Inspector Morse: The Infernal Serpent Set

Fans of this award-winning British detective series will be giddy. And those new to the cerebral inspector, memorably played by John Thaw, are in for a rare treat. Morse?s rumpled, seemingly distracted demeanor makes this Oxford-educated gumshoe an original.

Includes the episodes:
The Infernal Serpent
The Sins of the Fathers
Driven to Distraction
Masonic Mysteries
Second Time Around
Fat Chance

BAFTA Awards:
Best Drama Series 1991, 1992
John Thaw - Best Actor 1992, 2002
Lew Grade Award for "The Remorseful Day"

Season 4, Episode 1: The Infernal Serpent
Original Air Date: 3 January 1990
Morse and Lewis investigate the death of Dr. Julian Dear, a senior fellow at an Oxford college. Dear suffered a fatal heart attack during what appeared to be a mugging and the attack was witnessed by the College's Master, Matthew Copley-Barnes. Read was to participate in a debate on the evening of his death and Morse starts to wonder if anyone may have known he had a bad heart. Morse soon learns that Copley-Barnes has been receiving hate mail and that the College has large investments in Corby International, a major agricultural/chemical firm. These facts and the interest of a well-known journalist writing an article about the Master leads Morse to a complex cover up of scientific information as well as the discovery of a long-hidden tragedy.

Season 4, Episode 2: The Sins of the Fathers
Original Air Date: 10 January 1990
Trevor Radford, Managing Director of the family's Radford Breweries, is found murdered in the brewery. He had been working late one evening mounting a defense against an unwelcome takeover attempt from a rival brewery. There appear to be some disagreement in the family as to whether they should sell out. His brother Stephen, an entrepreneur in his own right, thought the time had come to rid themselves of a losing proposition but their father would like to maintain the family tradition that now spans 150 years. Morse and Lewis learn that Trevor's wife was having an affair with Stephen, so there is always the possibility that there this is a crime of passion rather than greed.They also learn of a long ago claim against the business' assets.

Season 4, Episode 3: Driven to Distraction
Original Air Date: 17 January 1990
Morse and Lewis investigate the death of Jackie Thorn who was found bound and stabbed in her flat. The murder is a carbon copy of one that occurred 27 days previously and they assume both were committed by the same man. The team is joined by Sgt. Siobhan Maitland, a expert in crimes against women. In the course of the investigation, they find that both women had purchased their cars from the same dealer and Morse becomes convinced that the owner, Jeremy Boynton, is the culprit. When they find a third assault victim who survived an attack some 5 years previously, Morse is more convinced than ever. The only thing now is that Morse needs evidence, provided he has the right man of course.

Season 4, Episode 4: Masonic Mysteries
Original Air Date: 24 January 1990
Morse finds himself the subject of a murder investigation when his friend, Beryl Newsome, is murdered at a rehearsal of the Magic Flute and he foolishly touches the murder weapon. Morse is suspended and DCI Bottomley, with DS Lewis assisting him, is put in charge of the case. Morse feels that he was set-up and looks to his past to see who, among the many criminals he arrested, might now be setting about seeking revenge. When someone scratches masonic symbols all over his car and he is reported for erratic driving, Morse wonders if Masons may somehow be involved. When a large number of his personal items are found in Beryl's apartment, Morse is placed under arrest.

Season 5, Episode 1: Second Time Around
Original Air Date: 20 February 1991
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Charlie Hillian is killed the night of his retirement party. Hillian was at one time a senior officer in Oxford and was in fact Morse's boss. He was also writing a book about his most memorable cases, including one about the unsolved death of an 8 year-old girl some 18 years. The suspect in that case, Frederick Redpath, was at Hillian's house the day he died and that chapter from the manuscript is missing. There are other suspects however, including Hillian's ghost writer who will now receive all of the book's royalties; a handyman who was working on the property; and Redpath's daughter, who knew the little girl who was killed all those years before. Morse comes into conflict with with a colleague DCI Dawson, who was one of Hilliard's protégés, as they again look into the little girl's death.

Season 5, Episode 2: Fat Chance
Original Air Date: 27 February 1991
Victoria Haslett is a brilliant student who aspired to the priesthood in the Anglican Church. When she collapses and dies during an exam, the post-mortem reveals that she was likely poisoned, but the pathologist can't quite identify one of the substances found in her system. Victoria was a member of a group that advocated women priests and ran a shelter for women who required assistance in their life. Several members of the group feel that an anti-womens' group led by the Reverend Geoffrey Boyd is responsible, but there is little evidence. There is a link to a nearby weight loss clinic. Morse is quite attracted to one of the women in the group but is taken aback when he learns she lied to him about her whereabouts the night before Victoria died.