Oracle

As this episode opens the '70s have just begun and a woman is killed as she walks along a canal towpath. DI Thursday suspects her boyfriend but doesn't have the evidence to charge him. Morse is away having a romantic holiday in Venice. When he gets back he looks at the case and believes Thursday was mistaken. He finds a potential link to a university department investigating the possibility of ESP. One of the people there says one of their test subjects 'witnessed' the crime... is this possible and if so will the police believe her? Away from the case Morse attends a music event where a man befriends him.

This was a solid opening to the latest series. The central story was classic Morse with its connections to academics. This provides some interesting backbiting as male academics are sniffy about the one woman in their group being given an opportunity to present a science programme on television... some of their attitudes make Gene Hunt, of 'Life on Mars' fame, look like a women's-libber. The investigation provides a good number of suspects and further deaths to keep the viewer interested. In the background to the main story the man who befriends Morse is intriguing and hints at what might be a series long plot line. As expected the cast is on fine form; most obviously Shaun Evans, as Morse and as Roger Allam as Thursday but also from Anton Lesser as CS Bright and Sean Rigby as DS Strange. Overall a fine episode.

This seasons episodes have been sat on our recorder for months so I just saw the first one last night.

This story was set around the turn of the year. So the last thing you would expect to see when they visit a relative of the deceased, is a toddler sat on a blanket in the garden. This is quickly followed up by a scene with an open air concert with ladies in off the shoulder frocks. From this obvious mistake the whole episode felt very disjointed. I hope episodes 2 and 3 are better.

I've always been 100% impressed by the brilliant directing/acting of Shaun Evans and brilliant acting of Roger Allam and the exemplary acting of ALL the actors in all the Endeavour Series, but for me, the episode ORACLE of 9/821 just raised the bar another 100 miles !

I was in tears for Anton Lesser losing such a beautiful & dedicated wife, which surprised me as he always "annoys me" with the condescending way he talks to Morse and Thursday.

The plot and storyline to Oracle is 100/100.

Cudos and congratulations to Writer and Playwright and ALL involved, in the most touching episode I've seen yet.

Signed Bernie Valentini, Melbourne , Australia.

Ever since 'Endeavour' first started, it struck me as a great series on its own and a worthy prequel series to one of my all-time favourites 'Inspector Morse'. It goes very well with that and with 'Lewis'. Seasons 1-3 was the period when 'Endeavour' was at its best, with all the episodes to me being very good to brilliant. Seasons 4 and 5 weren't as consistent and am aware that a few are divisive, but again high standard and for me none of the episodes were bad. Season 6 was solid if a little disappointing too, the only outstanding episode being "Deguello".

Season 7 starts off very well with "Oracle", which introduces a new decade for 'Endeavour' and signals the beginning of a new era. An era where it is clear that times have changed and also so have the characters and people. "Oracle" from personal view is not one of the best episodes of the series, but it is a more than worthy season opener in almost every day, the changed time period showing a good deal of promise and it was great to see star Shaun Evans back in the director's chair.

"Oracle" for one thing looks fantastic. All of 'Endeavour's' episodes are superbly made, so expectations were admittedly high on that front, and "Oracle" managed to be one of the best-looking episodes. It is exquisitely filmed throughout, with the first 10-15 minutes being enough to make one go wow, and the time period is brought to life quite vividly and handsomely in the locations/settings and costumes. The spectacularly vivid colour in the Venetian scenes contrast beautifully with a bleaker-looking Oxford.

The music is very atmospheric and fits beautifully, feeling at times like its own character without being too melodramatic. Also did not question any of the music placements or choices of music luckily, which was something that distracted me sometimes in Season 6, the wonderfully operatic beginning being the standout. This is Evans' second 'Endeavour' episode as director, after Season 6's "Apollo" (which was from a directing standpoint remarkably good), and he shows even more confidence here. Evident in the use of camera work and locations and how any tone shifts are cohesive and flow.

Further benefits are an intelligently written and always intriguing script, that particularly excels in the interesting character dynamics (that between Morse and Thursday being more terse), and a compelling mystery that didn't to me suffer from incoherence or over-obviousness. One that also had a lot of atmosphere, with a suspenseful opening murder and the supernatural horror aspect being both frightening and affectionate. The characters are well written and one doesn't feel frustrated at how things have changed with them as they move into a new era. The character development for Thursday is striking in particular, here more brittle and weary than before, and it is hard to not feel for Bright (his development was one of the high points of the previous season). The rest of the characters are a colourful lot, though with a few exceptions consisting of a nest of vipers. The biggest viper of all being the openly misogynistic Ferman, which may make some feel uncomfortable (myself included) but it very much existed back then in academia and still is now sadly.

Can't fault the performances, with Evans as committed and charismatic as ever and Anton Lesser has some affecting moments. Richard Harrington is easily hissable as Ferman without being too cartoonish. Roger Allam, a big part as to why 'Endeavour' works as well as it does, stood out most to me though, capturing Thursday's weariness and frustration beautifully whether when saying something or unspoken.

If there was anything that didn't quite work for me, it was the denouement which may have been surprising but for me was also somewhat perfunctory and needed more time to properly feel explored. And the big reveal at the garden party strains credulity, again a shock but it is a "what the heck" and out of left field moment. At least the very end grabs the attention and makes one eager to see how the next episode carries out.

On the whole, a more than promising start to the new season and highly recommended. 8/10

As a long time fan of the series I'm glad to see the high standard continuing and Shaun Evans' direction is working well.

The stories are, of course, formulaic but that's one of the attractions of this time warp series. Cast are like old friends now with Allam and Lesser bringing interesting back stories to the main plot.

Love it