User Reviews

Generation of Vipers is a quality Lewis episode, at the time it was a very modern, stylised episode, the internet generation at work, amidst the history of traditional Oxford. A story very relevant today, the advent of fake news at work throughout this episode. It features some very strong male performances, Lewis always tended to have strong female leads throughout, but here the episode is dominated by Toby Stephens, Daniel Lapaine, and I think fair to say by regular Laurence Fox.

It's a good storyline, full of twists and turns, a good old fashioned whodunit, just when you think you've solved this one, something happens to change your direction. Some nice touches of humour, especially in the opening sequences, but overall, this is a very good episode. 8/10

The episode begins with our guys getting accolades for capturing a man who has a marijuana farm worth millions. It isn't long before they are confronting other types of attention on the internet. Lewis gets a quick lesson in how powerful these sites can be when used to manipulate public thought. I am writing in 2018 and the world is entrenched in the invasion of elections by foreign powers. The wonders of the internet (which I am using right now) are marvelous, but like just about everything, this may be the destruction of everything we know. What we need is an educated society that knows that everything that is put in print is not fact, but we are a long way from any of that. This episode focuses on the apparent suicide of a feminist professor. We know there is more to it than that because Lewis and Hathaway suspect more. What happens is a whole range of abuses by people who feel empowerment. One in particular whom we grow to despise as this episode moves on. But ultimately it is fundamental human emotions that play the biggest role. I thought this was quite well done, but some of its implications are frightening.

We are great fans of Lewis in our house, thankfully freeview showed Series 6 over Christmas 2020, one we hadnt seen for a while. The Characters (excluding Police) are all well acted and all in their own way quite vile. these are folk who believe the police to be inferior members of humanity. The music is as good as always, the casting-quite well done as everyone fits. Jason Durr appears as a "new police face" in Oxford. Plus you have the 4 regulars all doing their best to create the right atmosphere for this particular episode.....Was it murder or was it not? rather than me spoil it for you, watch and find out how Lewis and Hathaway get the solution to this question and the "vile" get their just desserts. Great Television! to the "writer"....thank you, wonderful episode except for the fact that our "vile" elements of society today seem equally to believe you can treat the Police in the same manner as all these characters do within this particular excellent episode

A renowned professor is found dead. She came to fame in the 1990s by publishing a book on why women don't need men but now her dating site video has somehow found its way onto a gossip site. Most indications, including Dr Hobson's analysis, point to suicide but Lewis is not convinced.

The best Lewis episodes have interesting sub-plots involving characters and their relationships, making for an engaging story. This has such a sub-plot and its ultimately quite engaging, emotional and thought-provoking. There's also a sub-plot involving a new DI who seems to hit it off with Dr Hobson, causing Lewis some degree of angst and jealousy and providing some levity to proceedings.

As far as the main plot - the death - goes it is one of the better ones in the Lewis series. Initially it's not even necessarily a murder. Furthermore, it's not one where the motive and perpetrator are left-field and are revealed in an out-of-the blue development in the last 10 minutes. The plot develops at a nice pace and the ultimate backstory isn't unnecessarily complex or contrived.

The episode also covers some interesting themes, all of which are even more relevant today than they were in 2012: privacy, especially online privacy, online trolling and generally the problem of balancing freedom of speech and expression and freedom from harassment that the internet presents.

Excellent episode.

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.

'Lewis' was a show that started off promisingly with the pilot and the first season, while getting even better with a more settled Season 2 where the show hit its stride. Season 3 was more of a mixed bag (not a bad season at all, but started a little disappointingly, though better than reputed, with one of the show's generally lesser episodes "Allegory of Love"). Season 4 generally was one of the better seasons of 'Lewis', with all the episodes very good to great, and Season 5 was solid with the only disappointment being "The Mind Has Mountains".

