The fascinating and fatal world of quiz challenges is explored in Your Sudden Death Question, the fourth episode of Inspector Lewis Series III airing tomorrow night on Masterpiece Mystery PBS. Six teams of quizaholics have assembled for the weekend at an Oxford College to compete for cash and the honor of facing that final do or die question, unfortunately, none of them ever expected to die in the process. An ensemble cast guest staring Alan Davies as the smooth quizmaster Marcus Richards and Nicholas Farrell as manipulative Professor Charles Milner challenge DI Robbie Lewis (Kevin Whatley) and DS James Hathaway (Laurence Fox) to outsmart the contestants whose brainpower is no trivial matter when it comes to murder.
RL: What do you think of quizzes?
JH: Terminally pointless. Right up there with slugs and black pudding.
It’s a bank holiday weekend, and surprisingly, Lewis and Hathaway have separate out of town social plans with their shared interest, music. Lewis is off to the Glyndebourne Festival to see an opera with a mysterious lady friend and Hathaway is off to Somerset for a World Music Festival with his own amore. All festivities come to a halt when the body of Ethan Croft (Adam James) is found floating in a fountain at Chaucer College. Lewis is still in Oxford and first on the scene. Hathaway arrives later, and in a foul mood. His cherished significant other, a 1948 Gibson L5 guitar has been nicked from the boot of his car at the music festival and he is furious.
The College is on lock-down while the contestants are assembled and interviewed individually. First up is Ethan’s quiz partner Ava Taylor (Tabitha Wady) who openly reveals that Ethan had been a brilliant Oxford scholar but now worked as a Primary school teacher. Was this because he was a drinker, a womanizer, and a showoff? Meanwhile, Hathaway interviews arrogant attorney Sebastian Anderson (Alastair Mackenzie) who with his partner Jessica Neill (Emma Cleasby) are there for a romantic getaway. He also attended Oxford at the same time as Ethan but claims to not have known him. “The world is full of people I’ve never met.” he chimes, paradoxing Ethan’s previous remark, “The world is full of people I don’t remember. ” to fellow contestant Robyn Strong (Ruth Gemmell). This is a shock to Robyn who does know Ethan very well, he is just such a playboy he does not remember that she is his ex-girlfriend. When he flirts outrageously with her partner Eve Rigby (Sally Bretton), could her plans of a failed “grand reunion with her first love” have turned to a crime passion?
Next up Lewis chats with Diane Baxter (Anna Koval), an Army Lieutenant who with her partner Sergeant Brian Kaye (Jamie Michie) just don’t’ seem to quit fit the quizaholic profile. She is quick to change the subject to their host, quizmaster Marcus Richards (Alan Davies) who she feels is “a bit too smooth for her taste.” The events of Ethan’s last night become seedier when the police pathologist Dr. Hobson reveals that Ethan had sex before he died. Prime candidates as a partner are Eve and Robyn who admit to touring the College and all its dark secrets with him, but neither accepted his invitation for a nightcap in his room. Later that day, Diane’s observation comes true when Marcus confesses to Lewis that his credentials are exaggerated and the £5,000 prize money is funded by charging the contestants and not by sponsors. Could he have killed Ethan to protect his livelihood?
No one and everyone could be the murderer. The two Oxford dons also seem dodgy. Professor Donald Terry (Timothy West) an Oxford research fellow denies knowing Ethan, students not being his primary concern, and his partner engineering Professor Charles Milner (Nicholas Farrell – Edmund Bertram in Mansfield Park 1985) reveals that Ethan was a brilliant student and junior lecturer in modern languages but left Oxford under a cloud of sexual scandal. Why is he freely offering this information? And, then there are the two Oxford students, affable Alfie Wilkinson (Jack Fox) and perky Sophie Barton (Natalie Dew), suspiciously smart on a vast range of subjects.
The shocked widow Jean Croft (Susannah Doyle) confirms Ethan’s adulterous lifestyle, bitterly confessing that “there were times that I would have happily killed the guy myself.” Ironically, she does believe that in professional matters, he was an honorable man. As Lewis and Hathaway dig deeper to find out what went so terrible wrong with his academic career the trail leads to his work as a Russian interpreter on a high profile project for the government. A second murder of one of the prime suspects confirms that the killer is among them, but is this a crime of passion, revenge or a contract killing?
