Which are the best episodes?

I think we're probably similar in our tastes Mel. I have re-watched quite a few episodes over the last 6 months and been revising my list. A bit obsessive I know!

The top 10 favourites.

1) Deceived By Flight - This one ticks all the boxes. Funny to see Lewis going undercover and I always enjoy the ones where Morse gets personally involved, perhaps none too wisely. It's nice to see his humility at the end having to uncomfortably listen to his own voice being played back to him. The mystery works well, unpredictable right to the end but there are little clues along the way!

2) Dead On Time - first things first, I love the final scene with Lewis as he decides he wants to protect Morse's feelings. Again it's another one of those episodes with a doomed romantic storyline for Morse that works very well.

3) Happy Families - Another episode that creates real pathos for Morse as the brilliant detective is unfairly attacked by the press before he finds himself vindicated - through pure luck! For once Morse doesn't just solve the case, he gets the last laugh too. There is something rather creepy about the whole thing, the culprit is one of the most interesting and the finale nail-biting.

4) Second Time Around - It's always nice to see Morse locking horns with another officer, in this case DCI Dawson and going back over an old case. Lewis starts to question Morse's state of mind. Is he right?

5) The Way Through The Woods - One of the later ones and some similar ideas to STA. Again we see Morse looking back over an old case and locking horns with a fellow detective. The twist this time is that Lewis worked on the original case. The antagonism between the two boils over into something rather more serious this time making one wonder if they can be reconciled.

6) Death Is Now My Neighbour - The thing about this episode is just how creepy Richard Bryers is. It's uncomfortable to see such a usually reassuring presence playing someone so odious. For once it's Lewis who has the necessary inspiration to solve it.

7) Driven To Distraction - What I particularly like here is the complexity of the relationship between Morse and Sergeant Maitland, an expert on crimes against women. The episode raises interesting questions about the ethics of policing, men and cars and sexism.

Honourable mentions to The Silent World Of Nicholas Quinn, Service Of All The Dead and The Last Enemy. I was somewhat underwhelmed by Twilight Of The Gods, Last Bus To Woodstock who's denouement seemed made up on the spare of the moment, The Wolvercote Tongue and The Settling Of The Sun which didn't seem much like a Morse episode at all. So I make that 10 good episodes, 3 so-so ones and one bad. I don't see the series as dated at all.

Still looking to catch up with The Daughters Of Cain, The Dead Of Jericho, Promised Land and Last Seen Wearing.