TVSquad

A roundup of TV people from in front of the camera and behind the scenes who have passed away.

• Anthony Minghella: He was best known for his movie work, writing and directing the Oscar-winning film The English Patient, as well as Cold Mountain,Truly, Madly, Deeply, and The Talented Mr. Ripley, but he also wrote for a lot of British television in the 80s and 90s, including several episodes of Inspector Morse and Grange Hill, and he later was a writer for Jim Henson's miniseries The Storyteller. He was also a producing partner of Sydney Pollack, co-producing such films as Michael Clayton and The Interpreter. He had just finished writing and directing the film The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency, which will debut on BBC1 on March 23. He died of a hemorrhage in London at age 54 after undergoing surgery to remove a growth on his neck.

A special two-hour drama called Lewis aired on ITV in the U.K. tonight, inspired by the immensely popular Inspector Morse novels and television series created by Colin Dexter.

It's been almost six years since viewers saw the last of the enigmatic detective Endeavour Morse (John Thaw) and his persistent sidekick Detective Sergeant Lewis (Kevin Whatley), when Colin Dexter killed the character off in the final episode, The Remorseful Day, only to be followed by the sad death of John Thaw in 2002.

However, the character of Lewis proved to be so popular with readers and viewers that ITV decided that it merited a follow-up series, and commissioned a one-off pilot to test the water.

I have to admit, I was cynical at first, but the quality of Morse productions in the past has never failed to hit the mark in over 30 feature-length episodes -- from the filming to the music, to the dialogue, acting and script -- not to mention to fabulous setting of Oxford in England -- and providing Carlton Productions invested the same time, effort and resources into Lewis, any fears of a watery sequel could be easily salved.

Warning: spoilers after the jump.