The fifth season of this British crime drama—a prequel to the popular mystery series Inspector Morse—starring Shaun Evans as the young Detective Constable Endeavour Morse in the Oxford police department, brings the series into the 1970s as the department is about to be consolidated into a larger force. Morse has been promoted to Detective Sergeant and his commanding officer, DCI Fred Thursday (Roger Allam), tasks him with mentoring the newest member of their unit—eager, newly-promoted DC George Fancy (Lewis Peek)—which rankles Morse, a perfectionist who prefers to work alone. Over the episodes, Morse's cases include a horror movie star targeted by what seems to be an Egyptian curse, the murder of a civilian fashion model on a military training base where Thursday's son is a suspect, an assassination involving a Russian spy, and a killing at a private school for arrogant sons of the rich and powerful. Meanwhile, Thursday wants to close one last case before he retires, WPC Shirley Trewlove (Dakota Blue Richards)—the sole female officer on the force—proves to be a smart and resourceful officer, and Morse engages in a couple of romances. This period mystery series—airing on PBS’s Masterpiece Mystery stateside—has developed a distinct (and distinctly darker) character apart from its inspiration, and its portrait of the serious young Morse and of Oxford in the ‘60s and early ‘70s is fascinating. Compiling all six feature-length episodes from the 2018 fifth season, extras include behind-the-scenes featurettes. Recommended. (S. Axmaker)
Endeavour: The Complete Fifth Season
PBS, 3 discs, 540 min., not rated, DVD: $39.99, Blu-ray: $49.99
Endeavour: The Complete Fifth Season
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