Plot: What’s it about?
Detective Constable Morse (Shaun Evans) has been assigned to a large scale case, the disappearance of a young girl in the Oxford area. While he has a history with Oxford, he still lends his assistance, though he expects a less than warm welcome. The other detectives on the case are more experienced, but Morse is able to quickly pick up some fresh leads. His unusual methods, such as crossword puzzles and classical music, confuse some and infuriate others, but he gets results. While he draws the ire of most of the other detectives, Detective Inspector Thursday (Roger Allan) is impressed and takes a shine to the young man. So he is allowed to continue his work, mostly on his own and he gets closer and closer to the truth. As he contends with the other detectives, political powers, and his own personal demons, Morse has a lot to cope with as he investigates. Even with his high level of talent, can even Morse balance all of these elements and solve the case?
A prequel of sorts to the beloved Inspector Morse series, Endeavour follows a young Morse as he embarks on his detective career and faces his Oxford demons. Inspector Morse was an excellent series, one that remains popular and John Thaw’s turns as Morse were remarkable. As such, returning to the Morse world couldn’t have been a simple task. Even so, Endeavour is a wonderful return to Morse and while not as superb as the original, fans should be satisfied. Shaun Evans stars as Morse and does his best to fill Thaw’s shoes, with positive results. His performance is rock solid and fans should appreciate his work here. Endeavour is going to entertain those who are familiar with the Morse world the most, given the inside jokes and references made. So veteran fans will get the most of this, but even newcomers will find a lot to like. Going back into Inspector Morse’s world could have been tricky, but Endeavour is a great chance for fans to go back into that beloved character’s life once again.
Video: How does it look?
Endeavour is presented in 1.78:1 widescreen. This is a clean, sharp visual presentation. The visuals have a natural look, with the kind of depth you’d expect from HD. I found detail to be quite good, with even the smallest details visible, such as textures on the actors’ clothes. The colors are bright and natural, while contrast is dead on. The contrast performs well even in heavily shadowed scenes, which is impressive. So this program looks terrific here and fans should be pleased.
Audio: How does it sound?
The soundtrack here is basic, but effective. This program relies on dialogue more than any other element, so there isn’t much depth or presence to speak of. The music sounds fine and sound effects are passable, but again just reserved overall. The focus tends to be on vocals and that works well, as dialogue is clear and clean throughout. I never missed even a single line, which is important given the nature of the content. This disc also includes English subtitles.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes no bonus materials.
