Foyle's War (TV Series) The Eternity Ring (2013) User Reviews

The war against Germany may be over but the Cold War is just beginning

[Tweekums · 9/10 · 24 March 2013]

When the previous series of 'Foyle's War' came to an end it looked as if that was the last we'd seen of DCS Foyle and his trusty driver Sam as the Second World War had come to an end; thankfully after three years the creators have brought them back and thrown them into cold war intrigue. It is now 1946 and Foyle has just returned from the United States, where it is clear he upset the locals; back in England he finds himself approached by MI5 to investigate an apparent Soviet spy ring that has been exposed by a recent defector. An ex DCS from Hastings may seem an unlikely person to ask to run such a case but it turns out Foyle's ex-driver Sam is now working for a scientist and had been photographed handing an envelope to a Russian. Foyle is certain that Sam is not a communist or a traitor and is sure that if he takes the case he will prove that. In secondary plot strands Sam's husband is hoping to be selected to stand in an upcoming by-election and a former colleague of Foyle has returned from the war and discovered that everything has changed while he was in a Japanese POW camp and it may not be possible to return to the police force.

Having enjoyed the previous series I looked forward to seeing how things would change now that the war was over… even if I was a little wary. I must say I really enjoyed this reintroduction although the cold war setting gave it a different feel; this was very much set in the murky world of espionage where few people can be trusted to tell the truth. It did not come as much of a surprise when Sam's innocence was proved although the initial suspicions did provide a nice opportunity to get Foyle and her working together again. The Post-War London depicted had a fairly sinister fell with lots of narrow alleyways where unpleasant things could happen… and sometimes did. Michael Kitchen and Honeysuckle Weeks do fine jobs as Foyle and Sam which makes one believe in their somewhat unlikely professional partnership… Sam may have been his driver but she was always involved in solving cases. The rest of the cast also did a fine job. Foyle's job and the setting may have changed but I think fans of the series will find this well worth watching; I know I did and I look forward to future episodes.

Cold war reality.

[patlightfoot · 8/10 · 3 June 2015]

I am a great fan of Foyle's War and own some of the DVDs. This first series will put Foyle into a situation which can be viewed as almost unbearably devious and one doesn't know who are the real traitors within MI5 - MI6. I lived in London as from 1944 until the VIs and V2s started raining on Sth London and we, my mother and I went back to my grandfather's home in Liverpool until the end of the war. I remember the rationing very well, and I can assure you that London was bombed badly, and bomb sites still apparent everywhere.

Most people were not aware of the activities of spies or MI5 or MI6. Nor the political post war social scenes. Now we know what was going on with the Burgess and MacClane sagas etc., The Imitation Game, Russian defectors etc. The development of the atom bomb by the Russians. The Iron Curtain and division of West and East Berlin. However it is nice to have Honeysuckle Weeks back doing her thing again and Foyle still holding onto his integrity. You'll enjoy the second series too.

The World Under Siege

[Hitchcoc · 8/10 · 23 September 2016]

This is a very good episode that involves the development of nuclear weapons. The story begins, as we find out later, in New Mexico, as the U.S. tests an atomic bomb. Scientists are there to watch the explosion and immediately become aware of the incredible power. Foyle now becomes entrenched in the case of the possibility of theft of fissionable material and the misuse of power. We are made aware of a numerous factions which may put their mark on things. Of course, the Russians are at the root of everything, but with espionage, there are so many gray areas, especially when it comes loyalty. In other issues, we find that Sam and her husband are embarking on a political career for him. She tries to help and it causes her great distress. We are again reminded as well that the end of the war did not make it nice for everyone.

A real classic.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 10/10 · 9 April 2020]

The first episode in this magical series, and it's a classic, The Eternity Ring is definitely one of the best episodes of Foyle's War, were they expecting it not to have lasted so long? Fair play to the team involved they managed to reinvent the show, take it in a new direction, but still managed to keep the core essence of the show.

Foyle is now part of something very different, national intelligence, he's still investigating crime, but the crimes are very different. They took a chance by changing the show dramatically, but it worked incredibly well.

Terrific production values here, it looks incredible, I love the clothes and cars, the buildings etc, but the streets look amazing.

I love the new regulars, particularly Hilda Pearce, Haddington is just wonderful here. Kitchen I would say is also at his very best.

A new direction, one that worked incredibly well, this is a superb episode. 10/10.

See what the next one's like.

