Les enquêtes de Morse

High quality television, with its strength being the re-creation of the 1960s, but with 2010s cinematic advances. The main characters are interesting and well-acted, although if you are a steady mystery viewer, you will figure out the ending very soon, which does take away from the suspense.

Sean Evans presents the shy, taciturn Morse in his younger days as a detective. He is fetching and keeps his own counsel as to personal matters, and we can see him developing into the ascerbic, driven chief detective we've come to love and respect. Colin Dexter's brill writing launches us here in ENDEAVOR into a seamless transformation into the mature Morse with promise of excellent episodes to come. I'd like to see more of the young Morse and hope this is only one segment of what will surely be a superior backstory for the series. Beautifully written and paced, ENDEAVOR presents a cast of appealing faces and splendidly low key criminal pursuits. Highly recommended. I loved it, am clamoring for more.

I deeply love Morse's series, and I deeply love Lewis sequel, each in its own different way. They are two extraordinary detective shows, which I strongly recommend.

So I gave Endeavour a try, both with curiosity and with fear that the experience would ruin my memories of the two shows I liked so much.

Also, Shaun Evans is physically very different from John Thaw, so this made me cringe even before the start.

Having said this, I fell for it from the very first episode.

I was surprised to find out that Shaun Evans is a terrific actor, who plays an entirely credible Morse, if not physically, in a seamless psychological continuity which makes you feel the smooth way in which this young Morse would become the older Morse 20 years later, the incipient causticity, the noticeable anger, the budding low-key self-confidence--- This is very skillfully done in the prequel.

Both Thaw and Evans play the magic of giving a sexy twist to an unsexy character, without flashing the sexy card or even circumventing all attempts to look hot.

Allum plays a marvelous D.C. Thursday and the interaction between them, mentor-pupil, is instrumental to explain how this young Morse ends up being that later Morse.

The 60's atmosphere is a plus in the show, very well portrayed and recreated. I'd say that the linking common trait between Morse, Endeavour and Lewis is, yes, their tremendous atmospheric virtue which sets you right on «in that particular place in that particular time».

If you like detective stories, you will not be disappointed at all, and even if you are not a Morse or Lewis fan, you will find this show entertaining, alluring and deeply satisfactory by its own right.

After the surprisingly well handled one-off prequel, Shaun Evans is back as the young detective Endeavour Morse. Just like the original series with John Thaw, its success hinges on the charisma and personality of the lead character. Here Evans excels and carries the whole thing off handsomely. His performance portrays obvious knowledge and classical moral values but also an eager curiosity, drive and a naive humility which reminds us throughout this episode that he is a new recruit of sorts. The only issue I could find to quibble with is the almost Sherlockian mythology that has been added. In the original he was a knowledgeable and sharp police detective whereas here he is very much the deductive crime-fighter. As a Conan Doyle fan I do approve a little of the mythologizing but it needs to keep its roots with the original and down to earth.

Well, it's now all over. Endeavour has ended it's 11 year, 9 season run. The finale was beautifully crafted into one of the greatest final episodes of any series, ever.

This series has given us wonderful stories, great scripts, superb acting and wonderful Oxford backdrops. It has managed to weave an intricate web that keeps everything on track to lead into the original Morse series.

All the main cast were fantastic, but special mention to Shaun Evans, Roger Allam and Anton Lesser, who were standouts. It's scandalous that Evans and Allam didn't receive a single BAFTA nomination for their work in Endeavour.

The series will be sorely missed, but we have a great body of work to revisit.

Well I have just watched the second episode in the new series and was captivated again. As soon as I had finished watching I watched it again taking in all the things I had missed the first time, I have my dictionary/computer on hand to research some of the phrases and words which adds to the enjoyment. I do not listen to opera or classical music but yearn to know what the wonderful soundtrack comprises of. The characters and relationship of Morse and Thursday is captivating. This is British TV drama at its very best. I just hope it is kept real and Oxford does not become more infamous than 'Denton Woods'! The props and vehicles used during the show are amazing and really create a super feeling for the time.