This British Crime Drama has been voted the best of all time
Inspector Morse has been crowned the greatest British crime drama of all time in a new poll.
The much-loved series starring the late John Thaw – which finished its original run almost two decades ago on ITV – beat off tough competition from hit shows Line of Duty and Sarah Lancashire’s Happy Valley, in the survey conducted by Radio Times.
Kevin Whately, who played loyal sidekick Sergeant Lewis to Thaw’s Morse, said its central character’s misadventures and flawed nature appealed to viewers of the show
"What viewers love is the fact that Morse isn't your usual hero. He's lonely, boozy, angry, but very bright. And he’s a match for all those supercilious Oxford brains," Whately told the publication.
Inspector Morse's prequel series Endeavour placed fourth in the top 20, with Thaw's daughter Abigail – who is currently filming the sixth series – adding: "When my dad was here in Oxford shooting Inspector Morse, he could never have imagined that the character would still be so popular 30 years later.
"In fact, even at the time, I don't think he realised it had grabbed people in the way it did - he was just getting on with the job.
"What he was very aware of, though, was that it wasn’t your run-of-the-mill formula. There was concern in those early days and everyone was curious to see whether it would take off. The plots are often so complex that you almost need a degree to untangle them.
"And there were fewer ad breaks in those days, so it was a big demand on the viewer to keep them interested for two hours."
Foyle’s War, and Line of Duty placed second and third, with Happy Valley in at number five. David Tennant and Olivia Colman’s Broadchurch and the long-running Midsomer Murders also made the list.
Here's the top 20 as follows…
1. Inspector Morse (1987-2000)
2. Foyle’s War (2002-15)
3. Line of Duty (2012-)
4. Endeavour (2012)
5. Happy Valley (2014-)
6. Vera (2011-)
7. Miss Marple (1984-1992)
8. Agatha Christie’s Poirot (1989-2013)
9. Shetland (2013-)
10. A Touch of Frost (1992-2010)
11. Midsomer Murders (1997-)
12. Lewis (2006-2015)
13. Prime Suspect (1991-2006)
14. New Tricks (2003-2015)
15. Broadchurch (2013-17)
16. Inspector George Gently (2006-17)
17. Life on Mars (2006-7)
18. Scott & Bailey (2011-16)
19. Taggart (1985-2010)
20. Strike (2017-)
You Might Also Like