[jeanwinchester · 24 March 2013]

I'm a fan. No question. I have the DVD package. Therefore, I was thrilled when I heard about this new series. With coffee and chocolate, I sat in anticipation, luckily after I had recorded it. I was certainly not disappointed with the continuity of style and pace, although I was slightly disheartened that the introductory music had been changed. With hindsight, I can see that was a prophecy of what was to come. I can easily gloss over the fact that the actors were all as good as in any other series. No more need be said there. The same applies to production and lighting. Thank you to those good people. Moreover, the setting of 1946 was not pushed at the viewer. Which is more than could be said for the occasional exposition. Something which has affected the series from the beginning. But it is no trouble to gloss over that small point. Much of the dialogue was superb, and as an aside, showed how difficult and emotional home life could have been for a returning soldier. Solid acting all round. Quite believable. We were forced into interpretation concerning, Sam Wainwright wasn't we? And that last shot of Ellie Haddington? What an evil face. However, we descend into the negative. Four times I was forced to 'rewind' the program for I did not understand what the actors were saying. Either the sound engineers were at fault or clear enunciation has fallen out of favour with actors. This includes, Michael Kitchen and Ellie Haddington. Not being the most cerebral person in the world, I did not understand the plot. Give me an old fashioned murder of a grocer any day. But I was sufficiently clued in to recognise the huge coincidence in the plot-line concerning the son. As a writer myself, I believe Anthony Horowitz may have been a little bit tired when he came up with that. But, I look forward to next Sunday. I will record it of course.

The very best of Foyle

[mikemikeparker · 10/10 · 23 August 2019]

A great plot, with great dialogue and fantastic acting. Kitchen is at his best and the plot is a delight.

Foyle's War - The Eternity Ring (#8.1)

[david-p-handley · 9/10 · 3 May 2013]

I thoroughly enjoyed this new episode of the new series of Foyle's War and the attention to detail at the then time was very good except for one important detail. In this episode to make it look like 1945/6 London a red London double decker bus was seen to be moving about. This bus was not an RT but a Route Master which did not enter service until 1956/7 at the earliest and so this lack of attention to detail was pure slap-dash haste. The characters were played to perfection by the various actors and actresses. The prefabs were very good but i did not see any gardens attached to them. I say this in as much that my maternal grandparents had an asbestos built prefab in Ramsgate, Kent just after the war which was part of an estate of prefabs at Summerfield Gardens and which were still there until the early 1970's before being torn down to make way for brick built housing - they all had gardens front and back. My parents moved from a flat to a Canadian/American style wooden board built prefab in 1955 on Ramsgate's Newington Estate and they had front and rear gardens but were replaced with brick built housing in the late 1960's. So i wonder why there were no gardens shown or even boundary fences between the prefabs.

Foyle's War Progression

[paul-743-899114 · 8/10 · 15 August 2014]

I thought that the wartime episodes could be a bit boring: series 8 has more appeal for me because it has entered Le Carre territory.

The 3 episodes were not enough, making me ache for next year's 3. There are now lots of chances for the writer to expand. The Cold War lasted longer and was more intriguing than WWII.

John Mahoney is a welcome addition to the cast for series 9 - an underrated actor if ever there was one.

Michael Kitchen has always been a great character actor but I wish he would stop that twitching of his left cheek: it's almost as irritating as Roger Moore's eyebrow.

Foyle just keeps getting better and better

[CitizenCairParavel · 10/10 · 10 August 2020]

I'm loving this cold war stuff. Very tense unlike the episodes during WW2 which I also liked -- a LOT!

Didn't thoroughly enjoy

[telltime · 6/10 · 15 September 2013]

I just saw the first episode of Season 8 tonight and I can't say that I enjoyed it as much as episodes of past seasons. I'm hopeful the next two episodes improve.

I found myself lost in tonight's episode several times... Foyle didn't seem as much of "leading" as he did "following" and investigation. And I didn't like the lack of closure on the story behind the a returning Sergeant... even if it's "realistic," then the closure on the other stories made this ones lack of closure empty.

Also, there was, at times, shaky camera work that I found more a distraction... it seems to be a "popular" filming technique these days, especially in a chase scene, but I've never appreciated it and have loved that past episodes of Foyle's War didn't employ it.

I can't say that I hated it, but I do hope the other two episodes for this season are better.

The Eternity Ring

[Prismark10 · 6/10 · 10 August 2019]

Writer Anthony Horowitz has gone all John Le Carre and retooled Foyle's War now that the war has ended.

