The theme is just so appropriate every time I hear it. Sad and mournful, the beginning tapping out the Morse Code, beautifully haunting music. Definitely only for this character.
And it goes even deeper... Here the point is that no one in his life, except maybe Strange and Max, knows his first name. In fact that's a big part of his self-image and identity. In Endeavour, the final scene of the first episode ends with him being addressed, sternly, by his first name, by a superior trying to get his attention. In the larger scope of the narrative, hiding his name is an unconscious defense mechanism in the form of a power play. Thus this scene is reframed as less a moment of levity than of poignant vulnerability.
@@tinkdnuos Fred and Joan Thursday also knew Morse's first name (and Fred pronounced it aloud in the final scene of 'Endeavour' premiere). However their whereabouts in the 1980s are still unknown. I guess we'll find out when the series finally concludes.
@@LGranthamsHeir You have to wonder how much of it came about due to Morse's reluctant approach to promotion and that officers possibly less qualified than him moved up the tree, thus the one's who did know his christian names such as Strange no longer were in contact with him. Certainly there must have been a point in the mid 1970's were Strange's promotions took him out of CID on a daily basis, and couple that to Fred Thursday's final retirement and you are left with a DS morphing into DI Morse.That would have made is easier for Endeavour to become Morse as officers who he was dealing with on a day to day basis were junior to his rank and thus being asked by him to use his surname was a sign of respect instead of the more usual address of Sir?
The theme music is so hauntingly beautiful, tapping out the Morse code in the beginning, sad and mournful at times, powerful at other points. Just a masterpiece befitting of the character. Thank you ALL cast members of both Inspector Morse and Endeavour ❤❤❤
No doubt in my mind. Morse and endeavours are perhaps the best crime story I’ve ever seen. I saw all the first Morse and Lewis and I was sincerely sorry for Endeavour, but it was way better than I have seen coming. And today Endeavour might be slightly better due to better quality ( money etc ) the actors are equal. But I would wish Joan and Endeavours would find their love. But we know it will not happen. But today these are my best series. And the writer and director are a genius. And I can’t wait to see how they are going to close the last chapter. So Morse and Endeavours I’m going to find you once a while and get a little tears in my eyes 😊🎸⬆️♾
he was a pretty good actor. his facial expressions were just great. i like the series but i never thought he revealed his name there. i love the "poor sod". 😊😊
I named my service dog “Endeavour” in 2003. I had never watched an Inspector Morse show. I live on a sailboat here in Hawai’i and named him for the HMS Endeavour that Captain Cooke sailed to Eastern Australia. The “Endeavour” was finally used as a troop carrier for the British in the American Revolution. Then one of our five space shuttles was named Endeavour. (Also Challenger, Columbia, Discovery, and the Atlantis.) What a shock to watch the new Endeavour series and find out that Endeavour’s father had named his son ALSO after Cooke’s HMS Endeavour!
I think so too. I’m never having kids, but if I did, I’d name one of them Endeavour, complete with the U, British spelling, as that’s where I came from, despite living in the US now.
He had a few elegant quirks. Hated the sight of blood and dead bodies, hated his name, liked Wagner, only drove his own red jag. Drank too much. Great character. Always got the baddie.
Morse/Thaw also died much too soon, in life and in this program....a massive heart attack on the show, and cancer of the esophagus in real life, both from heavy drinking and smoking, for decades. In the penultimate episode, Morse is hospitalized with a bleeding ulcer from excessive alcohol consumption....there’s nothing remotely romantic or admirable in that, regardless of the kind of car he drove.
Thanks for that. I have seen many of the Morse episodes, all of the Endeavor episodes, but never knew where the name came from, just that he never used it.
Even if we didn't know it at the time, and we should have, we were watching a genius, a moment in time, never to be equaled or repeated. John Thaw. A legend.
Agree. There is still quite a gap between the last episode of Endeavour and Inspector Morse in regards to how he came to be Morse. And the relationship between Inspector Morse and his superior Strange is never dealt with other than Strange marries Joan. I think Morse had better lives with the Italian woman and the photographer. He and Joan actually had sex and Joan realized it wasn’t something she wanted at the time.
I can see why he wouldn't want it to become well-known-- "Forever Endeavour Morse," everytime he'd introduce himself, with everyone thinking they were the first to come up with it. Anyhow, I used to call the show "Inspector Morose" because the character is always so moody.
I think I’d call him something silly like “Uncle Dev” He probably wouldn’t appreciate it and I’d probably get a pint poured in my face. But like.. if I were him, I’d go by Dev. And does he have a middle name at all?
@@mikebs14 I think it was one of the later episodes... They wanted to find out Morse's N.I. No. or some type of personal info ?... Cannot recall which episode, but the entry on the computer screen only appeared for a few seconds ( in green text, I think )... But Lewis did NOT say " Oh, so his first name starts with the letter E "... But Lewis, and a female computer operator, definitely saw the single line of text across the centre of the screen... I think I am correct with this, my memory is usually spot on !
@@mikebs14 I have found it... On the episode... Masonic Mysteries Season 4 Episode 4,... about 3 quarters of the way through, Morse, Lewis and a lady are checking some Bank Account details, and an entry of 99,999 pounds is shown into the account of E Morse.... Hope this solves the mystery...
It is, sorry :) I've put a link to where you can find the whole episode in the video description above. Other than these two scenes, it's not my favourite episode.
When medics ask if I have any allergies, I reply, "Oxford". It is not my favourite place. In the Sweeney, we had junior officers calling their superiors "gov", which John Stalker said would never happen in real life. In Morse, we have a view of Oxford which is also somewhat distant from reality. I've had to balance my appreciation of Morse with my dislike of Oxford, which is very strong.
Here's the thing... We all know his name was Endeavor, but I don't think that was determined until later in the series' run. I say this because I distinctly remember a close-up shot of his ID card in one of the earlier seasons in which you could read his first name (and it was something else). I don't know what it was, or if his first name is revealed in the books.. But I'm like 90% sure I saw that. Does anyone else have a clue?
Perhaps he did it for practical reasons? He invented something else to the nametag because Endeavour would grab and take people's attention away when he was interrogating them?
A great shame that the most popular name for new-borns in the UK is not also Quaker, but Mohammedan. ETA - and who the hell decided that using the word 'Mohammedan' in a post requires that I be warned about it being 'offensive'. - try it for yourself and see!
Morse was an insufferable snob! John Thaw was also a cruel, at times vicious husband and father! Endeavour continues in the same way. Robbie Lewis and Dr Hobson are the only characters I like.
