Several social themes are cleverly woven into "Among the Few", in the highly entertaining Foyle's War, starring the charming Michael Kitchen as Detective Chief Superintendent Christopher Foyle, in Hastings, England. Foyle applies intuitive logic to solving murders, while World War II is consuming all of England's resources. This episode is among the best in the excellent series, because of the realistic human conditions underlying several of the sub-plots. This particular story puts Foyle's driver Samantha "Sam" Stewart (Honeysuckle Weeks) at risk when she volunteers to go underground to help determine how fuel thefts are being heisted from a highly strategic depot. At the same time, Foyle's son, an RAF pilot, is involved by association in the death of a female depot driver, who happens to be the roommate of his sweetheart. But, that's just the plot. "Among the Few" reveals contemporary themes far beyond the situations in the story. As with all the Foyle's War stories, the authentic 1940s sets are as captivating as trying to figure out how the story's untimely death will be solved. I was especially smitten with the RAF scenes and the use of several World War II vintage English fighter planes. Everything about "Among the Few" is well done. This episode is interesting, well directed, expertly acted and a tribute to the sophisticated talent of writer Anthony Horowitz. If you can only watch one episode of Foyle's War, this is one I would recommend, but all episodes are superb.
9 Reviews
Foyle has a lot on his plate in this one.
Sleepin_Dragon20 October 2019
Among the few sees Sam go undercover to investigate oil thefts at a Depot.
Among the few, as with many of the previous episodes, explodes the unsavoury side of the war, crimes that happened, and due to the situation the country was in, go by unnoticed. The theft of oil would have been a major crime, with every drop vital to the war effort.
The start is explosive, quite literally, there's nothing like an explosion, as like in the previous episode, to grab the attention. Andrew and Sam are central in this story, both are fantastic. Many great scenes, the pub brawl was a great moment. Very well acted, Mark Umbers in particular was excellent as the dashing RAF officer, his story was a sad one.
Kitchen as always was incredible as Foyle, there is a lot of talk in the press about the show possibly returning, please let it happen, we need more Foyle. 9/10
Among the few, as with many of the previous episodes, explodes the unsavoury side of the war, crimes that happened, and due to the situation the country was in, go by unnoticed. The theft of oil would have been a major crime, with every drop vital to the war effort.
The start is explosive, quite literally, there's nothing like an explosion, as like in the previous episode, to grab the attention. Andrew and Sam are central in this story, both are fantastic. Many great scenes, the pub brawl was a great moment. Very well acted, Mark Umbers in particular was excellent as the dashing RAF officer, his story was a sad one.
Kitchen as always was incredible as Foyle, there is a lot of talk in the press about the show possibly returning, please let it happen, we need more Foyle. 9/10
Fuel thefts and death at a depot
TheLittleSongbird31 October 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.
"Among the Few" is yet another excellent episode, not quite as good as the previous Season 2 episode "Fifty Ships" but almost. Can understand those saying that the undercover stuff with Sam needs suspension of disbelief, thought so myself when reading the summary and it was at first but got more intriguing and feasible once things became more twisty. My only complaint actually is the ending, which for 'Foyle's War' was a little on the far-fetched side. Like with many 'Foyle's War' episodes, on re-watch there was much more appreciation had for how well established the character development, tone and themes are for so early on and things that didn't quite connect entirely at first made more sense on re-watches.
Have always admired the visual detail that went into 'Foyle's War' and how high quality the production values are, 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, establishing Foyle's personality with so much depth already and providing some tense and heart-tugging moments. The story is complicated, with a lot of strands that requires full attention, but clever and from start to finish intriguing. It paces itself deliberately but with so much going on it's never once dull and the twists and turns that slowly unfold keep coming. Really liked the RAF scenes, the planes, Foyle's intuitive crime-solving, the social themes touched upon and the realistic and honest portrayal of the human conditions.
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 the war in a new light. This was a bold move and dealt with a lot of honesty and tact. The background information is so well researched and is every bit as interesting as the mystery itself. The character tensions were also handled very well and added a lot of intrigue. Andrew is becoming more interesting with every episode.
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, with some nice touches of subtle humour as ever, and Anthony Howell is wonderful, have really admired what the show does with his character. Julian Ovendon is very good as Andrew.
Likewise with the strong supporting cast, with standouts being Christina Cole, Selina Cadell and David Troughton.
