Like the 1958 film, the story concerns the planting of false evidence by policemen in order to secure a conviction - and, also as in the Orson Welles film, a suspect being framed eventually proves to be actually guilty.
After affecting no interest in the George Fancy case and saying goodbye to Strange, Morse, whilst shaving, pauses to take a long, hard look at himself in the mirror, and clearly doesn't much like what he sees. This echoes Steve McQueen's long stare at his own reflection after shooting a man, at the end of the 1968 film.
When Thursday cautions Morse, "If you get your tit caught in a wringer, I can't help you", he is adapting a line from the 1976 film, uttered (as a threat) by Attorney-General John Mitchell to Bob Woodward in a telephone call.