Muse

Endeavour (TV series) was one of those great finds that I have never regretted watching from the pilot onwards. Each new season, each new episode, is eagerly awaited and now that season 5 is available on ITV starting with the first episode, Muse, which debuted on February 4, 2018, I look forward to seeing where each of these characters goes at the start of the "swinging 60s" in Britain. Nobody does murder and mayhem like the Brits; must be the class structure.

I can't really say I "enjoyed" this episode, with the misogyny and horrific murders, but I do appreciate it. The start of a new season, new living arrangements for Morse. This episode also introduces George Fancy and Eddie Nero, and Fred Thursday made me chuckle. But for me, Charlotte Hope was an annoyance in this episode. The way she plays in almost every scene, even when she doesn't have to be very intense, comes across to me as fake and way too breathy. The intensity is always nearly the same. I've seen her in some other shows/previews and she did the same there. I love this series because it's constant high quality, but Hope's acting was a distraction for me, and not in a good way. I see other people found her to be a highlight of this episode, so opinions differ on this.

What a wonderful deductive story.

this puzzle detective drama is most wanted.

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.

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