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Magpie
Elvenhome
Oct 5 2009, 3:24am
Post #1 of 15
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Masterpiece (Theater) episode references the Inklings
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Tonight's Masterpiece (nee Masterpiece Theater) show was Inspector Lewis, Series II: Allegory of Love which heavily referenced Tolkien, Lewis and the Inklings.
The webpage for it is here: http://www.pbs.org/.../allegoryoflove.html
At the moment, if you click 'Watch Online', you get last weeks program so I expect this one will become available tomorrow.
I was working while watching so I didn't catch it all. I think my station will rerun it later tonight so I might tape it.
For anyone considering watching, I will say that I don't think they're entirely sympathetic to fantasy in general and the resolution of the mystery is adult in nature. It's not extreme in it's content but I wouldn't let young children watch it without screening it first.
LOTR soundtrack website
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Eowyn of Penns Woods
Doriath
Oct 5 2009, 4:28am
Post #2 of 15
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that I enjoyed the jabs at Lewis and Narnia, and am glad that he really seemed to be the main target. (I have a low opinion of the man and his writing.)
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Woodyend
Mithlond
Oct 5 2009, 6:04pm
Post #3 of 15
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They did show the Eagle and Child Pub which was neat.
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They also showed the interior of the pub. If I ever make it back over, I will have to stop by for a drink.
May your beer be laid under an enchantment of surpassing excellence for seven years!
~~~~~~~~Gandalf~~~~~~~
Listen. Strange women lying in ponds, distributing swords, is no basis for a system of government. Supreme executive power derives from a mandate from the masses, not from some farcical aquatic ceremony!
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smniam
Lindon
Oct 5 2009, 8:48pm
Post #4 of 15
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For anyone considering watching, I will say that I don't think they're entirely sympathetic to fantasy in general...
Though I found it was only the obnoxious characters that were really harsh on Tolkien/Lewis, though I'd have to watch it again to be sure.
The one thing that really bothered me was just the concept of "The New Inklings" *shudders*. I can totally understand why people would want to set that up, but there are some things that should be left as history imo.
"If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world." - Thorin
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Magpie
Elvenhome
Oct 5 2009, 11:16pm
Post #5 of 15
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They ended with a quote supposedly from the Inklings
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....that reiterated the 'anti fantasy' theme of the whole show.
It's kind of standard for shows to take a genre of interest and make it way more controversial than it really is to create a good story. It is a murder mystery, after all. They got to have treachery, jealousy, intrigue and, ultimately, murder.
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(This post was edited by Magpie on Oct 5 2009, 11:16pm)
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Woodyend
Mithlond
Oct 5 2009, 11:19pm
Post #6 of 15
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about who knocked the red head over the head and why. Any ideas?
May your beer be laid under an enchantment of surpassing excellence for seven years!
~~~~~~~~Gandalf~~~~~~~
Listen. Strange women lying in ponds, distributing swords, is no basis for a system of government. Supreme executive power derives from a mandate from the masses, not from some farcical aquatic ceremony!
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Nimloth
Menegroth
Oct 6 2009, 4:04am
Post #8 of 15
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I was there a couple of weeks ago
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I was over in the UK on holiday and spent a couple of days in Oxford, a lovely place. We called into the Eagle and Child for a drink and I realised I just missed celebrating Bilbo and Frodo's birthday by one day  . The barman ousted some poor staff member having his dinner in the Rabbit Room so "the lady can sit in Tolkien's seat"  . I'm glad we popped in.
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Idril Celebrindal
Dor-Lomin
Oct 6 2009, 2:44pm
Post #9 of 15
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... the foster-mom, who'd broken in to steal the box.
With caffeine, all things are possible.
The pity of Bilbo will screw up the fate of many.
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Mark Sommer
Ossiriand
Oct 6 2009, 5:50pm
Post #10 of 15
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I had heard that quote before, but I don't know if the story is true. A cleaner version of the quote is attributed to Hugo Dyson. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/tolkien_read-along/message/2308
Mark Sommer
Hollywood Jesus The Hobbit Whole
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Asclepias
Ossiriand
Oct 6 2009, 9:31pm
Post #12 of 15
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The part about the Inklings, that is. I did not get to see the resolution of the case because I was tired, so I went to bed instead.
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Lily Fairbairn
Gondolin
Oct 7 2009, 3:06pm
Post #13 of 15
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I finally saw this episode last night
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I was out of town on Sunday, and recorded it, and watched it last night -- after reading about it both here and on a mystery readers' discussion group.
Someone on that group didn't care for the fantasy theme, saying she didn't like "pseudo-medieval Tolkienesque" fantasy. Well, I don't like TolkienESQUE fantasy, I like Tolkien. As far as I'm concerned, he did the definitive version of that genre and there are no others! Which is no doubt why I cringed at the fantasy aspects of the Inspector Lewis mystery, the reading from the novel, the fantasy standees at the book launch, the fans in fake ears, etc.
The plot was not kind to fantasy fans. It completely missed out on the point of Tolkien's own "On Fairy Stories", especially when the motive for the murder turned out to be so, well, twisted. But perhaps I'm reading more into the writing here than the writers intended.
I very much enjoyed seeing the Eagle and Child, and I knew what Hathaway was going to say at the end of the episode before he said it -- and very apt it was, too. 
I have to ask: Is there actually a sword from the Narnia series at Oxford? Was that a prop from the movies or something that C. S. Lewis himself had, or was it entirely invention on the part of the scriptwriters? Either way, talk about heavy-handed allegory!!! And I didn't understand the Muslim theme -- it seemed irrelevant.
I have enjoyed the Lewis series -- he and Hathaway make a great pair -- but it seems as though the scriptwriters are working their way methodically through various Oxford institutions, mining them for plots. (Next week's episode revolves around Shakespeare.) And why is it that every time poor Lewis takes a shine to a woman, she turns out to be involved in his case? But I suppose this always happened to his predecessor Morse, too.
My analyzing plots is an occupational hazard, I'm afraid. 
* * * * * * *
Do we walk in legends or on the green earth in the daylight?
A man may do both. For not we but those who come after will make the legends of our time. The green earth, say you? That is a mighty matter of legend, though you tread it under the light of day!
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smniam
Lindon
Oct 7 2009, 7:47pm
Post #14 of 15
(518 views)
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... the Muslim theme was just a big ol' red-herring, with no other purpose really.
And while I didn't have a problem with the depiction of fantasy fans in the episode, I agree with you. Besides Tolkien, there's only one other fantasy book that I've truly enjoyed. I used to love the genre when I was younger, and then I realized how horribly formulaic it was.
...but it seems as though the scriptwriters are working their way methodically through various Oxford institutions, mining them for plots. It does seem a bit cheesy, but imho they've come up with some really engaging stories, so I forgive 'em!
And Lewis's luck with women? From what I've seen it's a common mystery cliché. Would be nice to see someone break it for a change, but I don't expect anyone to. Actually one of the things that's kind of endeared me to this series was the episode that dealed with Hathaway's past. Not only was it one of the best episode's I've seen, but for once a mystery show's actually delved into a sergeant's past! instead of leaving them fairly two-dimensional.
My analyzing plots is an occupational hazard, I'm afraid. Heh, that's fine. I can get much worse when the mood takes me (which is too often for friends and loved ones), and I don't have an excuse!
"If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world." - Thorin
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N.E. Brigand
Gondolin
Oct 11 2009, 3:39am
Post #15 of 15
(522 views)
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The episode title, "Allegory of Love"
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...is the title of one of Lewis's scholarly books, by the way. (I don't know if that was referenced in the episode; I only saw a few minutes of it.)
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