Lewis Generation of Vipers (2006–2015) watch online HD

When an Oxford professor is found dead with a bottle of vodka and an empty pill bottle nearby it is initially assumed she killed herself following the publication online of an embarrassing video; Lewis isn't so sure though. A few suspects quickly arise; a property developer who wanted to build on college land that she objected to; the man she had met through a dating site; the man who ran the site the embarrassing video was posted on and the man who originally uploaded it. None of them are particularly nice characters and they had motives; the only problem is they can't be certain it was murder. That does become clear however when there is a second death; this time there is no doubt that it was murder and the victim had been asked to look something up for Hathaway shortly before her death.

This was another enjoyable episode which began with an amusing prologue that saw Lewis and Hathaway become local celebrities after they were filmed arresting a cannabis producer; later they experience the other side of fame when the owner of an disreputable internet site posts personal information about them on line along with an accusation of harassment. The case itself was interesting with a good number of suspects; all of them plausible and as new information turned up the suspicion switched between then until the killer was revealed to be… somebody I'd not suspected at all! The clues were there though. Once again the series does fall into one cliché though; when a main character starts to like somebody they will end up dead or guilty; I won't spoil things by saying which it was though!

While I like the Inspector Morse mysteries and expect to re-watch them, I prefer the Inspector Lewis series perhaps because Lewis is not as chronically melancholy or so blatantly intelligent. Lewis and Hathaway are a top-notch team and nicely complement one another. In this episode, a 39-year-old English literature professor is found dead – but was it suicide or was it murder? It appears to be suicide – the professor had just been humiliated when a video she had done for a lonely hearts web site was posted on a scurrilous website and circulated among her students. When there is a second murder, it seems certain that the professor was also murdered. For a woman who seemingly led a quiet life, there are suspects galore. Lewis and Hathaway sort it all out. This episode is an especially good one with good detection, a motive that made sense although still deplorable and an overall sadness that is epitomized by the quotation "Of all the sad words of tongue and pen are these – it might have been." It is also very refreshing that Lewis, after so many years as a cop has not become an incorrigible cynic and can become indignant over mean spiritedness.

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.

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.

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

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

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.