In the run up to Endeavour, episodes of Inspector Morse are being shown each night at 10:50 on ITV3 (with a catch up service available on itvplayer). For those of you who would like to know some background information before the new series starts but don’t have around 66 hours to spare, here’s a summary to help you to understand more about the enigmatic character of Endeavour Morse.
Set in Oxford, the many crimes (mostly murders) which were committed over the course of the 33 episodes were frequently related to the world of academia and were seldom run of the mill. In the first episode ‘The Dead of Jericho,’ for example, Morse names Sophocles as a suspect in a murder enquiry, much to the bewilderment of his Sergeant.
Despite the solutions discerned from crossword clues and the Wagnerian criminals, however, it is the relationship between Chief Inspector Morse and Sergeant Lewis that lies at the heart of the series and gave the show such popularity that even Morse’s death could not end the saga; in the wake of the original series came first a sequel, Lewis, following the career of the now promoted ‘Inspector Lewis’ and, 25 years after the first episode aired, a prequel, Endeavour, the pilot episode of which attracted over 6 million viewers and prompted a full series which will be airing shortly.
10 THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT MORSE
1. Morse’s unfortunate first name- Endeavour- came about as a result of his father being obsessed with Captain Cook and his mother being a Quaker. Inspector Thursday (Roger Allam) is the only character to date to call him by the name which wasn’t revealed until the 31st episode (or 12th novel) ‘Death is Now My Neighbour’ in which, coincidentally, Roger Allam also had a role.
Prior to the revelation of his name it was joked that his first name is ‘Inspector’ and mentioned that, in his university days, Morse was known as ‘Pagan’ owing to his apparent lack of Christian name and his general dislike of religion.
My mother was a Quaker, and Quakers sometimes call their children names like ‘Hope’, and ‘Patience’. My father was obsessed with Captain Cook, and his ship was called Endeavour.
(Death is Now My Neighbour)
2. His parents divorced when he was 12 with his mother dying three years later (in Endeavour, Morse states that his mother died when he was 12. To give the writers the benefit of the doubt we’ll say that he was being metaphorical here). Afterwards, he had to go and live with his father, implied in Endeavour to have been an alcoholic who lost his license as a taxi driver, and his stepmother with whom he is not on good terms (in ‘Cherubim and Seraphim’ it is revealed that her petty bullying almost drove him to suicide). Since then, it seems that Morse’s relationships with women have been marked by tragedy. In his undergraduate days Morse had a relationship that ended badly and resulted in him losing his scholarship and having to leave university without a degree to join the army. This relationship is first alluded to in the second episode of series 3, ‘The Last Enemy’ where Alexander Reece (a character who recurs in the Endeavour pilot) mentions ‘Wendy.’ Later, in the first episode of series 6, ‘Dead on Time’ a character appears who is presumed to be the same woman, but this time her name is ‘Susan.’ In Endeavour a scene between Morse and Reece cleverly accounts for this apparent confusion: ‘Reece: What was the name of that girl we were keen on… Wendy, was it? Morse: Susan. She preferred Susan.’ Since then, it would appear that Morse’s potential love interests have mostly been either murder victims or murderers themselves. Some critics have accused the character of misogyny, but, though there is certainly a difference in his attitudes towards men and women, it usually manifests in him being more sympathetic towards the latter.
Morse: Wouldn’t you say I was fair?
Lewis: Fairer to women than men, sometimes.
Morse: Well they’re the fairer sex.
(Masonic Mysteries)
3. Morse has a phobia of blood and heights, both of which have been known to make him either sick or faint.
4. He is a huge fan of classical music and opera, particularly Wagner. He sings in choirs and left money after he died for a music scholarship called the ‘Endeavour Award.’ He is also very knowledgeable about Classics- he studied ‘Greats’ at the fictional Oxford college ‘Lonsdale’- and poetry, which he is revealed in series 6 episode 5 to have read to annoy his stepmother.
5. Named after the champion crossword setter Jeremy Morse, Endeavour is extremely adept at crossword puzzles, a talent which has served him well when dealing with the peculiar murders which take place in his Oxford. He dislikes grammatical errors and is prone to correcting those of others.
6. In ‘Masonic Mysteries’ we are introduced to Morse’s former superior, retired inspector Macnutt who helps Morse with his challenging case before meeting an unfortunate end. This foreknowledge of the character’s demise was probably key to the decision to introduce ‘Inspector Thursday’ as Morse’s guide in Endeavour though, since he is not mentioned at all in the series, one is led to wonder what horrors might await him…
7. Morse is extremely fond of alcohol, in particular whiskey and real ale. In Endeavour he starts out being entirely abstinent, but he develops a taste after being given a pint by Inspector Thursday. It’s implied that the reason for his sobriety is his disinclination to turn out like his father. Later he claims he ‘thinks better’ over a pint.
