Falling Darkness

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 was a more mixed bag, started disappointing "Allegory of Love" (though to me it was not a bad episode), before getting better with "The Quality of Mercy" and finishing well. "The Dead of Winter" was a well done start to Season 4, "Dark Matter" was to me the best episode since "Music to Die For" and "Your Sudden Death Question" was solid. However, "Falling Darkness" is the best of the fourth season and one of the best 'Lewis' episodes to me.

"Falling Darkness" is one of the few episodes of 'Lewis' where it was difficult to find any fault. Do like 'Lewis' very much, but will admit that most episodes while still rating high fall short of perfection. Love the Gothic Halloween setting and the identity of the responsible is a huge surprise as well as the motive. The climax is one of 'Lewis' better climaxes with a lot of tension and didn't feel confused or far-fetched.

As always, 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 and has an even bigger role than before (a sensitive performance that is some of her best on the show), which was great. 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. Can't fault the supporting acting either.

Production values are of very high quality. It's beautifully shot as always, 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.

Writing is smart and thought-provoking. The story is gripping with great twists and turns and there is also a real effort to properly develop all the ideas introduced rather than leaving questions in the balance, not always the case with 'Lewis'. The characters are well written and engaging.

In conclusion, a brilliant episode and one of the show's best. 10/10 Bethany Cox

Halloween arrives Oxford in haunting fashion, as costumers in ghoulish outfits line the evening streets, and children practice door-to-door trick-or-treating.

Well, Detective Inspector Robert Lewis (Kevin Whately) gets into the act to welcome various sets of neighborhood youthes arriving at his doorstep, by wearing spectacles with glass eyeballs' springing from the lenses, while Doctor Laura Hobson (Clare Holman), from her residence across town, confirms plans to gather with two of her former college flatmates.

Now, back in the 1980's, these three female students share an Oxford flat with two male students, the five being: Oxford Police Pathologist Doctor Laura Hobson, Doctor Ellen Jacoby (Niamh Cusack), Professor Ligeia Willard (Louise Hunt), now a Biology and Human Genetics Specialist in Stem Cell Research; Alec Pickman (Rupert Graves), now an Artist residing upon his houseboat; and Peter Hawkins (no actor credited). Alec mentions that he hasn't seen the ladies since graduation day in 1986, and none of the others have seen Peter since.

In current day Oxford, this old flat is occupied by four young adults: Madeleine Escher (Lucy Griffiths) and Roddy Allen (Brodie Ross), a couple who participate in Halloween festivities, and Rowena Trevanion (Lauren O'Neil) and Victor Clerval (Alex Price) a couple separated by Halloween festivities.

Across the street from the flat lives another young couple, Charlotte Corwin (Jenn Murray) and Vince Corwin (Patrick Knowles), a plumber, who assists Charlotte in tending to the constantly crying Baby Harry.

Professor Ligeia Willard, meanwhile, teams with Professor Rufus Strickfaden (John Sessions) and Professor Nicolae Belisarius (Adam Levy) for their Stem Cell research, an activity met with opposition by a protest organization led by Noel Scopes (Ken Bradshaw).

And when a body is discovered outdoors on Halloween night, the victim of a bludgeoning with vampire-like effects, Detective Sergeant James Hathaway (Laurence Fox) arrives at the scene of the crime with Detective Inspector Robert Lewis and, soon, Doctor Laura Hobson, who uncharacteristically faints upon the sight of the victim.

Doctor Angus Rawbone (Ron Donachie) performs the autopsy, listing the cause of death as a bludgeoning, followed by a sharp stake driven into chest with a bulb of garlic inserted into the mouth.

Ursula Van Tessel (Lynsey Baxter) a lecturing Medium with her audience-participation program, "Talking to Angels," volunteers to assist investigators with her expertise, but Lewis and Hathaway maintain that they must abide by police procedure, a notion reinforced by Chief Superintendent Jean Innocent (Rebecca Front), who reminds the team not to allow sentiment to interfere with police matters.

