Driven to Distraction

I agree with people's comments about Morse's over the top breaking the law in pursuit of his despised number one suspect but ignoring that there are some good moments of humour (what do you call a group of pathologists?) and Patrick Malahyde is superb as the slimy car salesman/suspect.

I've enjoyed quite a few Morse episodes but this one fell flat in every way for me. The pacing was uneven and annoying. The chemistry with the visiting woman detective was completely absent. The plot was uninteresting and derivative. The writing with regards to Morse breaking the rules of investigation was distracting and not believable.

As a Driving Instructor in and around the London area, this episode has always had a special place in my memory from way back when. As a Morse 'piece' it probably ranks just below the series very best episodes, but is enthralling nonetheless. Great acting as always, a seedy killer, a clever twist to the Morse know all attitude and spotting nearby locations remains a good quiz amongst those in the know.

Just one correction though, the website has an error in claiming the location for the Oxford Driving Centre is the Government's TRRL. This was actually filmed at the Harrow Driving Centre in North London(now long gone), as anyone who has worked there can readily testify. Many times i have walked that small pathway trodden by Morse and Lewis and also sat around within the 'simulator' room. Funny anecdotes from colleagues who were present during the filming are also remembered with affection, as can be seen from the odd glimpses of actual working cars in the background shots.

It is entirely possible that the later scenes set on the skid-pan were filmed at the TRRL but the earlier Driving Centre sequences were based in Harrow.

A highly recommended episode; search it out and enjoy.

Excellent episode. Very intriguing with a few red herrings, twists and turns. The fact that Morse seems to have his man early on makes for a change. The focus then becomes finding evidence rather than figuring out who did it and why, which not how Morse usually operates.

Even then there's still a few good twists in store.

Morse also has a second Sergeant on this one, Sergeant Maitland. Her presence makes for a new dynamic, not just because it's not just Morse and Lewis but also because she's a woman and provides a different perspective. She also brings out different aspects to Morse's character.

Recommended for the utterly ludicrous climax, which has an attempted stabbing at high-speed, followed by a supporting actor stalling his car as he scrambles to the rescue, and a Hallowe'en-fake knife.

The music in the computer scene is Mozart's horn concerto no.4. Thank you.