8. Morse has a particular fondness for classic cars and owns a distinctive Mark 2 Jaguar, however his interest does not extend to sentimentality. From the first episode, ‘The Dead of Jericho’, we are shown that he has no particular qualms about putting his car in the path of danger (though he later seems irritated about needing to get it repaired) and in ‘Driven to Distraction’ he suspects a car-salesman of murder partly on the basis of his reference to Morse’s Jaguar as ‘she.’
9. Portrayed as a good-hearted curmudgeon in Inspector Morse, his aims, like Thursday’s before him, centre around the pursuit of justice even at the cost of accepted police procedure. This disregard for the expected way of doing things appears to be the main reason why he has not been promoted beyond the rank of Chief Inspector despite his obvious skills. Despite this, he is shown as having an (albeit prickly) fondness for his colleagues, in particular Sergeant Lewis, Chief Superintendent Strange and pathologist Max DeBryn.
10. Morse is a master of deduction. He leaves the ‘practical’ policing mostly to Lewis and the pathologists (in part because of his distaste for gore) and instead bases his conclusions mostly on more ‘Holmesian’ methods. Morse is also akin to Holmes in his frequently less-than-normal response to social situations in which he can often be acerbic and at times appear somewhat cruel (or at least emotionally stunted). Though undeniably fond of Lewis, he frequently snaps at him for little or no reason and the when confronted by the anxiety of parents whose child has gone missing, for example, his response suggests a certain lack of empathy:
‘Max: Think of it like losing your finest recording of The Ring Cycle
Morse: Yes, but I’ve still got it on cassette!’
(Last Seen Wearing)
Saunders.Barbara.Ann@gmail.be
Although there remains little of Britain I wish to return to, I am nevertheless deeply into Morse, and the Current versions now honouring his previous assistant, working with a new one. Were it possible to gather a few of the earlier Morse episodes I would be very grateful.
Hi Barbara! You can easily buy/rent Inspector Morse and its spin-off Lewis online (check ITV’s Amazon page). You can probably even order them at your local bookshop and if you are willing to wait, the series will no doubt be aired on TV again!
Public libraries have DVD’s to loan and you can always request that they purchase programs not in stock.
I know I could not be alone as a fan of DI Morse. I was over joyed finding that DI Lewis has his own series, as Morse’s protégé. A couple of weeks ago I found out about the young Morse. I find the portrayal of young Morse very enjoyable and the actor compelling revealing, slowly, how Morse matured into the great detective of his later years.
I pray that Endeavour will have years to run on TV.
Here in the USA it’s been difficult to have been able to watch the early Morse-Lewis episodes–especially here in Hawai’i. Local programming of hula, slack-key guitar, and the Merrie Monarch festivals frequently pre-empts Masterpiece Theater on PBS.
After watching the Pilot and the three seasons of Shaun Evans and Roger Allam in “Endeavour” I am glad that the screenwriters have chosen to leave out Colin Dexter’s character failings of Morse found in his books. Perhaps I’m a prude but I REALLY don’t want to think of Morse with a fond taste for pornography and misogyny!
Exactly how old is Morse supposed to be? If he and Susan were sweethearts at Oxford that makes them the same age. However she is clearly at least 10 years younger?
actually I think the actress is only 5 years younger than John Thaw who was only 60 when he died in 2002 -to my mind he always looks about 10 years older than his actual age …
Thaw was in real life a heavy drinker. Even though he supposedly quit in 1995. That was a big reason he looked older than he actually was.
In fact, his boozing is what probably gave him oesophageal cancer. That and his heavy smoking from an early age.
Does Mr. Bright really have a wife? She is always “awaY’ – playing bridge, doing charity work etc. When Mr. Bright makes excuses for her absense – they do sound a bit suspect.
Does anyone know? or suspect? or have “inside” info?
Yes, we see Mrs. Bright in series 6, last 2 episodes.
series 6 of Endeavour, episodes 3 and 4.
Can someone explain – in the last episode of Inspector Morse – that love letter he sent. Also his reference to being “nursed” ???
The letter was to the redheaded nurse who cared for him in the hospital. He later had a brief sexual thing with her and wrote her, wanting more. But she was murdered by her daughter.
I am guessing you are American. Being ‘nursed’ in the UK, and possibly everywhere else but the US, means: ‘being looked after by a nurse’. A rather natural and obvious definition. Where does the US meaning: ‘being breast fed’ come from? There is no obvious grammatical connection.
