Sunflower

I agree with so much of the above.

Foyle's War is off its game. There's a real sense to me of Michael Kitchen just going through the motions.

I had wanted to love this new series of the show and was willing to give it time to find its Cold War feet, but this ISN'T Foyle's War.

Even allowing for character development our beloved Honeysuckle now seems to be playing someone else completely - none of the jolly old Sam - just an austere sadness.

"Sunflower" was also practically incoherent and I just can't imagine the original Sam stooping so low as to produce the transcript of a tapped phone conversation for her Labor MP husband. Felt like his response "It's unthinkable" was more a commentary on today than the immediate post war period. If that's the case it's not very subtle Mr Horowitz.

And just to be really picky, but as a WW2 history buff - why not?. In the Normandy Nazi war crime scene, the American artillery officer is seen wearing his dress uniform - what he'd be wearing on leave in London - not in combat attire ala helmet etc with subtle reference to his rank. That seemed weird to me. A bit like the new Foyle's War in general.

A high-water mark in the closing episodes of Foyle's War. Having watched the entire series, the complexity of the two parallel stories is some of the finest storytelling and writing we have enjoyed from Anthony Horowitz.

Foyle is now serving British Intelligence in London and helping to protect a valuable intelligence asset, a former member of the SS, now living as a Danish citizen. His value to the British is in conflict with the Americans, who want to try him for war crimes.

A serendipitous meeting between this former Nazi and a British soldier triggers a chain of international intrigue that Foyle investigates. He finds that little of these troubling post-war events has the clarity of wartime.

The parallel story is about a landowner who, like many British citizens, surrendered his farm for the war effort and now finds it has been priced out of his reach. Horowitz builds a much more substantial mystery for Sam and her husband to solve, with repercussions for them both and more insights into the issues facing citizens and politicians in the post-war era.

Both stories reveal the troubling moral ambiguities of the period after the war. All of the characters in the drama bring the trauma of their experiences in the war to the challenges of rebuilding Britain and the new world order.

Horowitz' pacing of the two stories is impeccable, as is the final dénouement. Director Andy Hay, who has credits on some of the highest-rated British dramas, shapes finely detailed nuances in every scene.

All of the cast are excellent, with standout performances by Ellie Haddington as Hilda Pearce and Michael Kitchen in one of his most deeply reflective and conflicted performances. 10/10.

Foyle is instructed to look after Karl Strasser, a Nazi defector and former member of the SS, now living as a Danish citizen under the house of Mrs Stevens. Strasser is key to British intelligence, but also wanted for war crimes by the US.

Foyle's War by this stage has definitely morphed into something different, I'm sure when the show was devised it's popularity was somewhat underestimated, this MI5 direction could have gone either way, personally I think it was a rousing success, with Sunflower easily one of the best latter episodes.

A brilliant story, the conflict between those seeking justice and wanting the Nazi's put on trial, and those that wanted to take advantage of the intelligence of those individuals who were quickly transported out of Germany. You can fully believe in the animosity felt towards Karl. There are enough twists in the plot to keep you guessing all the way through.

The acting is fabulous, Lars Eidinger was superb as Karl Strasser, giving a commanding and believable performance. He makes you dislike Lars instantly. Once again Ellie Haddington is brilliant as Hilda Pearce, her character has been a superb addition to the show.

Loved 'Foyle's War' and was immediately hooked when first getting into it. Love it even more now, on re-watches things that didn't quite make sense at first are clearer and things that were not noticed or appreciated before are and much admired. Everything that came over as brilliant on first viewings still are brilliant on re-watches.

The third of three episodes forming the penultimate season, "Sunflower" continues the change of direction 'Foyle's War' adopted when it was revived when it focused on the aftermath of the war and became darker. Not everybody liked this change and felt that it lost a lot of what made 'Foyle's War' so brilliant in the first place. Can understand that, and while the execution has not been perfect the change of direction has been interesting, although it's taken some getting used to. While it's not one of the series' best episodes, not even close, that is very much the case with "Sunflower".

Very much the previous episode "The Cage", "Sunflower" is at its least compelling with the character of Adam, still a bit flat and to me not enough has been done to develop him successfully (there was an attempt to do so in "The Cage" but added nothing to that episode). For a titular character too, Foyle could have been focused on more and considering that he is one of the most interesting detectives on television it does feel like he's lost his spark.

However, the quality of the production values are high. with beautiful costumes, the evocative way the characters are made up, the look of the houses and cars, pretty locations and authentic-looking scenery. The music is in keeping with the mood and doesn't overpower the drama while still making an impact.

Writing is intelligent, sophisticated and thought-provoking. Throughout, the story is hugely intriguing and very twisty without being overly-complicated. The theme of disenchantment is also dealt with quite movingly and the episode doesn't feel as rushed as "The Eternity Ring" for example.

One thing that wasn't picked up by me but now is and admired hugely is the tackling of what was seen as truths but some really misconceptions and seeing British during and after the war in a new light. This was a bold move and dealt with a lot of honesty and tact. The character tensions were also handled very well and added a lot of intrigue.

Michael Kitchen is truly superb as Foyle, subtle, intensely determined, commanding and above all human. Kitchen has rarely been better. Honeysuckle Weeks is charming and loyal, really like that Sam has become more interesting in development, and Hilda and Arthur are worthy regular characters, if not yet as interesting as Milner (who is missed but nobody is begging for him to return.

Supporting cast are all very good, with a particularly chilling performance from Lars Eidinger, although perhaps the character is written a little too obviously and like it's obvious too early that he is not one to be trusted.

In conclusion, intriguing and well done but not one of the best episodes. 8/10 Bethany Cox

I want to say Foyle's War is a great series. Michael Kitchen/Foyle and his driver Honeysuckle Weeks/Sam are such good actors. It shows how a honest police man is investigating criminals and arresting them but war is on at this time and the military won't let him do his job.

This is a story like many others where the British protect war terrorist and killers so they can get information out of them by protecting them, giving them a different name and safe housing.

Sunflower is a field where many Americans were murdered and the man that ordered the murders is a Nazi but a confidant of the British who want to protect him from arrest from the Americans or retribution from the people he hurt.

There is a lot going on in this episode a high ranking man has a plot of land surveyed and orders the surveyor to double the price it is worth so the original owner does not buy it back. He claims his intentions are good but Sam's husband Mr Wainwright thinks his boss committed fraud and calls him out on it.

In the end Foyle goes against a lot of higher ups who have been protecting this Nazi that is given the British some of the Nazi secrets.

Foyle is kind of sad but knows he did the right thing. Sam on the other hand is pregnant and tells her husband. They are both surprised and happy.

It breaks my heart in many of the BBC stories there are so many secret agencies that are against each other protecting killers in war just to get them to give them information. To me this is a double slap in the face for victims of war.