Season 6 started off very well with "The Soul of Genius". This episode "Generation of Vipers" is even better, to me an extremely good episode and one of the better ones of the series. Usually don't reference specific reviews, being not really meant to here (but that doesn't stop users doing it all the time), but personally am in complete agreement with those objecting to the biased ridiculousness of the negative review that clearly missed the point of the episode's subject matter and the title.

What was particularly good about "Generation of Vipers" was how it handled an important and very much relevant subject about the dangers of technology and social media being misused and such. Not a new idea but "Generation of Vipers" was an example of exploring it in a way that was sensitive, nuanced, complex and not black and white or one-sided. The subject or other important and relevant subjects can be portrayed in a heavy-handed way in film, television and any kind of media, not so here.

To me, the perpetrator of the murderer was not quite as surprising as other episodes of the show, wasn't floored as such, though there are also far more obvious ones too in 'Lewis'. The motive is plausible and the final solution is not convoluted or far-fetched, as enjoyable as 'Lewis' is it is no stranger to endings that don't quite come off.

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. 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. Clare Holman adds a lot, and Innocent has been better written over time. The supporting cast are all strong and believable with engaging and pleasingly eccentric if not exactly likable characters, even if there are episodes with more outstanding acting turns.

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 mostly and the story is gripping with enough twists and turns to keep one guessing until all is revealed.

In summary, extremely good. 9/10 Bethany Cox

A rare British detective mystery that was quite interesting all the way through without a boring buildup leading to the first murder that most have. Also the in and out characters were very unique mostly unlikable which is integral to a quality story.

The introduction of Jason Durr as generic DI Alan Peterson was a bit of a head scratcher that added nothing. Hope he's one and done. The series is on an outstanding roll with mostly excellently written episodes.

All three in and out arrogant despicable male characters were reduced to quivering jelly which was welcome seeing them busted down to size.

The ending though decent and plausible was a touch blase lacking the excitement of many higher rated episodes. Extended screentime for Clare Holman as Dr. Laura Hobson which is always a plus. A low-key toupee for Kevin Whately appears to be settled on.

A solid episode that was a fun view just not one of the series' best. Romance hanging in limbo of Lewis and Dr Laura needs some definition. The possible couple teasing is getting repetitive and feels like a rubber stamp obligatory add-on.

I will deal with the ridiculous review that seemed to suggest that this episode was anti-internet, it wasn't. It was anti-abuse something as a liberal I agree with. The episode in no way was an attack on the internet, nor an attack on dating sites. The title refers not to the internet or those who use it but is a line from a Shakespearean play about love being a generation of vipers and that love can move people to rash actions. Rather than simply base a review on an extremely biased interpretation of a few moments, why not try watching the whole episode, without an axe to grind? I think you will see how silly you have been on this.

As for the episode itself it is a very good and well acted episode about love and how far people will go to win an argument or to get revenge. Not the best of episodes for the series but an extremely good one nonetheless.

My views on the INSPECTOR LEWIS have settled into the "its pretensions are unequal to its delivery," "great cast often wasted" and "American-style formulaic and somewhat tired semi- cozy show" sort of response. It is usually a harmless experience, unless bard writing and smug cynicism start to bother the viewer.

However, the review of the rather crazed person who saw a fascist frame of mind in 2012 was disturbing, and even though an apt comment already has been posted by a reviewer, one more reaction may be worth recording. It is one thing for many viewers of this show to be satisfied at the pretty surface without noticing the many missed opportunities involved. It is quite another matter for someone to misread and misunderstand the plot, the theme, and the entire point of the episode, and to pompously prattle about it as if the person were protecting the free world.

Misuse of technology IS a problem that increasingly affects us all. The episode is an improvement over other episodes because it intelligently addresses it, refusing a black-and- white take and presenting a nuanced and complex assessment, while almost avoiding its usual lazy character-and-weepy-music approach to pressing its conclusions.

As for the lunacy of the other review, even the nonplussed need not accuse the person of misuse of technology in spouting it. Misuse of human intelligence is another matter.