Another typical example was in The Big Bang Theory earlier. A character referred to ‘the cleaning of the toilet in the rest room’. Why Rest Room? It sounds stupid and makes no grammatical sense. You don’t rest in it. And then the dreaded word ‘toilet’ emerged anyway.
In the US, “nursing” can also mean to look after someone as attentively as a nurse. A wife might “nurse” a sick husband back to health, for example.
The term “rest room” is said to derive from a time when women wore tight corsets and would retire to a place to rest when they felt faint. Today there are still women’s “rest rooms” with “fainting couches.” I’ve heard that people consider this a myth, yet today women have been known to rest on these coaches in a “rest room” when they’re feeling out of sorts due to menstrual periods. I once worked late in a NYC skyscraper when a new janitor had just cleaned the women’s rest room. He told me the men’s room didn’t have a comfortable place to sit and asked why couldn’t men have a proper rest room like the lades?
Just started re-watching Endeavour. Really enjoying the first series again but why is Bright not so bright? I cannot believe someone in his position not recognising the incredible talent that Morse is, without nurturing it. As a former manager myself you always loved the Mavericks, because they shone with invention and creativity. They just needed handling differently but you didn’t shun them, or park them on general duties. Rant over.
I’m with you. Chief Inspector Bright is really a dumbass. He is also obnoxious. I don’t know how someone who can’t see the talents of someone like Morse and not want to get every bit of investigation out of Morse that he can get
What kind of car does Fred Thursday drive?
It’s a 1956 Jaguar Mk.I 240.
Is there any explanation as to how (a financially challenged) Fred Thursday drives a Jag???
Jaguars were issued as police cars in England during the 1960s. Lucky policemen!
Where DOES Morse’s additional income come from? Pretty fancy car for a policeman.
In season 6 of “Endeavor”, the car was found in a car repair business, covered with a tarpaulin, without wheels and in need of significant renovation. I think (but am not sure) that it belonged to a suspected criminal.
I wonder the type of pipe tobacco DI Thursday smokes.
In the Series Endeavour the police force Morse works within is Oxford City Police. During the Series the back story is the pending, then actual, merger with Oxfordshire County Police (and other constabularies in actuality) to form the Thames Valley Police. However in the Lewis series, which takes place after the Morse and the Endeavour series, Lewis and Hathaway are working for (the superseded and replaced) Oxfordshire Police. Sounds criminal to me !
Hi,
My wife and I love the Endeavour series and have even visited Oxford to find the locations. We have a question though, why was Endeavour filmed after Morse and Lewis?
Thanks for your help.
Kind regards
Simon
Hi Simon! The series Inspector Morse are based on the books by Colin Dexter, who also co-wrote the sequel Lewis. The author never published books about Morse’s younger years. The episodes of Endeavour are written by Russel Lewis (who already worked on several episodes of Lewis), and characters like DI Thursday and CS Bright are created by him. Colin Dexter wholeheartedly approved of Endeavour though, appearing as a cameo in every episode, even posthumously.
does any one know where Morse was born or even had a permanent residence at other than at oxford??
I thoroughly enjoy all episodes of Morse, Lewis and Endeavour.
I dibs my hat in admiration of all the actors, and the roles they play, and the all the producers that made these 3 generations come to fruition. Their professionalism of acting true to life gives me great pleasure.
Such paramount reality of real life expression and passion, that seems to be uniquely predominant in English cinematography, is what often brings me to tears. Thanks ABC Melbourne for such priceless entertainment. Makes me proud to be a taxpayer.
Absolutely. Aunty delivers again!
Hi Roger,
I wanted to post a separate comment in praise of your perfect role as an actor, that is perfectly placed as supervisor/admirer of young Endeavour.
Your facial expressions that would strike fear in the heart of the most hardened criminal, is mellowed perfectly when directed towards Endeavour, who you appear to admire him as if your son, and he who in turn seems to admire you as a father.
As I mean to offer you the highest compliment, you remind me so much of Robert Stack as Elliot Ness in the Untouchables, I watched as a teenager in the mid to late 60’s .
Good luck & best of health to you and all your family.
Bernie and Leonie
Shaun Evans’ moustache in Season 6 hides the expressive face of this wonderful actor. Please consider shaving it off soon. Love the show
McNutt is mentioned in the Endeavour episode ‘Neverland’ when Thursday is considering retirement. Whilst discussing this over a glass of beer, Morse bluntly states “I didn’t stay in Oxford to work under McNutt”. One can only presume that after the Thames Valley merger, McNutt decides to devote his life to the church rather than the police force, giving us the philanthropic character later seen in Masonic Mysteries.
