Endeavour is Back ... With Another DE Moment

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jww
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Endeavour is Back ... With Another DE Moment

Post by jww »

Near the end of episode 1 of season 1 which just started running this week on the local-to-Ottawa PBS station. But don't think you'll see anyone shaving. It's a British whodunit, what do you expect?
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Re: Endeavour is Back ... With Another DE Moment

Post by Craig_From_Cincy »

funny you should post this, as I thought about you this evening Wendell. I am finally watching the Endeavour pilot episode tonight in preparation for the new season. I put off watching this for a long time, I was skeptical of a Morse prequel. I'm about 80% finished with the episode as I write this and I am really enjoying it. I'm looking forward to the new season.
Cheers,

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Re: Endeavour is Back ... With Another DE Moment

Post by JRTASTER »

TV critic from the local paper is very high on Endeavour. The episode airing tonight was entitled "Girl." Season and
episode unknown and it was reviewed very favorably over the weekend.

To me, the detective work was excellent but there are inconsistencies between "E" and Thaw's "Morse." The former is
portrayed as a bit slovenly, with ill-fitting suits, shirt untucked. To me, Morse was neater and tidy, not "elegant,"
but always looking "professional."

Of course, it's been a while since I've seen a Morse episode and I recognize that "Endeavour" is the young, still
unpolished detective and we are meant to believe he will mature and acquire "suaveness," if not more luck with
women. And the Jaguar, helped re-enforce that panache.

Still, I'm having a bit of trouble accepting "E" as a prequel, but happy to judge him as a stand alone character. I am
enjoying the show and the character of his boss, "Thursday."

I am more disappointed that in the latest Poirots, any resemblance between the scripts and Chrisite's original stories
appears to be strictly and totally coincidental. And David Suchet badly needs to refocus. Hercule"s former humorous
egotistic moments have morphed into preachy self-righteous tirades and awful over-wrought acting. This Poirot
isn't likely to be seen at G F Trumper's buying cologne as he is expounding his moral views at Hyde Park Corner.
This Poirot must be the one Agatha Christie reportedly grew to dislike so much!

The good news is that PBS Boston is re-running Jeremy Brett Sherlock Holmes episodes featuring the original
actor who played Watson...so much better than Edward Hardwicke.

Boy, did I hijack this thread...sorry!

jr/John
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jr/John
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Re: Endeavour is Back ... With Another DE Moment

Post by Rufus »

I saw it and I liked it. It's hard not to compare Endeavour with Morse, but he must be viewed on a stand alone basis and we'll see how he matures as the series progresses. He has a tough row to hoe in the light of John Thaw's Morse, which was brilliant.
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Re: Endeavour is Back ... With Another DE Moment

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Here's my take. Having been a Morse devotee for decades (started reading the books long before the shows were aired), I find Endeavor and excellent prequel. I see Endeavor's youth and exuberance and immaturity growing into what Morse became as an Inspector. I can totally see the young man maturing to Morse over time. And to me there are many constants --- such as the love of crosswords (key to solving "Girl" - and I never saw that coming, btw), love of classic music (singing oratorios), etc. I am an unabashed fan at the moment. Only 3 or 4 episodes in this first season. I think if it goes well, we'll see longer seasons over time.

So for me, this is as perfect a mix as can be. And having PC Strange in the first episode of Season 1 was an extra treat. The actor has the voice down pat -- right down to the "Matey" and "Whose he when he's home" lines.

Endeavor becomes Morse. Robbie becomes Lewis, and Hathway -- well, I'll leave that one to those who haven't seen the last episode in the most recent season. I could see that coming a mile away, and it was done well. No spoiler -- just watch for yourselves.
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Re: Endeavour is Back ... With Another DE Moment

Post by Rufus »

jww wrote:Here's my take. Having been a Morse devotee for decades (started reading the books long before the shows were aired), I find Endeavor and excellent prequel. I see Endeavor's youth and exuberance and immaturity growing into what Morse became as an Inspector. I can totally see the young man maturing to Morse over time. And to me there are many constants --- such as the love of crosswords (key to solving "Girl" - and I never saw that coming, btw), love of classic music (singing oratorios), etc. I am an unabashed fan at the moment. Only 3 or 4 episodes in this first season. I think if it goes well, we'll see longer seasons over time.

So for me, this is as perfect a mix as can be. And having PC Strange in the first episode of Season 1 was an extra treat. The actor has the voice down pat -- right down to the "Matey" and "Whose he when he's home" lines.

