marxist, clichés anybody?) to drop out and take many minimum wage jobs. At least we didn't have to endure "psychoanalytical cravings" from the writer (like on the awful last episode, "Allegory of love"), so it's a start. Shakespeare is better than Freud Vulgate.

Enjoy... if you can!

PS: Ronan Vibert as "Simon Monkford" is the only good character. With a profile similar to a psychopath, he doesn't feel anything, and even tries to bargain a deal with Lewis (right after "apologizing"), what makes the CI really angry. So, they're speaking two different languages: Lewis the one of emotions, Simon the emotionally tone-deaf psychopath. Good to watch. PS2: Emma Golding is really unbearable!

Plater has a knack of writing episodes of crime series that are almost good. The production per se is typically excellent, but as a police investigation it's a ridiculous flop. The hotel fraudsters yield to the most delicate questioning and admit guilt. Worse still, the murder culprit tells Lewis where the incriminating laptop is at the end of the show while under no duress whatsoever. Anyone else would ask for an attorney instead ! Sheer dramatic ineptitude by a writer out of his depth.

There are also several technical problems of which I'll mention just one, the plot element hinging on academic plagiarism, or more strictly fraud. In this instance a "dropout" from the University wrote someone else's literature Ph. D. thesis for them. Since he'd have "dropped out" as an undergraduate, the idea that he'd have been intellectually equipped to write a high level doctoral dissertation is utterly preposterous. Also, every doctoral candidate has a supervisor who would have seen through the subterfuge in a heartbeat.

An unfortunate development is the way the writers have tried to turn Lewis into a mini-Morse. The most incongruous misstep is saddling Lewis with bouts of seething anger, an emotion alien to his earlier personality. A sellout if you ask me.