Shaun Evans and Roger Allam in Endeavour Series 9
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7. Icarus (Series 5, Episode 6)

Endeavour Icarus Shaun Evans as Morse

Yes, one of many series finales in this selection (they just pay off so well in Endeavour), and one with a great deal to recommend it besides the case. The If…-inspired story of sadism, bullying and disappearances at a public school functions more as a backdrop for the thought experiment: what if Morse had never joined the police? He may well have become the classics schoolteacher he poses undercover as here. A little cottage on the grounds, a smart young wife not unlike fellow undercover officer Shirley Trewlove, and days spent filling the heads of the lower sixth form with Ovid and Homer… it’s a window into a parallel life for the Greats man.

The imminent closure of Cowley casts a melancholy pall over this episode, as Fred prepares for early retirement and regrets not having made “one last decent collar” with his bagman. When Fred learns that his life savings have disappeared thanks to brother Charlie, it puts a strain on his and Win’s marriage that continues all the way through the next series. It’s the murder of DC George Fancy though, that really leaves its mark. Guilt is general over the station, and just as ACC Bright prepares to fall on his sword, DS Strange rallies the team to vow justice for George. “They can call us Thames Valley ‘til the cows come home,” says Fred, “but wherever we wash up, we’re city men.” To the last. It’s a rousing end to a solid episode that sets up Series 6’s gripping longform corruption story.

6. Uniform (Series 9, Episode 2)

Endeavour Series 9 episode 3 Roger Allam and Shaun Evans

Two moments are unforgettable in ‘Uniform’: the surprise cliff-hanger arrival of DS Jakes on Morse’s doorstep at the end of the episode, and ACC Bright’s rousing choice to defy orders from Division and stand side by side with his men in their search for justice for Blenheim Vale’s victims. They both added up to a wonderful sense of momentum and brotherhood, reminiscent of the Cowley gang’s “To the last” vow in the Series 6 finale above.

The murder case, which involves the cast and crew of a fictional TV detective show, an odious, over-privileged Oxford university club, a Mr. Benn-referencing joke shop, and an illustrator inspired by Tom Adams’ Agatha Christie covers provided real colour next to the bleakness of Blenheim Vale. There were characters to laugh at, characters to hate, and characters to cheer on in the form of our regulars – proper coppers to a man. It was another episode that hit just the right balance between an ongoing story and a diverting murder of the week, while weaving in a Miss Thursday and Morse scene that felt like the last exit regrettably untaken off Morse’s particular motorway.

5. Apollo (Series 6, Episode 2)

Endeavour Apollo Shaun Evans and Sara Vickers as Morse and Joan

This film – the first directed by Shaun Evans – is a fine blend of case, conspiracy and context, and the perfect illustration of how well Endeavour uses its period setting. The Apollo 11 space mission provides a monumental backdrop to a story involving 1960s swingers, experimental therapy, a Thunderbirds-like puppet show, and of course, murder.

Morse isn’t popular in ‘Apollo’ (and not just because of the moustache). He’s disrespectful about Joan’s new career and is rightly put in his place. The real conflict though, is found back at the station, where Morse is reposted after his spell in Division. There’s no love lost between him and DCI Ronnie “not my governor” Box, and Morse struggles with Fred’s apparent acceptance of the new hierarchy. Jim Strange’s covert investigations into George Fancy’s murder forge an interesting new dynamic with Morse, and prepare the way for an excellent series finale (see ‘Degüello’).

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