Pylon

This is the best episode so far. Like the others, I would like more Endeavour. This one has the most mysteries inside the story that I have to watch it at least 3 times to understand it all and it doesn't get boring. It is so interesting to see how the British police worked in those days and the great acting as well. Keep them coming, I beg of you!

Liked the poster of Colin Dexter's retirement in this episode. Curious to know if this is done each time, a bit like Hitchcock appearing in his films

In answer to the question about Colin Dexter appearances, yes he appears in all the Endeavour episodes but of course since his death it is some representation of the man. About the Led Zeppelin track, it was played live in June 1969 so it fits the timeline for the episode.

After the closure of Cowley Police Station at the end of the last series things have changed for our protagonists; Morse is back in uniform as a sergeant with a rural beat; DI Thursday is still in CID but he is now the junior partner to new comer DCI Ronnie Cox; Strange has been transferred to Banbury CID and CS Bright is in charge of the traffic division. Events will bring most of them back together again. A young girl goes missing on the way home from school; her body is found under a pylon in a field by Morse. When CID turn up Cox is fairly dismissive of Morse but when the latter reports that there have been claims of a young drug user in the area he fixates on that one suspect... especially when it emerges that Thursday had helped convict his father of murdering his mother. Morse isn't convinced and continues to investigate; further suspects emerge and the urgency increases when a second girl goes missing.

I wasn't sure how the series would progress after the protagonists separated but this story effectively brought them back together without feeling overly forced. The dynamic had obviously changed somewhat but that worked in its favour as it enabled development for established characters. The story also provided a good introduction for new character DCI Cox. Having the death of a child as the central mystery naturally gave things a down beat feel that fitted but not excessively so. Things developed well with more suspects arising and possible links to other crimes, including a previous disappearance. The final resolution wasn't too obvious but was satisfying. The cast were on fine form; especially Shaun Evans, now sporting a moustache, as Morse and Roger Allam as Thursday; Simon Harrison was also solid as new character DCI Cox, a character who appeared to have attended the Gene Hunt (Life on Mars) school of policing. Overall a welcome return that managed to add plenty of development despite this being the sixth series as well as a good mystery.

The first show of season 6 shows several of the characters moving on -- different jobs, different locations, different looks. Two things distinguish this episode -- First, showing just how heavily incidents in their lives, both work and personal, weigh on Morse and Thursday, and second, watching the brilliance of Morse solving cases almost in his spare time against the backdrop of the designated police barely making any progress at all. "Pylon" is everything that can be great and terrible about being a policeman.

This is very superior television.