Muse

Starting with Endeavour Morse being a dropout at Oxford, one of the themes of the series focuses on debunking the mystique of the arcane and hypocritical system and culture at this legendary institution. The barbaric debauchery of self-proclaimed educated elite depicted in this episode no doubt defies comprehension, and the payback was equally unimaginably ghastly. Charlotte Hope certainly stole the show. The protracted duel between Eve and Endeavour had enough poignancy and wattage to outshine the rest of this remarkable episode.

Endeavour returned to our screens, and about time too. Another exceptional episode, the usual brilliance from the team behind it. Morse, no longer the junior now has poor young DC George Fancy to berate and get frustrated with, I am now genuinely seeing the John Thaw character shine through like never before, the irritation we see John Thaw's Morse have with lesser mortals now visible.

Superb performances from the entire cast, Shaun Evans and Roger Allam never dip from the incredible standard they set from the Pilot episode. Charlotte Hope arguably stole the show, Eve's showdown with Morse was arguably the highlight scene from the episode.

The story was brilliant, the show's ability to surprise and intrigue never seems to falter. I think they took the killings to a whole new level for Endeavour, more graphic, more macabre then usual, historically the sixties was quite a violent era for crime. The killings in this one were nasty. I literally didn't see the outcome of this one coming! No pun intended.

Thank you ITV for returning this fabulous show with a six part series.

I agree with those who point out that this holds its own well with both Morse and Lewis. Here we have a complex case that centers on a Faberge egg that has disappeared. This valuable artifact has tentacles, however, and brings in a serial murderer who is killing people in colorful ways, which seem to be Biblical in nature. As a subplot, we have the love of Morse's life back as her father struggles to regain her trust.

Finally Morse got his DS and new DC to order around. I'm not going to go into detail to this great start to Season 5, but as others have indicated, we really see the older Inspector Morse shining through. So excited about Season 6...another 6 episode season..

As said in my review for the entire show three years ago, 'Endeavour' is not just a more than worthy prequel series to one of my favourite detective dramas of all time and goes very well with it, but it is a great series on its own as well. It maintains everything that makes 'Inspector Morse' so good, while also containing enough to make it its own, and in my mind 'Inspector Morse', 'Lewis' and 'Endeavour' go perfectly well together.

The pilot was a very promising start if with an understandable finding its feet feel. Things got even better with the consistently outstanding first season, and the darker Season 2 was hardly inferior, with "Neverland" being an 'Endeavour' high point. Season 3 is considered by fans as nowhere near as good as previously. Will admit that it is not as good as Seasons 1 and 2, which had more believable stories and didn't try to do too much but count me in as someone who has still enjoyed the episodes and has found a lot to like, while finding "Coda" outstanding. Likewise with Season 4, with its weak point being the soap operatic Joan subplot in "Harvest".

"Muse" kicks off Season 5 and does so wonderfully. For an 'Endeavour' episode it is pretty graphic and more elaborate than the previous episodes, but that doesn't harm anything at all. The viewer does pick up on the biblical deaths similarity before the characters do, otherwise the story is hugely compelling with lots of shocks, twists and turns and very little feeling too obvious or convoluted.

Nothing can be faulted with the production values. It is exquisitely filmed and the idyllic and atmospheric setting was a very nice change from Oxford. There is something very nostalgic and charming about the atmospherically evoked 1960s period detail. Similarly, as always, the music is hauntingly beautiful with the way it's utilised never in question, the iconic 'Inspector Morse' theme will forever be immortal and it has always been a genius move to use it for 'Endeavour'.

Writing, as has been said many times in my reviews for the previous 'Endeavour' episodes, is every bit as intelligent, entertaining and tense as the previous episodes and as the best of 'Morse'.

As ever, Morse and Thursday's relationship was always one of the show's major high points, it always entertained and warmed the heart and with each episode it gets more so on both counts, with some moving and tense moments too.

Shaun Evans as ever does some powerful, charismatic work as younger Morse, showing enough loyalty to John Thaw's iconic Morse while making the character his own too. Roger Allam is also superb, his rapport with Evans always compels and entertains but Thursday is quite a sympathetic character, as well as loyal and firm, and Allam does a lot special with a role that could have been less interesting possibly in lesser hands. Charlotte Hope is particularly good in support.

In conclusion, terrific start to the latest season with huge promising potential. 9/10 Bethany Cox