In summation, excellent episode. 9/10 Bethany Cox
"Among the Few" is yet another excellent episode, not quite as good as the previous Season 2 episode "Fifty Ships" but almost. Can understand those saying that the undercover stuff with Sam needs suspension of disbelief, thought so myself when reading the summary and it was at first but got more intriguing and feasible once things became more twisty. My only complaint actually is the ending, which for 'Foyle's War' was a little on the far-fetched side. Like with many 'Foyle's War' episodes, on re-watch there was much more appreciation had for how well established the character development, tone and themes are for so early on and things that didn't quite connect entirely at first made more sense on re-watches.
Have always admired the visual detail that went into 'Foyle's War' and how high quality the production values are, 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, establishing Foyle's personality with so much depth already and providing some tense and heart-tugging moments. The story is complicated, with a lot of strands that requires full attention, but clever and from start to finish intriguing. It paces itself deliberately but with so much going on it's never once dull and the twists and turns that slowly unfold keep coming. Really liked the RAF scenes, the planes, Foyle's intuitive crime-solving, the social themes touched upon and the realistic and honest portrayal of the human conditions.
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 the war in a new light. This was a bold move and dealt with a lot of honesty and tact. The background information is so well researched and is every bit as interesting as the mystery itself. The character tensions were also handled very well and added a lot of intrigue. Andrew is becoming more interesting with every episode.
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, with some nice touches of subtle humour as ever, and Anthony Howell is wonderful, have really admired what the show does with his character. Julian Ovendon is very good as Andrew.
Likewise with the strong supporting cast, with standouts being Christina Cole, Selina Cadell and David Troughton.
In summation, excellent episode. 9/10 Bethany Cox
Sam is great but as an undercover operative... please!
george-84121 February 2014
Warning: Spoilers
Any episode of Foyle's War with this much focus on Sam is sure to be enjoyable. But enlisting Sam as the undercover agent to investigate black market hijacking of rationed gasoline requires some serious suspension of disbelief. Diversion of strictly controlled gasoline from military and critical civilian needs to the black market was a serious crime in WW2 England, perhaps even a capital offense. IRL Sam would be risking her life going undercover in this way and what made the story all the more unbelievable is the thought that Foyle would even permit her involvement. Incredibly, she uses her real name in her undercover job and she's working in an area where she's somewhat known and has acquaintances in the area, as shown by the fact that her cover is nearly blown when Foyle's son, in his capacity as an RAF pilot, visits the fuel facility and recognizes her. Sam going undercover makes for some interesting plot developments but bottom line it's a bit too "comic book" for a series as typically well-written and plausible as Foyle's War.
Sam Undercover
Hitchcoc1 August 2016
With the advent of fuel pirating, Foyle allows Sam to begin doing undercover work. Unfortunately, there are some really bad characters, including those who would kill to cover up their actions. She stumbles on documents that would bring about an investigation into out and out treason. It is a little hard to swallow that Sam is doing this work. She also gets caught in the middle of a relationship among several women with whom she works. There is tension, as she must lie frequently to keep her cover. She also unwittingly brings herself into a series of close calls. She does valuable work for Foyle, but he fears for her life every step of the way. The conclusion of this episode is a bit much to believe. But it is fun seeing the young lady going through her paces.
Unusually emotional mystery.
deansscreen19 October 2020
Good episode until the last 15 minutes
wjspears24 December 2020
Warning: Spoilers
MAJOR SPOILERS
This was a a good episode until the last 15 minutes or so, when it became too melodramatic for me.
The melodrama started with Sam (Honeysuckle Weeks) being trapped in a fuel depot office with a ticking time bomb. That a fuel depot--vitally important in the middle of a war--would be so totally deserted of people, that no one would hear Sam's cries and poundings, was implausible.
Add to this, the unlikelihood that Sam's character was being written off the show, and it felt like I was watching an episode of "Perils of Pauline" more than Foyle's War.
The melodrama ended with a pilot's death on a mission. While that death was hardly implausible, what made it melodramatic were all the events leading up to that ultimate death.
For anyone who has ever watched more than a couple of war movies, the fate of that pilot was virtually telegraphed by the writers. I would have hoped for a little more subtlety from the writers on Foyle's War.
(It is worth adding, that I found Andrew's reaction to that death, with his father, to be a genuine and touching moment, the very opposite of melodrama. I suspect, that by the end of this series, there will have been many such moments).
It was a good story overall.
The black market, especially on fuel must have been a big problem during the war. The writers, I thought, did a good job of dramatizing and explaining that part of the story--particularly how the fuel was being siphoned away by the black marketers.
This was a a good episode until the last 15 minutes or so, when it became too melodramatic for me.
The melodrama started with Sam (Honeysuckle Weeks) being trapped in a fuel depot office with a ticking time bomb. That a fuel depot--vitally important in the middle of a war--would be so totally deserted of people, that no one would hear Sam's cries and poundings, was implausible.
