As said in my review for the entire show three years ago, 'Endeavour' is not just a more than worthy prequel series to one of my favourite detective dramas of all time and goes very well with it, but it is a great series on its own as well. It maintains everything that makes 'Inspector Morse' so good, while also containing enough to make it its own, and in my mind 'Inspector Morse', 'Lewis' and 'Endeavour' go perfectly well together.
The pilot was a very promising start if with an understandable finding its feet feel. Things got even better with the consistently outstanding first season, and the darker Season 2 was hardly inferior, with "Neverland" being an 'Endeavour' high point. Season 3 is considered by fans as nowhere near as good as previously. Will admit that it is not as good as Seasons 1 and 2, which had more believable stories and didn't try to do too much but count me in as someone who has still enjoyed the episodes and has found a lot to like, while finding "Coda" outstanding. Likewise with Season 4, with its weak point being the soap operatic Joan subplot in "Harvest".
Although so far Season 5 has impressed me, "Passenger" for me is the best of the three so far aired and has made me excited for what is to come. Would have liked a little more done with Cedric, but it was refreshing to have an episode that was very mystery focused while letting us get to know the characters too. It is agreed that "Passenger" did feel like it was building towards something, to tie up some of the ambiguities, and a dark one, which is part of why the rest of Season 5 is so highly anticipated now.
Really loved how Trewlove was written here and how she is growing as a character all the time. One that is a ray of sunshine, even when suffering the amount of grief she gets in "Passenger" one truly admires how she handles it, dignified and no-nonsense. Some great lines too, especially that genius anti-blasphemy burn from Thursday (need to remember that one for future use). Not to mention a more sympathetic side to Bright, especially seen in a powerful showdown scene that feels immensely satisfying (partly too that you hate the character who he's having it with).
The ending is extremely clever and very surprising, in a case where one finds themselves suspecting everybody with no exceptions (was even rooting for Box to be the killer at times, but that would have not made sense within the rest of the story) the reveal is not an expected one. The story is hugely compelling with lots of shocks, twists and turns and very little feeling too obvious or convoluted.
Nothing can be faulted with the production values. It is exquisitely filmed and the idyllic and atmospheric setting was a very nice change from Oxford. There is something very nostalgic and charming about the atmospherically evoked 1960s period detail. Similarly, as always, the music is hauntingly beautiful with the way it's utilised never in question, the iconic 'Inspector Morse' theme will forever be immortal and it has always been a genius move to use it for 'Endeavour'.
Writing, as has been said many times in my reviews for the previous 'Endeavour' episodes, is every bit as intelligent, entertaining and tense as the previous episodes and as the best of 'Morse'.
As ever, Morse and Thursday's relationship was always one of the show's major high points, it always entertained and warmed the heart and with each episode it gets more so on both counts, with some moving and tense moments too.
Shaun Evans as ever does some powerful, charismatic work as younger Morse, showing enough loyalty to John Thaw's iconic Morse while making the character his own too. Roger Allam is also superb, his rapport with Evans always compels and entertains but Thursday is quite a sympathetic character, as well as loyal and firm, and Allam does a lot special with a role that could have been less interesting possibly in lesser hands.
Anton Lesser really makes the most to this side of Bright and provides some of the episode's best acting. Dakota Blue Richards is like the brightest of sunshine rays. The supporting cast are all solid, with an obvious standout being the suitably smarmy Simon Harrison as Box.
Overall, great episode and classic 'Endeavour'. 9/10 Bethany Cox
21 out of 32 found this helpful.
Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