I have a question how many Jaguar cars were used in the making of Morse? It was damaged a few times.
Thanks
Did inspector Morse ever mention Thursday in an episode inspector Morse. But not in name.
The Morse, Lewis, & Endeavour series are the completely best programs on tv. The writing, characters, and especially actors!– magnificent. I could watch them forever. Thank you UK!!!!
Hello Roger
I found this site by accident. I am a confirmed fan of Morse and Lewis. To have the Endeavour series is a joy. However, I can’t help watching the young Morse without remembering his older self’s single, sad death. I’m so glad that Insp Thursday has his family, and the plotlines resulting. I don’t know if there could be further series, until the character of Morse collides with Endeavour, but I hope so. You are a very fine actor.
I love Endeavour! And have watched all series 3 times (will continue on to Morse as a friend is lending me it)
Each extra time I watch it I’m noticing more things, and making more sense (only realised it is Dorothea Frazel not Dorothy Afrazel when watching for the third time). But what I’m still missing is what happened to the stollen evidence (the note book, the ring etc?)
I haven’t liked series 6 and 7 as much, Morse’s moustache was terrible in 6 and I don’t quite understand the coldness better Morse and Thursday, I thought morse was meantto have a desk in Thursdays office.
Why do we not get told more about Thursdays demotion?
Why is Joan so cold to Morse? She said “I can’t sit around waiting for someone to tell me my life can begin”. She was the one who walked away when Morse said she meant the world to him, then again when he asked her to marry him, then friend zoned him again at the home warming party! Don’t like her
Sorry for the long post
He is better of without her. She makes too many poor decisions…with regard to him. Her thoughtlessness about letting her mother and father worry about her well being when she left was the worst. No empathy. Choosing to live with the guy who abused her etc. It was pleasing to see Thursday attacking that guy….and threatening him.
The only tiny silver lining to this awful pandemic we are all currently living through is that I discovered the wonderful Endeavour on Amazon Prime. I am just about to finish Series 6, and am eagerly awaiting the premiere of Series 7 (in the US) next month. I love everything about Endeavour – the writing and acting are simply wonderful with beautifully drawn characters, rich and complex storylines and lovely, resonant relationships. I do, however, have a suggestion and one question. First, even though I know that Inspector Morse’s romantic life is a source of sustained disappointment, I would love for Endeavour to have one truly great, satisfying relationship, even if it is ultimately doomed. It is just too heartbreaking to think that he’ll never experience the kind of love and passion he deserves. Second, I am wondering if anyone else sees the similarities between Dr. DeBryn and Dr. Mallard (Ducky) of NCIS? They are both unique, quirky and utterly endearing characters, who bear a remarkable resemblance to each other in temperment, tastes and demeanor.
I noticed the resemblance between the doctors! So much so that I googled it and landed on your comment. It’s uncanny, really. Glad I’m not alone in that!
Me too! I’m relieved to read your comments. I was concerned that I was watching too many murder mysteries. They are refreshing characters in their respective series.
Hi I am a fan (in Canada) of the Morse/Endeavour series. In Remorseful Day in his will Morse apportions his estate among three beneficiaries
1. A music scholarship
2. Lewis&family
3. ? A woman. What was her name and relationship to Morse?
Thank you,
Vicki
Ok I found Adele Cecil. Here in North America it is the American Public Broadcaster PBS that has carried the Morse series and unfortunately it does not show the final series. So I’ve gone back and looked for series 8 on the internet and found Adele Cecil and her relationship with Morse in the two episodes before the final Remorseful Day.
Does anyone know the exact brand of Whisky (…Bell & Co.,) Morse drinks??? It’s a green bottle. presumably Scottish but Im at a loss… HELP?
Most probably a made-up-name like the cigarettes are (Fusiliers).
I am just watching Daughters of Cain and he clearly had a bottle of Glenfiddich he was pouring a healthy measure from!
Definitely whisky (not whiskey) at any rate!
Does anyone know why Thursday is angry with Endeavour in Season 4 Episode 1 of Endeavour? I know that Thursday is upset because his daughter has left home. But does Thursday somehow blame Endeavour for Joan leaving? Or is Thursday’s anger related to Endeavour mistakenly saying there were no bullets left in the bank robbers gun in a previous episode?
Great series! Love the writing, direction, etc. Thanks for such wonderful entertainment, engaging characters and the plot twists and turns.
What company made DC Morse’s khaki mac?