After returning from the USA. Foyle is approached by the MI5, now staffed by many Special Operations Executives including Hilda Pierce a person Foyle has come across previously.

The episode begins with some nuclear testing out in the western desert in America. In this atomic post World War 2 age. MI5 suspect that a Soviet spy ring is operating in Britain and his ex driver Sam might be involved somehow.

This is the reel that hooks Foyle. He reluctantly accepts to clear Sam.

Sam meanwhile is a driver for a renowned anti communist scientist and her husband plans to be selected as a Labour candidate in a by election.

Foyle also comes across an ex colleague who has returned from the war and finds that life has moved on without him. His wife now works, his son has grown up and there is no job waiting for him in the city police force.

The pacing of this story is really slow, it does thankfully come together at the end. It is however a greatest hits compilation of a lots of other espionage stories in print and film. Even the story of the returning soldier with no prospects, I can think of James Cagney in The Roaring Twenties being in a similar predicament.

Cold War Foyle

[wjspears · 4/10 · 15 March 2021]

I was not very happy with this episode. As a general principle, I don't like spy stories where we, as the viewers have no idea what is going on for 90% of the show.

I actually like spy stories that have a human element to them that grounds us to the action. In this series it should be Foyle, and maybe it will be going forward. But in this episode though, Foyle is as much at sea as the viewer is, and that does not make for a gripping spy story, in my view.

The subplot about the returned veteran, Frank Shaw, and the disrespect he suffered in the police job interview, felt both derivative to previous episodes, and unconvincing on the merits. What kind of police captain would be so needlessly cruel, to a veteran who had been a POW for 6 years? And why would Shaw not go to an obviously still influential Foyle to, at least, report the jerk?

MAJOR SPOILER

Finally, and most importantly. What looks, to me, like a major plot hole.

When Foyle is talking to Hilda Pierce about the mysterious death of spy Marc Vlessing, PIerce says that she had nothing to do with Vlessing's death in the hospital. Pierce's off-the-cuff comment is that spies have many enemies. Since Hilda Pierce is to be a future star on the show, I presume that we viewers are supposed to believe her.

When we viewers watch the scene, however, directly after the two guards have left their post, the assassin comes immediately to kill Vlessing. Pierce mentions to Foyle that the two guards have been discharged from duty, permanently

Are we supposed to believe that these guards had nothing to do with the murder? Michael Corleone in The Godfather didn't believe such dereliction of duty could be coincidental. Why should we?

The acting was decent. But again, when a plot is so confusing, I find it hard to judge how good the acting is.

Foyle and The Eternity Ring

[TheLittleSongbird · 7/10 · 7 November 2017]

Loved 'Foyle's War' and was immediately hooked when first getting into it. Love it even more now, on re-watches things that didn't quite make sense at first are clearer and things that were not noticed or appreciated before are and much admired. Everything that came over as brilliant on first viewings still are brilliant on re-watches.

After a three year absence, 'Foyle's War' returned after initially being cancelled. The first episode since the revival "The Eternity Ring" has enough good things to make it worth watching, but it is a long way from being one of the best episodes. For the start of the series' return it's hard not to feel disappointed somewhat and already gives the impression that the series should have ended after "The Hide" (a fine episode and by far the best episode of that respective season) as initially intended.

"The Eternity Ring" does to me have flaws that are pretty unusual for 'Foyle's War'. It is one of the few episodes to have issues with pacing, parts did feel rushed which was quite a change after the deliberately "slow" pace of the previous episodes that was perfect for a series with complex story lines with a lot going on. This does affect the story-telling, which is compelling enough and has some clever turns and interesting characters but it is not the clearest of plots, some parts do confuse.

While the period detail is absolutely splendid and very evocative, some of the photography is unfocused and chaotic, very uncharacteristic for 'Foyle's War' where the episodes are shot beautifully.

However, the rest of the production values are high. with beautiful costumes, the evocative way the characters are made up, the look of the houses and cars, pretty locations and authentic-looking scenery. The music is in keeping with the mood and doesn't overpower the drama while still making an impact.

Writing is intelligent, sophisticated and thought-provoking and while the story could have been much better told it still maintains interest. One thing that wasn't picked up by me but now is and admired hugely is the tackling of what was seen as truths but some really misconceptions and seeing British during and after the war in a new light. This was a bold move and dealt with a lot of honesty and tact. The character tensions were also handled very well and added a lot of intrigue.

