Sergeant Hathaway

James Hathaway
James Hathaway (right), with Robbie Lewis (left)
First appearance	Reputation, 2006 TV
Portrayed by	Laurence Fox
Information
Aliases	Jim, Atta-way Hathaway, W.C.(Wolfgang Christ), Boy Bloody Wonder
Gender	Male
Occupation	Police Detective in Oxfordshire CID
Title	Detective Inspector (DI)
Family	Nell (Sister) Phillip N (Father)
Nationality	British

Nell (Sister)

James Hathaway is the CID Detective Inspector working with Inspector Lewis in the ITV detective series Lewis (known as Inspector Lewis in the United States). He is played by Laurence Fox. Hathaway portrays a Detective Sergeant until the penultimate series of Lewis in 2014, in which he is promoted to the rank of Inspector following a brief break from the police.

Hathaway has been described as "chain-smoking, moody and emotionally buttoned-up", a "dryhumoured intellectual". Hathaway’s "deep thinking and erudite approach" compliments Lewis's instincts and experience. Russell Lewis, who has written for Inspector Morse, Lewis and Endeavour, indicated that the letters THAW in the Sergeant's surname were a tribute to late actor John Thaw who played Inspector Morse.

Hathaway grew up at "Crevecoeur Hall", an Oxford estate where his father was estate manager ("The Dead of Winter"). Hathaway attended Cambridge and is a former Catholic seminarian. In the episode, "Wild Justice", Hathaway is offered a junior lectureship in theology. He expresses some interest in taking up teaching if Lewis were to retire.

In the pilot episode, Hathaway is at first, sergeant to DI Charles Knox. Knox is shown taking a breathalyzer test and is subsequently placed on suspension. Lewis is assigned to take his place.

Hathaway, like Inspector Morse, Lewis' old boss from his days as a Detective Sergeant, is cerebral. Unlike Morse, Hathaway trained in Theology, and was a rather successful athlete, as his nickname 'Atta-way Hathaway' (revealed by a rival coach at Oxford) would attest, being a rowing star while at Cambridge. He subsequently trained for the priesthood in Oxford and entered the seminary. In the episode "Old School Ties" we are told by an ex-schoolmate of Hathaway's that he had been Head Boy of his school and nicknamed 'W.C.' - short for 'Wolfgang Christ' - because he "didn't know whether he wanted to be Mozart or Jesus".

"Hathaway, the image of the mature, educated, even sophisticated postmodern believer, holds his faith a closely guarded secret. The series requires that he share theological trivia, translate Latin and Greek ... The most viewers know about him is that he left the seminary guilty over the orthodox but ultimately deadly advice he gave a gay friend about coping with his homosexuality."