Endeavour Review
Endeavour
The Origins of Inspector Morse
Reviewed by David Savage
Starring: Shaun Evans and Roger Allam
Running time: 89 minutes
ITV Studios Home Entertainment
Endeavour (written by Russell Lewis) is the prequel to Inspector Morse marking the 25th anniversary of the first episode of Colin Dexter’s iconic character Inspector Morse. Shaun Evans plays a much younger Detective Constable Endeavour Morse and plays it brilliantly.
Set in 1965, it starts with Morse typing his letter of resignation but he never delivered it. Morse is then sent back to Oxford to help in the hunt for a missing girl that soon becomes a murder case. While his task is to canvas the area he decides to investigate himself and soon gains the respect of Detective Inspector Fred Thursday when nobody else is interested. He is also given the task of investigating the apparent suicide of an Oxford student.
This shows him as a young, disillusioned and squeamish Detective before the Jaguar, his love of real ale and shows his love of classical music and classic cars.
While I have never been a fan of Inspector Morse or Lewis I found Endeavour to be very enjoyable and watchable drama. It was well written and Shaun Evans played the part of the young Morse extremely well. If ITV decide to turn this into a series instead of a one-off drama I will definitely be watching it. Lots of twists and a great story.
Highly recommended.
Rating: 5/5 
First showing will be on ITV1 Monday 2ndJanuary 2012 at 9pm.
DVD will be released on Monday 9thJanuary 2012.
Buy from Amazon here.
Cast
SHAUN EVANS……………………………………………………………………………….. Endeavour
ROGER ALLAM………………………………………………………………………. DI Fred Thursday
FLORA MONTGOMERY……………………………………………………. Rosalind Stromming
HARRY KERSHAW……………………………………………………………………… Miles Percival
CHARLIE CREED MILES…………………………………………………………. Teddy Samuels
DANNY WEBB…………………………………………………………………………….. DS Arthur Lott
JACK ASHTON……………………………………………………………………….. DC Ian McLeash
RICHARD LINTERN……………………………………………………….. Dr. Rowan Stromming
PATRICK MALAHIDE………………………………………………………………….. Richard Lovell
JOHN LIGHT……………………………………………………………………………………….. Dempsey
ABIGAIL THAW………………………………………………………………………….. Dorothea Frazil
MICHAEL MATUS…………………………………………………………………………. Brian St.Clair
EMMA STANSFIELD……………………………………………………………………. Sharon Vellie
JAMES BRADSHAW………………………………………………………………… Dr Max De Bryn
TERENCE HARVEY…………………………………………………………………………. DCS Crisp
Crew
Executive Producer………………………………………………………………………. Michele Buck
Executive Producer………………………………………………………………….. Damien Timmer
Producer……………………………………………………………………………………. Dan McCulloch
Director………………………………………………………………………………………. Colm McCarthy
Writer……………………………………………………………………………………………. Russell Lewis
Director of Photography……………………………………………………………. Gavin Struthers
Production Designer……………………………………………………………………. Pat Campbell
Make-Up Designer………………………………………………………………………….. Irene Napier
Costume Designer……………………………………………………………………… Caroline Harris
Location Manager……………………………………………………………………………. Chris White
Casting Director…………………………………………………………………………….. Susie Parriss