Michael Kitchen is truly superb as Foyle, subtle, intensely determined, commanding and above all human. One of the most interesting television detectives there's ever been and Kitchen has rarely been better. Honeysuckle Weeks is charming and loyal, while the reintroduction of Hilda and the introduction of Arthur are done well.

Nicholas Jones, Kate Duchene, Joe Duttine and Stephen Boxer give strong supporting performances.

Overall, decent but really not such a wonderful series at its best. 7/10 Bethany Cox

Typical espionage

[renkelwork · 7/10 · 26 June 2023]

I think that this episode is worse than others. What make Foyle's war special is a moral associated to each story.

Examples: 1. People had fought for the piece in the WWI, many had died, but nothing changed, and they need to fight again.

2. Germans are bad only because they are Germans. Italians are bad only because they are Italians.

3. While some people dire, others do money out of deaths.

What sets Foyle apart is his super-strong moral compass. If a person murdered another person he is a murderer. It doesn't matter who is another person and why he was killed. The murderer should be convicted.

Now, this episode doesn't have a strong moral story. It is more about espionage that about the moral. The returning solder story is neat but not too strong.

The thing that disappointed me is that Foyle seemed to loose his moral compass. He doesn't object against MI-5 killing a spy. Moreover, they hire him and he agrees. Moreover, he bargains. You defend me, you defend Sam, you help the solder, and I will work for you.

This is such a disappointment!

Should be "Foyle's Cold War"

[biduncan67 · 5/10 · 15 September 2020]

The last two seasons of "Foyle's War" were well produced and well written. They were not titled correctly. This is more like a spin-off that they should have called "Foyle's Cold War."

We lose Sgt. Milner and the funny desk sergeant, Brookie. The indestructible Samantha Stewart married Adam Wainwright, played by a different actor in this series. The show was at its best with Foyle as a regional police detective, coping with an understaffed constabulary during wartime. It had a sense of immediacy, danger, and suspense. We never knew when they might barely survive an air raid, or lose a loved one in combat. They had reason to fear a German invasion from Normandy to Hastings. Precedent existed.

Foyle didn't have the same chemistry with the MI-5 spy network that he did with the villagers and cops in Hastings.

Dublin!

[briangbetts · 6/10 · 5 April 2021]

Dublin is often used as a location for London... it is very annoying because it looks like Dublin and NOT London.

worst episode in one of the best series of all time

[A_Different_Drummer · 1/10 · 14 September 2013]

Lets be crystal. This series is one of the best series of all time, doing what British TV does best, that is, each episode presents a mystery to the viewer against a backdrop of some of the best characterizations you are likely to encounter in your lifetime. What is especially charming about FW, generally, is how you come to identify with the characters, especially Honeysuckle Weeks playing the ever-faithful, ever-cheery driver -- as sort of an extended family, and look forward to spending time with them. Which brings us to this episode. It is wrong on so many levels one hardly knows where to start. The pace is off. Foyle is usually the driver for the action, although doing so in an understated way is part of the delight of watching Kitchen in action. Here the action is chaotic and confusing. Foyle seems to be following not leading. The tone is off. Usually Weeks and Foyle can be counted on to provide the moral backbone, the spirit, for whatever shenanigans are afoot. Here Weeks looks and acts like she just got out of Rehab. Yes, the plot does ultimately explain this, but hobbling a chief character to make a point is rather like handicapping the quarterback in the Rose Bowl. It makes no sense. At the end of the day, one cannot escape the conclusion that the entire episode served no useful purpose other than to set up the final 3 minutes during which Foyle is offered an opportunity to continue to function as he had for the first 7 seasons. Which is ironic, considering that, had the writer not diddled with his character in the first place (a "backstory trip" to America that is only referred to sporadically) they would not have needed this abomination just to bring him back.

Poorly Done

[JohnLeeT · 5/10 · 28 September 2013]

Badly written, confusing, and most of all charmless continuation of the excellent series of happy memory. The atmosphere, superb writing, and interesting detail seems to have been put aside for some reason. While it is lovely to see Foyle back, this is a drab affair and one can only hope that the two remaining entries are able to get in touch with the elements that made Foyle's War such a favorite. Kitchen is still worth watching and it is clever that his character still requires a driver. The program certainly has possibilities and should be given a chance. It is a shame that the original plan for the series to proceed through WWII was bungled by programming executives so the Cold War is now the setting but this could be fascinating if handled right in the future.