Trespass

Going into this episode, I had been tipped by another Foyle fan that it was a bit slow-moving. So I had limited expectations.

Turns out, just like Foyle himself in this story, I was given misinformation. This episode has a nice slow burn that ends in a wonderful climax. Very satisfying. On all levels.

To say that the ever-talented Horowitz never misses a chance to add an ethnic flavor to his stories somewhat misses the point. You should write about what you are passionate about, and if Horowitz wants to re-imagine racism in post war Britain, and does it with flair and gusto, then more power to him.

What I really noticed is how cynical this series has become over time. This is not a bad thing. Quite the contrary.

Superb.

Anthony Horowitz tackles a lot of sensitive issues in this episode. Some might be rather personal to him given his background.

The King David Hotel bombing in Palestine by Zionists. A conference taking place regarding peace in middle east taking place in London. A reformed Oswald Mosley type figure Charles Lucas who launches his new campaign which is not much different from his old campaign.

Foyle looks into an attack on a young Jewish student, his father a prominent businessmen is later found shot.

When there is a blip in the security arrangements, Foyle ends up being the fall guy and made to resign from MI5.

However a visiting Jewish student in London might be planning more than just starting a new course.

Horowitz also looks at the plight of ordinary Britons in the post war landscape. There was still no NHS, so people without money and food still could not afford medicine. Sam comes to the aid of a little boy who might have got whooping cough.

Horowitz cleverly weaves some modern parallels with Lucas's right wing party who wants to reclaim Britain for the British. He also wants to reach out with other like minded Europeans and exploit Africa and Africans. Not too different from the new alt right neo nazis.

As a mystery it did not really hang too well. There were just too many ingredients and the slimy guy from the foreign office was just too obviously up to no good. It was watchable without being too enthralling.

Aside from being a metaphor for these modern times. Lucas was given too much free reign in this episode. Even Sam's politician husband was too weak willed to confront him properly. Given that Britain had just won a war against the Nazis, someone like Lucas at that period would had placed himself in a perilous position with his history.

Chillingly prescient story line considering what the MAGA movement unleashed in the US (one of the tag lines used by the rabble-rouser in this episode was "Make Britain Great Again.") It's one of those convoluted episodes where no one can be trusted to be who they actually are or are trustworthy. As the series neared the end I felt the character of Sam was too intrusive, although the actress still had some charm.

It's easy to think about the Holocaust as an aberration, the Nazis wiping out six million people. Surely when the war was over, things went back to normal. Because a huge number of people blamed the Jews for virtually every eventuality, the bad economy, lack of jobs, lack of opportunity, things hardly ended. Foyle, once again finds himself embroiled in a case where people display their hatred and do some of the things those Germans did. It shows how easy it is to sway a population that is hurting. It was Hitler's greatest "strength." In this one, a conference is going to be held, and there are terrorist groups around (or are there). A young woman is at the center of much of this as well as a bigoted drum beater with no moral sense whatsoever. It makes that old case for free speech versus hatred spilling into the streets. Sam gets involved again, much to her husband's utter shock. Very good episode as the series winds to a halt.

Well done to the writer for putting together something like this where OUR WW2 heroes arent yet home and some radical is calling for the cold blooded murder of ever Jew and foreigner living in the UK and elsewhere. Whilst evident from the outset who are the real villains, a cracking good episode has been created for those who enjoy watching the series, which is much missed given todays quality TV isnt in the same league. As always Foyle comes out with all the truths of what is going on, even though the viewer has to guess as to how he managed to get there. Thank You team. Although for me, the idea of a P M in 1946 who wanted to kills jews I find somewhat appaulling in 2021, given how his party has developed in the last 60 years!