Ep. 18 - ENDEAVOUR’s Hidden Grief
Shaun Evans as Detective Sargeant Endeavour Morse in ENDEAVOUR. Photo: MASTERPIECE
Created by Russell Lewis, ENDEAVOUR (on MASTERPIECE Mystery!) is the prequel to the INSPECTOR MORSE television series inspired by characters in Colin Dexter’s detective novels.
In season 8, the year is 1971. We see the impact of events from season 7 where Endeavour Morse suffered a major loss that sets off a grieving process triggering self-doubt, alcohol abuse, and a cynic’s perspective that puts him at odds with his mentor, Fred Thursday. These become defining personal characteristics for the older Inspector Morse in the original series along with his love of literature, opera, crosswords, and being awkwardly charming but unlucky in love.
In this podcast we talk about the challenges of becoming an adult through Endeavour Morse's experiences with:
His mentor/mentee relationship with Fred Thursday
Grief, loss, and self-doubt
Balancing justice and compassion
GUEST - REV. DR. ROB HARDIES
The Reverend Dr. Rob Hardies is a preacher, teacher, counselor and activist. From 2001 to 2020, he was Senior Minister of All Souls Church, Unitarian in Washington, DC, a large, dynamic multiracial congregation. During his ministry at All Souls, Rob helped create organizations that advocated for marriage equality and for voting rights. Rob currently serves a congregation on Martha’s Vineyard. He spends most of the year in Washington, DC with his son and husband.
Sign up for our mailing list, and get…
Notices about new podcast episodes
Announcements about Bonus episodes
Invitations to Podcast Events
….delivered to your mailbox
Trailer for Season 8 - ENDEAVOUR
ENDEAVOUR Season 8
Episode 1 (Striker) An explosive murder at an Oxford college has potentially far-reaching political ramifications. Meanwhile, Endeavour is tasked with guarding the life of a beloved football team's star striker.
Episode 2 (Scherzo) On the outskirts of Oxford, a cab driver is found murdered in his taxi. The investigation into his death leads Endeavour and the team down a surprising path. Endeavour receives a guest who reminds him of a past he'd sooner forget.
Episode 3 (Terminus) In the cold of Winter, the team is called to investigate the violent killing of an Oxford college don. Thursday receives news that creates tension at home.
You can find ENDEAVOUR on the PBS app/PBS Video and Amazon as well as episodes from the original INSPECTOR MORSE and INSPECTOR LEWIS (sequel) series.
CARRYOVERS FROM INSPECTOR MORSE TO ENDEAVOUR
View a slideshow of the carryover characters from the original INSPECTOR MORSE series and specials to the ENDEAVOUR prequel.
John Thaw (1942-2002) and Shaun Evans as Endeavour Morse.
James Gout (1927-2012) and Sean Rigby as Jim Strange.
Peter Woodthorpe (1931-2004) and James Bradshaw as Max DeBryn.
Edwina Day (1922-1996) and Lynda Rooke as Endeavour’s stepmother, Gwen Morse. Soricha Cusack and Sonya Cassidy as half-sister Joyce Morse.
Take a Deeper Dive
MASTERPIECE Mystery! ENDEAVOUR official website
Music, especially opera, is a primary storyteller in both ENDEAVOUR and the original INSPECTOR MORSE series. Listen to playlists for both, including the theme music and soundtrack by composer Barrington Pheloung, on Spotify:
INSPECTOR MORSE - premiered in 1987 on the PBS Mytsery! series with John Thaw as Endeavour Morse. The series was based on the novels of crime writer Colin Dexter (1930-2017). The INSPECTOR MORSE series was a contemporary drama at the time of broadcast.
ENDEAVOUR - prequel premiered in 2013 on MASTERPIECE Mystery! with Shaun Evans as Endeavour Morse. The series begins in 1965. The timeline was set based on actor John Thaw’s age in the original series.
In season 1 of ENDEAVOUR, Morse is shot in the hip. The story and event connects Shaun Evan’s Endeavour with actor John Thaw’s real-life “peculiar gait” (from a previous accident) while playing Inspector Morse in the original series.
Thaw’s daughter, Abigail Thaw, is introduced in Season 3 of ENDEAVOUR as newspaper reporter Dorothea Frazil.
Prior to ENDEAVOUR, Russell Lewis created INSPECTOR LEWIS, a sequel to the INSPECTOR MORSE series (inspired by Colin Dexter’s characters) which premiered on MASTERPIECE Mystery! in 2006 and ran for 9 seasons. Kevin Whatley reprised his role as Morse’s former partner Detective Inspector Robert Lewis who steps into the role of his mentor and former partner.
May 23, 2022 PBS MASTERPIECE announced Season 9 will be the final season of ENDEAVOUR. It was a mutual decision by creator Russell Lewis and the principal cast to bring the story to a close.