Add to this, the unlikelihood that Sam's character was being written off the show, and it felt like I was watching an episode of "Perils of Pauline" more than Foyle's War.
The melodrama ended with a pilot's death on a mission. While that death was hardly implausible, what made it melodramatic were all the events leading up to that ultimate death.
For anyone who has ever watched more than a couple of war movies, the fate of that pilot was virtually telegraphed by the writers. I would have hoped for a little more subtlety from the writers on Foyle's War.
(It is worth adding, that I found Andrew's reaction to that death, with his father, to be a genuine and touching moment, the very opposite of melodrama. I suspect, that by the end of this series, there will have been many such moments).
It was a good story overall.
The black market, especially on fuel must have been a big problem during the war. The writers, I thought, did a good job of dramatizing and explaining that part of the story--particularly how the fuel was being siphoned away by the black marketers.
Melodrama
Warin_West-El25 June 2023
Warning: Spoilers
Before watching this episode I read many of the reviews for the entire series. Several people mentioned Foyle's War is more a melodrama than a mystery series. This episode was an example.
If you begin to pay attention, you'll notice there's a LOT of crying going on during Foyle's War. Added to that was the ridiculous notion that Foyle would allow Sam to go undercover and place her up against a criminal enterprise. We're talking about SAM. A woman who can't keep her mouth shut when she's driving Foyle around. A woman totally untrained in both combat and martial arts.
Then there was the (predictable and trite) scene of her getting locked up with a bomb. BTW: they used this same scenario in the last episode of Season 1 of Spooks. Which was the last episode I was willing to watch of that series.
I will continue to watch Foyle's War because I enjoy watching Michael Kitchen's measured delivery of his lines. And the character arc of Paul Milner is interesting. He's a man who has handled adversity and matured over time.
Originally, I enjoyed the character of Sam Stewart. But having been used like a prop during this episode, my attitude is wait and see.
OH and I agree with another reviewer. When we saw those planes taking off with Rex leading the V formation, we all knew he wasn't coming back. Anyone who has watched old WWII movies understood what was happening.
Foyle's War is a little too melodramatic for my taste. But for the reasons I just mentioned, I'm willing to stick with this series and see where the story takes us.
If you begin to pay attention, you'll notice there's a LOT of crying going on during Foyle's War. Added to that was the ridiculous notion that Foyle would allow Sam to go undercover and place her up against a criminal enterprise. We're talking about SAM. A woman who can't keep her mouth shut when she's driving Foyle around. A woman totally untrained in both combat and martial arts.
Then there was the (predictable and trite) scene of her getting locked up with a bomb. BTW: they used this same scenario in the last episode of Season 1 of Spooks. Which was the last episode I was willing to watch of that series.
I will continue to watch Foyle's War because I enjoy watching Michael Kitchen's measured delivery of his lines. And the character arc of Paul Milner is interesting. He's a man who has handled adversity and matured over time.
Originally, I enjoyed the character of Sam Stewart. But having been used like a prop during this episode, my attitude is wait and see.
OH and I agree with another reviewer. When we saw those planes taking off with Rex leading the V formation, we all knew he wasn't coming back. Anyone who has watched old WWII movies understood what was happening.
Foyle's War is a little too melodramatic for my taste. But for the reasons I just mentioned, I'm willing to stick with this series and see where the story takes us.
Among the Few
Prismark108 July 2018
Foyle allows Sam to reluctantly go undercover as a fuel truck driver to tackle petrol piracy which might be sold in the black market. A trenchant Irishman is not convinced that Sam is a working fuel driver.
Foyle's son, Andrew nearly blows her cover. Andrew and his friend from the RAF are going out with two women who work in the fuel depot. Unfortunately one of the women ends up dead and now Andrew is a potential suspect.
There is a bit of character development for Inspector Foyle as being a father is not so easy. He views Andrew still as a young man yet he is one of the oldest pilots still alive in his squadron.
The ending of this episode was far fetched and really hard to believe. I thought the writing was rather uneven in places with some of the plotting rather poor.
Foyle's son, Andrew nearly blows her cover. Andrew and his friend from the RAF are going out with two women who work in the fuel depot. Unfortunately one of the women ends up dead and now Andrew is a potential suspect.
There is a bit of character development for Inspector Foyle as being a father is not so easy. He views Andrew still as a young man yet he is one of the oldest pilots still alive in his squadron.
The ending of this episode was far fetched and really hard to believe. I thought the writing was rather uneven in places with some of the plotting rather poor.
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