Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Mystery abounds
TV sleuths have been staples of prime time for ages, and with good reason. They captivate viewers with tales of mystery, intrigue and drama, not to mention their fascinating personalities. Jack Webb’s no-nonsense Joe Friday solved crime in “Dragnet” in the 1950s, Peter Falk fumbled his way to justice as TV’s “Columbo” for decades in TV series and movies, and Kristen Bell recently returned to the airwaves as the spunky titular character in Hulu’s “Veronica Mars.” If TV crime solvers have something in common, it’s that they’re unique. To the delight of fans, one of modern television’s most unique detectives has returned.
Shaun Evans (“Teachers”) is back as gifted investigator DS Endeavour Morse in a new episode of “Masterpiece Mystery: Endeavour,” airing Sunday, Aug. 23, on PBS. The British ITV series serves as a prequel to the popular ‘80s and ‘90s detective drama “Inspector Morse.” In “Endeavour,” Evans stars as the younger version of that show’s protagonist, giving fans a glimpse at how his career began with the Oxford City Police CID.
Consisting of three interconnected feature-length films, Season 7 picks up with Morse in 1970. It’s a fresh decade and a fresh start for the detective, who’s left his memorable Season 6 mustache in the 1960s. Cleanly shaven, he’s ready to tackle new cases alongside his mentor and friend, DCI Fred Thursday, played by Roger Allam (“V for Vendetta,” 2005). This season, the unlikely pair tries to solve a number of homicides against the backdrop of the women’s liberation movement and increasing racial tensions in the ‘70s.
As with all the previous “Endeavour” episodes, each of the three Season 7 installments was written by the show’s creator, Russell Lewis (“The Ambassador”). In an official ITV release about Season 7, “Endeavour” executive producer
Damien Timmer (“Poirot”) had high praise for Russell’s work on the new season.
“It’s a thrill to enter a new decade and tell more tales of the not-quite-so-young now Endeavour Morse,” Timmer said. “Russell has some very striking stories to tell in this new set of films which we hope will baffle, unnerve and delight the show’s fans!”
The program may be a prequel, but that doesn’t mean that it won’t ring true with today’s audiences. According to its star, the new season’s episodes take their cues from modern-day issues. In a February article with RadioTimes. com, Evans talked about the timeliness of this season’s topics, which include sexual harassment and immigration.
“I don’t want to say it’s a comment, but I think these stories work best when there is a reflection of what’s going on now,” Evans said.
The storylines are new, but there will be some familiar faces returning for Season 7. Anton Lesser (“Game of Thrones”) reprises his role as CS Reginald Bright, Sean Rigby (“Gunpowder”) will once again appear as DS Jim Strange, and James Bradshaw (“Hollyoaks”) is back as Dr. Max DeBryn. Abigail Thaw (“Casualty”) returns as Oxford Mail editor Dorothea Frazil, and Caroline O’Neill (“Coronation Street”) portrays Thursday’s wife, Win.
While the new season is sure to be full of captivating characters and mysteries, fans of the show may notice something’s missing. Those hoping to see Sara Vickers (“Watchmen”) as Morse’s previous love interest, Joan Thursday, are out of luck in Season 7. The actress was busy with her new baby as they were filming the latest episodes, so she wasn’t available to reprise her role.
As for the rest of the cast, viewers may be surprised to learn that it was a bit of a family fair on the set of “Endeavour.” This season, Allam welcomed to the set both his reallife wife, Rebecca Saire (“Vanity Fair”), as Mrs. Radowicz and his son, William Allam (“A Little Chaos,” 2014), as Gary Rogers. Also, Thaw played opposite her daughter, newcomer Molly-Mae Whitmey, who played women’s rights activist Sally Alexander, a character based on Thaw’s real-life mother. Even more interesting is the fact that the real-life Alexander was married to Thaw’s father, John Thaw (“The Sweeney”), who played Endeavour Morse in the original “Inspector Morse” series. Abigail Thaw joked about the experience in a February article on oxinabox.co/uk.
“I get to meet my mother played by my daughter. How confusing is that,” Thaw was quoted as saying. “It’s three generations in one, but we are all the wrong age.
It looks as if “Endeavour’s” seventh season has plenty to offer PBS’s North American viewers. The show aired in the U.K. in February to much critical acclaim and ratings success. Those who still aren’t quite convinced may be interested to know that the series has landed on various mustwatch lists of high-profile publications, including the New York Times, popsugar. com and The Atlantic.
See what all the fuss is about by checking out Morse’s latest case. Endeavour investigates what appears to be a freak accident at Lady Matilda’s College, but he soon discovers that the incident may be linked to other suspicious events throughout Oxford. Thursday is skeptical, but his young friend is sure that the so-called accidents are the result of foul play in a new episode of “Masterpiece Mystery: Endeavour,” airing Sunday, Aug. 23, on PBS.