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 (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.

Sadly, there is no Barrington Pheloung soundtrack. He's credited with the "Endeavour" closng theme, of course, but Pheloung's incidental music has long been integral to the internal cohesiveness and acoustic brilliance of episodes in the complete Morse catalog. Given the importance of music in these series, his absence is as noticeable as the loss of a principal cast member and just as sorely missed.

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.

This was a particularly good ep. Seeing Morse challenged as a young man by attractive, available women is interesting and revealing. Next to Neverland,S2, this is my fave thru S5. The costumes, 70s milieu, gory murders make it a stand out. The resolution is more preposterous than usual but that's not a bad thing.