But after the four current residents of Laura's old flat discover refrigerator magnets spelling, "Murder: Help Me" and "Find Mary Gwilliam," they welcome Ursula to perform a séance at the residence. She informs them that a former resident has passed but at peace in the forest. And soon a second body is found, with evidence of a link to the first murder, and fingers pointing to Laura as primary suspect.

Well, whether he like it or not, and most likely not, Lewis is forced to interrogate Laura, who realizes that she hasn't an alibi at least for the first murder, and doesn't seem to believe that "Robbie" would suspect her of such a crime.

So, Lewis and Hathaway continue their investigation to question other possible suspects and witnesses, with any links to the old flat in their search for Peter, by visiting his twin sister, Christine Hawkins (Joanna Roth), learning that their mother had perished from Fatal Familial Insomia (FFI) when they were ten and also learning of what has become of Peter Hawkins, after leaving Oxford for Banbury, and heading into Wytham Woods.

Lewis and Hathaway then search for a Mary Gwilliam (no actress credited), whom they learn has placed telephone calls to Laura in the past, and discover that Mary Gwilliam has been employed at William of Perth (Patron Saint of Adoptees and Orphans) Establishment at Homeward Park, at which they discover the 1870's-Era building and grounds in shambles, but Hathaway must stay to investigate its electoral roll records, while Lewis questions Ursula Van Tessel, before Hathaway finds an address and discovers the third body, the victim of intense torture techniques and Asphyxia.

Yet once again, suspicion points to Laura, when a fourth attempted murder victim is discovered near Alec's boat, causing Lewis to fear this may be Laura, but leaving Laura and the alcoholic Alec maintain hospital vigil over the survivor.

And once Lewis and Hathaway investigate line-ups and clues, on a trail leading to Mrs. Renfield (Mary Jo Randle) the adoptive mother of Susan, a birth twin of John Monroe, the Detectives begin to piece together the puzzle of "Falling Darkness" and must scurry back to Homeward Park to attempt to prevent a potential fifth murder in one of the most compelling sequences in the series, leading to a potential sixth murder in a climactic showdown scene.

Comment: If Clare Holman doesn't deserve the highest of acting acclamations for her outstanding performance in this episode, then no actress nor actor working today deserves any acclamation, period. Clare's climactic scene with Laurence Fox speaks volumes for her finest of talents.

(Corrections submitted by IMDbDon and printphi.)

I recently bought the entire Lewis series on dvd. I've been binge watching every evening. I truly love this show and this episode is a really engrossing who done it. As other reviewers stated Clare Holman's performance was outstanding. This episode held all my interest to the very end, very climactic. The relationship between Lewis and Hathaway just gets better and better..so happy I have a lot more to watch.

A woman is killed on halloween and is revealed to be a friend of Dr Hobson. More murders occur that appear to be connected to her and her university friends and Lewis and Hathaway become convinced she is hiding something...

This is a fantastic episode. It is very dark and creepy and is packed full of twists and turns.

The final scenes are stunning and particularly chilling..

As a trainee doctor i find one of the other reviews deeply worrying... When will you people realise stem cell research is about SAVING lives and finding cures or treatments for, among other things, serious degenerative diseases that cause unimaginable suffering to those who have them and their loved ones!

A friend of Dr Hobson's is murdered. They were college housemates and when a current student is murdered in the house that Dr Hobson and the victim used to share it appears that Dr Hobson is the link between the two crimes. The deeper Lewis and Hathaway dig, the more she appears to be involved.

An episode of Lewis that was intriguing for the most part and then fell apart at the end. So, pretty much true to form for the series as that is what tends to happen: mystery builds, no solid leads for Lewis and Hathaway, 10 minutes from end Lewis pulls a rabbit out of the hat and the mystery is solved. How palatable the rabbit trick is depends on how far-fetched the revelation is, and here it is way out there.

More than far-fetched, many elements of the plot don't make much sense. The second murder is never explained and if you think about it none of the murders needed to take place.

On the plus side, good to see Dr Hobson move more to centre stage, her backstory be revealed and her relationship with Lewis be developed. As mentioned, most of this episode is pretty good, it's just the ending that lets it down.