Your Sudden Death Question was a fun parody of the classic country house murder mysteries where a set of colorful guests, each with an incriminating secret, begin to murder each other off before the detective solves the case with a “left field twist.” The only thing missing was the final denouement where all of the remaining guests are assembled in one room and the detective dramatically exposes the killer! I will not reveal who Lewis and Hathaway cleverly discover, but I will mention two great literary references that our cerebral Sergeant Hathaway uses in the final shakedown scene. “Mccavity wasn’t there” is a line from T.S. Eliot poem, The Mystery Cat. Google it to understand the reference, and a passage from the Book of Ecclesiastes, “Vanity of vanity. All is vanity.” Of course our former priest in the making would quote from the bible as an allegory to the reason for the murder. If you were sharp, you might have also caught a bit of subtle foreshadowing of the killers motive by screenwriter Alan Plater, or was it director Dan Reed’s choice of symbolism? This image below is from the floor of the chapel at Chaucer College depicting a skull, an ancient representation of vanity. Don’t ‘ya just love the stuff they throw at us?
Comedian Alan Davies was an interesting casting choice as quizmaster Marcus Richards. There is an inside British joke about it, that being a Yank, I did not catch. Davies previously played a detective on the series Jonathan Creek and is currently a panelist on the BBC quiz game QI, which is hosted by Stephen Fry. Laurence Fox’s baby brother Jack as Alfie Wilkinson, appears to be the latest Fox family member to break into acting. The Foxes seem to be in a race against the American Baldwin dynasty over how many siblings need an agent. If genetics predetermine our destiny, then I’d say he has a great chance of a long and illustrious career. And, one last word on cast regular Rebecca Front as Chief Superintendent Jean Innocent and her wardrobe. Makeover!
Next week is Falling Darkness, the final episode of the season. :-( Police pathologist Dr. Laura Hobson’s (Clare Holman) college friend is murdered and the investigation reveals some hidden secrets in Laura’s past that are very incriminating. You can watch Your Sudden Death Question online at the new PBS video web site September 20 through October 19, 2010.
- Read my recap & review of Dark Matter
- Read my recap & review of The Dead of Winter
- Read my recap & review of Counter Culture Blues
- Read my recap & review of The Point of Vanishing
- Read my recap & review of The Quality of Mercy
- Read my recap & review of Allegory of Love
- Visit the Inspector Lewis website at Masterpiece Mystery PBS
Laurel Ann (Austenprose)
Virginia Claire
Christina B.
RegencyRomantic
shelleydewees
Br. Paul Byrd, OP
Aia A. Hussein
Lucy Warriner
Jeffrey
Lisa Galek
Looking forward to this one…not excited that it’s the next-to-last episode of the season, though. But with Wallander and Sherlock waiting in the wings, at least Masterpiece isn’t leaving us high & dry!
Continuing my interest in the letters in red during the credits I did a fast-forward before watching this episode. Even with this advanced knowledge I completely missed any mention of the name. Being the obsessive that I am, another viewing is required.
And really looking forward to a developing relationship in the next episode – and next season.
Ah ha! A second viewing did it, but it took some delving. Last week and the week before the names had something to tie in with the story – sorta. This week it referred to the opera Lewis and friend missed. Very subtle, but curiosity wins out.
I could hardly wait for this series to make it–finally!–to our TV lineup. It’s been a long dry spell…
That said, I give the first four episodes mixed reviews. “Counterculture Blues” is not as engaging as all the previous episodes, and left me wondering why I was so anxious for it. “The Dead of Winter” is totally marvelous–a scathing indictment of the British leisure classes. “Dark Matter” is built around Holst’s “The Planets,” and that is a clever device indeed–love the music. “Your Sudden Death Question” is fun because it reveals more about the characters of Lewis and Hathaway–and yes, we get to meet yet another Fox [sidebar: the plural of Fox is Foxes, not Fox's]. I can’t comment on “Falling Darkness” until it airs next week. Laurence Fox’s appearance has changed noticeably, which I think is indicative of his growth and maturation as an actor. I understand yet another series was filmed this past summer, so this would seem to be Morse redux–a long, long run. Works for me!!
Thanks for the spelling correction. Not my forte. Glad you are enjoying the series. I am rather fond of it too.
I don’t know what moderation to my above entry is expected. I surmise my comments were posted before I actually clicked them in (my funky laptop, I fear). While I have the floor: Superintendent Innocent has been needing a wardrobe overhaul from the get-go. I don’t know why she is clothed in such unflattering garb–someone on the production staff must have a better sense of style! A plea: Could someone please identify filming locations (especially colleges)? A book by Bill Leonard covers the Morse episodes and up through “The Great and the Good” for Lewis, and after that, I’m pretty well clueless. I’m obsessed with identifying the particular colleges, in anticipation of a trip to Oxford in Summer ’11.
