Calling all detective drama fans! Foyle’s War, the British period crime drama from Midsomer Murders creator Anthony Horowitz, is coming to Netflix on 22 October, so mark your calendars! The beloved series, which aired for eight seasons between 2002 and 2015, is set against the backdrop of World War Two and follows Detective Chief Superintendent Christopher Foyle, a modest, fedora-wearing widower, who investigates crimes on the Home Front in Hastings. Michael Kitchen leads the cast in the titular role, while Honeysuckle Weeks plays Foyle’s assistant Samantha Stewart.

I devoured Foyle’s War during lockdown and enjoyed every second. Michael Kitchen is brilliant as understated, honest policeman Christopher Foyle, while Honeysuckle Weeks is very watchable as his eager, posh ex-driver Samantha. This excellent crime series is very well written, with plenty of dramatic depth and suspense to make for a thoroughly entertaining watch. Any fans of the period detective genre will love this one. Keep reading to find out more about the show.

Michael Kitchen in 'Foyles War' © ITV/Shutterstock
Michael Kitchen stars in Foyle’s War

What is Foyle’s War about?

Set against the backdrop of World War II, the series centres around DCS Christopher Foyle as he fights crime on the home front. The official Netflix log line reads: “Set during World War II, this crime drama follows police inspector Christopher Foyle, who learns that crooks don’t stop for anything — not even war.”

foyles warThe show comes from Midsomer Murders creator Anthony Horowitz

Who stars in Foyle’s War?

Michael Kitchen (Always and Everyone, The Railway Children) leads the cast as Detective Chief Superintendent Christopher Foyle, alongside Honeysuckle Weeks (Lewis) as Samantha Stewart. They’re joined by Anthony Howell (Fool Me Once, Luther) as DS Paul Milner, Julian Ovenden (Knightfall, Bridgerton) as Andrew Foyle and Ellie Haddington (Motherland, Dickensian) as Hilda Pierce.

What have viewers said about the show?

The series is a firm favourite among viewers, who have hailed the show as one of British TV’s finest dramas. One person wrote on X: “Rewatching #FoylesWar In my opinion the best drama ever on television. I can’t believe #MichaelKitchen never received any awards for his brilliant acting,” while another added: “Bored and out of series I started to watch #FoylesWar – now I’m addicted! Elegant, intelligent,

foyles war© Photo: Rex
Honeysuckle Weeks plays Samantha Stewart, while Anthony Howell portrays DS Paul Milner

Others praised the performances of the two leads, Michael and Honeysuckle, with one fan writing: “Anthony Horowitz hands a brilliant script to Michael Kitchen & Honeysuckle Weeks who nail it every time!” while another remarked: “Michael Kitchen’s performance as Foyle is first-rate and there’s a superb supporting cast too.”