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Cherry Pop

'Masterpiece Mystery: Endeavour'
(Shaun Evans, John Light, Flora Montgomery, Patrick Malahide, Michael Matus, et al / DVD / NR / 2012 / PBS)

Overview: Shaun Evans (The Take) steps into John Thaw's shoes as the younger version of Colin Dexter's iconic creation Inspector Morse shedding new light on the origins of the detective famed for his love of crosswords classical music real ale and classic cars.

DVD Verdict: This was, as hoped, as great as I had hoped it would be! In just 98 minutes we not only see how Morse's early police career as a young rookie detective on assignment to Oxford in 1965 comes to be, but we see his modern day traits (drinking, quirks, quick left-of-center thoughts, etc.) begin to form too! In this, his fast major case, he and his police mates are searching for a missing 15-year old girl back in Oxford.

This new Inspector Morse series, with sweeping shots of Oxford colleges and the local surrounding area is incredible to watch. Including the digitally enhanced "old school" Oxford from what it would have looked like for him to walk around in back in the '60s. Indeed, this is an excellent, stand alone British drama and as much as this show was a one-off, well, I can only hope they get their skates on and turn this into a regular TV series.

This story recaptures the tone of an early 'Inspector Morse' in its opening disconnected scenes. The young Morse is introverted, contemplative, and an opera fan, but he is not yet peeved by the job. Indeed, he doesn't drink, appreciates long nights at the office doing paperwork, and he has a place for everything. He's still quite squeamish too, fainting at an autopsy!

The case brings him back to Oxford University, where we learn that he flopped out just before the Finals were upon him. It shows us a woman, very briefly that he lost, and who still haunts him. At one murder scene, he is greeted by the coroner (a young) Max, who as you all should know was the coroner ever onwards for Morse to encounter.

There are some amazing performances from Shaun Evans (as a young Morse) and Roger Allam as his superior, Detective Inspector Fred Thursday, who was the one who introduced him to a good pint of ale first! And, in an inspired choice to use John Thaw's daughter Abigail as newspaper editor Dorothea Frazil in a quick scene. As the two part, she stops the young Morse and asks if they've met before. He says no, he then moves on, and her gaze follows him out of the door, still wondering. In truth, I didn't know it was her until I read the credits, but playing it back you can definitely see some Thaw features in her face!

Come the end, and with just 30 seconds to go a CGI cameo for Thaw's older Morse is given to us too! It could have come across cheesy, but it worked. Not 100%, but enough to get me warm and fuzzy! This is a Widescreen Presentation 1.85:1 enhanced for 16x9 TVs.

www.PBS.org





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