Inspector Morse - 'Fat Chance' (1991)

Intro

A drama by Alma Cullen, based on characters created by Colin Dexter, and first broadcast on 27 February 1991, 8pm (ITV).

Running time: 1 hour and 44 minutes

Overview

When Inspector Morse is called to investigate the suspicious death of a woman deacon at St Saviour's College, he unearths a den of lies, deceit, and prejudice. Meanwhile, a troubled young woman goes missing from the local hostel. Could the events be connected?

Forced to reconsider the motives of those involved, Morse is unsure who to trust - particularly when his assistant, Lewis, reveals that a female cleric, Emma Pickford, has been economical with the truth.

'Fat Chance' is the second episode in the fifth series of Inspector Morse.

Cast

Maurice Denham ... Lance Mandeville

James Grout ... Chief Superintendent Strange

Kenneth Haigh ... Freddy Galt

Peggy Mount ... The Nun

Maggie O'Neill ... Hilary Dobson

John Thaw ... Chief Inspector Morse

Zoë Wanamaker ... Emma Pickford

Kevin Whately ... Detective Sergeant Lewis

David Gant ... Geoffrey Boyd

Julian Gartside ... Desmond Kelly

Caroline Ryder ... Dinah Newberry

Sarah Carpenter ... Victoria Hazlett

Una Brandon-Jones ... Nadine Stacey

Arbel Jones ... Jane Barnes

Nicholas Selby ... Dr Corder

Eileen Dunwoodie ... Mrs Gardam

Kenneth Haigh ... Freddie Galt

Tilly Vosburgh ... Irene Saunders

Crew

Director: Roy Battersby
Producer: David Lascelles
Executive Producer: Ted Childs
Music: Barrington Pheloung

Notes

'Zoë was lovely; she took it very seriously,' remarked the episode's writer, Alma Cullen, about her colleague's approach to filming 'Fat Chance'.

St Saviour's College, with which Zoe's character, Emma Pickford, is associated, is a fictional institution. Scenes set at St Saviour's were actually filmed at New College, University of Oxford.

In 2004, Zoe returned to the university to speak at the well known Oxford Union. Photos of Zoe at the event are available from Rex Features.

A couple of months after 'Fat Chance' was broadcast, Zoe could be seen in a more grisly crime drama, when she played the partner of a suspected murderer in Prime Suspect I.

Merchandise

Inspector Morse - 'Fat Chance' Region 1 DVD

Inspector Morse - 'Fat Chance' and 'Who Killed Harry Field' Region 2 DVD