After years of reruns, "Inspector Morse" is one of the most
popular PBS Masterpiece Mysteries. A new series,
"Endeavour", introduces a young, 20 something Morse to his devoted
fans. Endeavour deals with the conflicts of the past and carves out the well-known identity of the future "Inspector Morse", whom fans know and love. During the series, his love of opera, horror at the sight of blood, and love for his Jaguar Mark 2 are presented to viewers. In addition, series writer Colin Dexter can be seen in cameo appearances in each episode.
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| Shaun Evans |
In the series 2012 pilot, we meet young Morse, a University
of Oxford drop out, when he returns to that city as a Detective Constable (DC)
as the police focus on a missing 15 year old town girl. The schoolgirl
was last seen at a bus stop on a rainy Sunday morning and is presumed dead. Endeavour Morse,
played by Shaun Evans, fills his time with routine office duties, while more experienced
detectives handle the actual investigation. In truth, Endeavour has a weak stomach for
dead bodies. He’s disillusioned with law enforcement and is ready to resign his
position. His prepared letter of resignation is tucked away in his pocket.
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| Roger Allam |
As he starts his own inquiry into the case, Morse
faces scorn, contempt and hostility as a former "college boy" from his peers and supervisor. While conducting his own investigation into the schoolgirl’s murder and the suicide
of her boyfriend, Morse discovers the "sex parties" where underage girls were
procured for politicians, businessmen, Oxford dons and policemen. When Morse
displays an obvious knack for solving complex murders, veteran Detective Inspector
(DI) Fred Thursday takes Endeavour under his wing, pockets Morse’s letter of
resignation, and makes the bright, but honest newbie his assistant. He steers
him toward taking the Sergeant’s exam which would free him from mundane duties
and allow his talents to be better utilized. In the Series 1 finale (2013), Morse
is shot while attempting to apprehend a murderer. He recovers and is placed on ‘light-duty”.
During this period, he comes to terms with the death of his cold, distant
father.
As Series 2 (2014) begins, Morse returns to his duty
assignment at Crowley Police Station. He experiences delayed stress and
paranoia, resulting from the shooting and begins to increase his alcohol consumption as
he takes-on three seemingly unrelated cases. During his investigation, he is
severely beaten resulting in a concussion and is cared for by nurse Monica
Hicks, a neighbor. He finds himself taking an interest in her and they slowly
develop a relationship. Despite his initial mistakes, he solves the three cases,
impressing his superiors once again.
During the course of several investigations,
evidence goes missing. DI Thursday and DC Morse are assigned to investigate
police corruption within the city and county police. In the final episode of
Series 2, corrupt officers try to kill Morse, while Thursday uncovers rampant
sexual and physical abuse at a former home for wayward boys. As Morse attempts
to back-up his mentor, several killings take place and Thursday is shot in the
chest. When the Series ends, Thursday’s condition is critical and Morse ends up
jailed for murder.
Reviews of the series were generally favorable, but
some critics remarked that the show’s murder- mystery plots are sometimes “convoluted
puzzles”. Some negative comments claim the shows “come to rushed, melodramatic,
fairly preposterous conclusions”. Personally, I enjoyed the series. Actor Shaun
Evans fit the bill of the strained, complex young man who grew into the “Inspector
Morse” character we came to know. Roger Allam portrayed the seasoned police veteran who
challenged Morse to reach his potential. The scenery and setting were
appropriate and appealing. On September 24, 2014, it was announced that a third
season of Endeavor would be prepared. No set date has been announced for the
new series to air.
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| DS Lewis/DI Morris |
Check out “Endeavor” and let me know what you think.
BTW-You might find the "Inspector Lewis" series interesting. It's another spin-off of the original Inspector Morse series. It features Kevin Wately as DI Robbie Lewis and his new partner DS Hathaway (Laurence Fox). The series aired in January, 2006 and is in its eighth season. Imagine...Wately has played the role of Robbie Lewis for twenty years.
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