I think you may be right Tricia, that Fred believes Morse could’ve convinced Joan to stay or at least had the last opportunity to when he saw her off that morning. There is the sense that the Thursdays had hopes for Morse and Joan both before her leaving and after her return. That tension between Fred and Endeavor seems to develop into professional jealousy in series 5-7 as hardships, demotions and reorganizations first separate and then reunite them. It should be interesting to see how the writer/s end the Endeavor Series’. Hopefully they wont become obsessed with trying to explain why the Thursdays were never mentioned by Morse in later life. I just dont think it’s necessary but it probably precludes a more significant relationship with Joan before it’s over. I just cant say enough good things about the cast and production of the Endeavor series, it has been the best Brit series in my opinion and believe me, I’ve loved them all.
24B
RPA
Guess what those numbers are ?😊Am watching the Morse series again from the very beginning on PBS. It’s my third time, I never tire of it. So many new traits are picked up each time.
Oops. Correction:
248
RPA
Still watching Morse reruns.
I now understand Endeavour’s personal flaw in getting close to women who were part of his investigations. Morse shows the same weakness.
How did Morse’s mother die and in season 1 Endeavour Fugue what did Mason Gull mean when he said “I know who you couldn”t save”
Didn’t Endeavour’s (Morse’s) mother leave when Endeavour was little? Did we ever learn how/when she died? Regarding Gull’s comment did he mean Morse’s father that Endeavour couldn’t save?
Watching Morse S6E5 Cherubim&Seraphimin which Morse speaks of his childhood to Lewis. His mother left when he was 12. He went to live with her. She died when he was 15 and he went to live with his dad and new wife, the miserable Gwen who hated 15 year old Morse making him consider suicide. He didn’t because he cared about little stepsister Joyce and he realized that suicide would be destroying his brilliant mind. He says, “I was vain even then.”
Just watched the last inspector Morse,crying like a baby. When Lewis kissed his forehead and covered him back back up I lost it.I love this show so much.
I also watch inspector Lewis but I loved John Thaw.
Yes that was a very emotional moment. In a previous episode when Morse visited his lawyer about his will to apportion his estate and he included Lewis& his family, that too tugged at my heart.
I am watching reruns of Endeavour. In S3E4 CODA during the bank robbery when hostages Morse and Joan are betrayed, Joan Thursday is asked her name by the thugs. In order to deflect identifying her father as DI Thursday she lies and says her name is Joan Strange. Is this the production team’s nod as to why the older Morse never talks about Joan or the Thursdays in the Inspector Morse series? Maybe Joan does end up as Mrs.Strange, Morse’s boss’ wife.
Recently read Sheila Hancock’s book The Two of Us: My Life with John Thaw. Excellent, recommend 👍🏽
Excellany analysis by all.I forgot.Can someone tell me what College Morse attended while at Oxford ?
In Endeavour, Morse says his alma mater was Lonsdale. But a posting on the internet says St. Johns College.
Many may disagree, but this is another example of a series that should have been killed off sooner rather than later.
Morse, Endeavor and Lewis I enjoy and highly recommend as excellent entertainment. The acting, attention to detail and complexity of storyline is – oh so fine!
Love the characters. In fact re watching the episodes is practically mandatory to catch it all. Thank you PBS!!!!
Can someone please explain to me Morse’s comment in the opening scene of the way through the woods when asked if the global tide of feminism had passed him by he replied “ I’m with Knute on this”.. I haven’t a clue as to the origins of that reference.
See morselewisandendeavour.com
“ At around the two minute mark Morse buys Claire Osbourne a programme. She says, “The tide of feminist globalism passed you buy then.” Morse replies, “I’m with Canute all the way.” Morse is referring to King Canute The story of King Canute and the tide is an apocryphal anecdote illustrating the piety or humility of King Canute the Great, recorded in the 12th century. In the story, Canute demonstrates to his flattering courtiers that he has no control over the elements (the incoming tide), explaining that secular power is vain compared to the supreme power of God.”
Sorry the site should read:
morseandlewisandendeavour.com
I lived in a cabin for 13 years with no electricity .my dad kept telling me about this detective on public TV where Morse code is played during the credits(he was a ham operator ).not long after his death and my getting civilization in thru a TV ..I discovered I was drawn to Inspector Morse and one day realized what I was watching,my dad’s show! I sometimes tear up when it comes on..I like to pretend we’re watching it together.
That is a touching mental picture Richard.
Morse, Lewis and Endeavour are riveting and quality shows that appeal to multiple generations of viewers. So glad you found them. Not much on commercial TV that comes up to their standards.