Hi Eloise, I think Super Innocent is an interesting character and deserves an episode around her. Her wardrobe I think is atrocious on purpose by the costume designer. I would love to know more about her back story and how she became so tough and cynical. There is some great material brewing there. I wish they would give her a makeover though. That purple frock was the worse so far. Ouch. She looks like a dowdy matron of 75.
I think that part of it was filmed at Lincoln College.
One last thought: I’ll take a dynasty of Foxes over a dynasty of Baldwins every day and twice on Sunday! I’m smitten with Laurence and now I find that little brother Jack is dishy, too (father James was super, of course). Maybe cousin Emilia will make an appearance at some point?
Just watched “YSDQ” and had a question about it…what did the coroner suggest to Lewis as an expert field? I’m usually fine with all those accents, but I couldn’t catch what she said. If anyone knows, please help me out! Thanks.
Not sure which conversation you need interpretation of with Dr. Hobson. Could you explain which scene? Thanks, Laurel Ann
Lewis suggested his expert field was loneliness
Raphael! Thank you! That’s exactly what I was asking. I can’t believe I couldn’t hear that.
Laurel Ann, it was when Lewis and Hobson were sitting by the punts eating fish and chips, right at the end. He asked her what her game-show expertise was, and then said he couldn’t think of one for himself. She suggested “loneliness,” which was the word I couldn’t hear. And he said “pass.”
Thanks much. I found this blog while googling for the answer, and I’ll be coming back to read more. Thanks again.
It was in reference to one of the best BBC quiz shows called mastermind …it’s been around since the 60′s I think
Contestants (4) sit in leather swivel chair and the studio lights go out and are under the glare of a spotlight for 2 minutes and try to answer as many questions as possible. There are 2 rounds round 1 is general knowledge and round 2 is your chosen subject which you are expected to be somewhat of an expert on and can be anything you pick
If you don’t know the answer you say “pass” and quickly move on to the next question
The show, chair, spotlight, host, weird subject expertise and of course the use of “pass” are iconic and the subject of many great comedy sketches in the uk
[...] Read my recap & review of Your Sudden Death Question [...]
[...] Sept 19 – Inspector Lewis: Your Sudden Death Question [...]
I just watched “Falling Darkness” last Sunday. The subject matter is well thought of and well written. The story revolves around Dr. Laura Hobson, and it gives the viewers a glimpse of the pathologist’s life during her college years in Oxford. It is also, in my opinion, the episode where they start to fully develop her character. It is now evident why they had to kill off Mrs. Lewis; for she cannot always remain invisible just like the often mentioned, but never around Mrs. Columbo.
It is obvious that there is a deeper relationship going on between the inspector and the pathologist; whether it is a deeper friendship or the start of a budding romance, I think we shall soon find out next season. Most definitely, it shows that they are getting more comfortable – emotionally – with each other in this episode.
I agree that Chief Superintendent Innocent is lacking a bit in style, but like Laurel Ann, I believe that this is done on purpose by the costume designer. Dressing her up in that deep purple may be a prelude to further developing her character next season for, certainly, purple is a very strong color.
I am glad that they gave the inspector and the sargeant a woman as their superintendent. She seems to be aware of her power and, thus, there is no need to brow beat her underlings, unlike the detestable Chief Superintendent Strange who never showed any empathy nor kindness to Chief Inspector Morse.
I am so happy with this series. Let us all hope that it will last as long as the Chief Inspector Morse’s series.
I had to watch “Falling Darkness” several times (PBS makes each episode available online for about a month after it has run on the local channels) before I could sort out all the characters and a rather convoluted story line–a confusion compounded by the overlay of Hallowe’en costumes together with low lighting and a sort of fog or haze, making identification of the players a real challenge. This one has lots of twists and turns and the ending is suspenseful to the max. The casting is, as usual, superb, plus we get to see not only a chillingly human side of Laura Hobson, but a very tender side of James Hathaway. Laura’s relationship with Robbie seems to be growing well past the professional, so the door is open for future episodes to explore this avenue. Long live “Inspector Lewis”!!!
Raphael — many thanks. I just watched the episode on DVD and had the same difficulty with the last lines.