Why You Should Watch the Gripping, Character-Rich Stories of ‘Endeavour’
Preview
PBS dramas are great at reaching back through time to capture an era. But the Masterpiece Mystery! series Endeavour does so much more.
Now in Season 6, this prequel to Inspector Morse (1987–2000) transports viewers to 1960s Oxford, England, while telling gripping, character-rich stories. Writer Russell Lewis creates intricately woven 90-minute whodunits where knowledge of, say, poetry or the periodic table can break a case wide open.
Endeavour won me over with its 2012 pilot, in which malcontent young Detective Constable Endeavour Morse (Shaun Evans) returns to the city where he failed as a student but will rise in the force. By his side: old-school mentor Detective Inspector Fred Thursday (Roger Allam), whose way with words is as stylish as his hat. (“Free love? In my experience, that’s the most expensive kind there is.”)
Their world, crackling with dark undercurrents, is free from 21st-century trappings. Data is processed by manual typewriters, psychedelic drugs are a novelty, and the moon landing is news. (The June 23 Evans-directed episode, “Apollo,” takes place during that historic 1969 event.)
(Courtesy of Jonathan Ford and Mammoth for ITV and MASTERPIECE)
I adored the original Morse, starring the late, great John Thaw, but now I prefer the origin story and its exploration of Morse’s troubled personal life. I’m desperate to see a killer caught — but also to find out if Morse and Thursday’s daughter, Joan (Sara Vickers), will finally declare their love … even though I know he ends up alone.
Endeavour, Season Premiere, Sunday, June 16, 9/8c, PBS (check local listings at pbs.org)
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I love Endeavour! Great characters combined with clever mysteries.
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O
True. In the UK, this season was judged one of the best of the run, and the finale is one of the best ever.
Trouble is, that was months ago. As usual, PBS runs a series long after its UK run, making spoilers easy.
As well, the episode's been edited. The UK runtime is 90 minutes; the PBS runtime is 83 minutes; seven minutes have been cut. (I like Alan Cumming, but not at the expense of viewing time from the show he's introducing.)
The major cut part was the child safety commercial that CS Bright, as Traffic head, filmed. (The fist with the warrant badge is laughing at a clip of it later.) Not only is it a wry, slightly sad look at how the sharp cops have come down in the world, it plays a major role in a suspenseful scene later in the run--which like as not will also be cut.
Here it is:
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That child safety commercial also provides lovely symmetry with the cause of death later in the episode. Also a fine example of 'coarse acting' by a true professional, Anton Lesser. Do watch.
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