Endeavor becomes Morse. Robbie becomes Lewis, and Hathway -- well, I'll leave that one to those who haven't seen the last episode in the most recent season. I could see that coming a mile away, and it was done well. No spoiler -- just watch for yourselves.
I couldn't have put it better, Wendell. As for Inspector Lewis, I have yet to be convinced. I think Hathaway is outstanding, but I find Robbie somewhat two dimensional; not bad, but not up to the high standard of Morse and now Hathaway. Could be that he is too taciturn...or that he's a Geordie :mrgreen:
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Re: Endeavour is Back ... With Another DE Moment

Post by jww »

Rufus wrote:...
I couldn't have put it better, Wendell. As for Inspector Lewis, I have yet to be convinced. I think Hathaway is outstanding, but I find Robbie somewhat two dimensional; not bad, but not up to the high standard of Morse and now Hathaway. Could be that he is too taciturn...or that he's a Geordie :mrgreen:
Kind of my point precisely ----- Robbie always had less dimension than Morse. My previous post I meant to say that Hathaway becomes Endeavor -- that's the beauty of the three series. Together they create a continuum that I think really works well.

Lewis works for me because Robbie hasn't really changed -- a smart guy who gets bamboozled at the complexities of life. It's a great counter to Morse and Hathaway who embrace complexity and the nuances of the obscure. Endeavor has great potential -- and if the remainder of series 1 is as good as "Girl" then this will be a very, very good prequel. The one thing that makes a good whodunit work, imo, is that they stay true to the reality of solving crimes within a few days or your chances of solving it reduce dramatically.

As another point -- since Oxford is one of my very favourite backdrops in England (next to Derbyshire and York) just about anything I watch with shots of the Radcliffe Camera, Sheldonian, Bodleian, New College (my personal favourite), the Bridge of Sighs, etc., etc. is pretty much must-see TV for me. The shot of Endeavor overlooking the camera and environs from the rooftop is just pure joy. :D
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Re: Endeavour is Back ... With Another DE Moment

Post by Rufus »

jww wrote:
My previous post I meant to say that Hathaway becomes Endeavor -- that's the beauty of the three series. Together they create a continuum that I think really works well.

:D
I hadn't thought of it that way, but on reflection it does make sense. I must confess that I was puzzled by why the Inspector Lewis series juxtaposed such a complex character as Hathaway in a supporting role with the "plodding" character of Lewis in the leading role, but your analysis explains a great deal.
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Re: Endeavour is Back ... With Another DE Moment

Post by SRD »

I have only seen 2 episodes of Endeavor and I really like it. I have seen all of the Inspector Lewis series up to the present. I really have to hand it to lhese English detective series as they continue to provide quality entertainment and I anxiously look forward to each episode. I have search Netflix for the original Morse series but it's not available yet. Hopefully one day soon. I also enjoyed Midsomer Murders immensely.
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Re: Endeavour is Back ... With Another DE Moment

Post by Craig_From_Cincy »

I've read that this is going to be the last season for both Lewis and Poirot. I believe that the Poirot's are being aired in the UK now, and are to air in the USA late 2013/early 2014.
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Re: Endeavour is Back ... With Another DE Moment

Post by brothers »

We enjoy watching all of these series. We've also started watching the Jack Taylor series and others, as we find them through Netflix.
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Re: Endeavour is Back ... With Another DE Moment

Post by fallingwickets »

on the opposite low end of things, via netflix: orange is the new black :D :D :D

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Re: Endeavour is Back ... With Another DE Moment

Post by Craig_From_Cincy »

The wife and I are really enjoying George Gently, Vera and Wallender. It's a pity that PBS didn't pick up Gently or Vera as they are both excellent. PBS also failed to air the last two series of Foyles War, which we purchased from Amazon UK and watch on our Dvd player. I managed to hack the region codes on that player and made it region free.
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Re: Endeavour is Back ... With Another DE Moment

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Craig_From_Cincy wrote:The wife and I are really enjoying George Gently, Vera and Wallender. It's a pity that PBS didn't pick up Gently or Vera as they are both excellent. PBS also failed to air the last two series of Foyles War, which we purchased from Amazon UK and watch on our Dvd player. I managed to hack the region codes on that player and made it region free.
Interesting that you don't have Gently on PBS. Here, north of the 49th, we are able to view it on WNED, PBS Buffalo. I must say, however, that I'm not terribly fond of the actor, Martin Shaw, playing Gently. He was the lead in Judge John Deed and really got under my skin. I don't find him at all convincing and he can't hold a candle to John Thaw (Morse) or David Jason (Frost), but I'll watch it in the hope I'll come to like him as Gently.
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Re: Endeavour is Back ... With Another DE Moment

Post by jww »

Martin Shaw does a decent job of Dalgliesh, again not near as good as Roy Marsden who originated P.D. James' complex inspector.

Inspector Allen was another good series as well.

I have never seen a full episode of Foyle's War yet, but have always wanted to give it a go. Frost and Midsommer Murders are both outstanding as well, although I prefer Tom Barnaby to his "cousin" who comes in after the original lead retired from the show. It's not near as good without Tom. John Nettles is vastly superior an actor in my estimation.
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Re: Endeavour is Back ... With Another DE Moment

Post by Craig_From_Cincy »

Rufus, Does a local PBS affiliate air George Gently? To my knowledge, it hasn't aired on Masterpiece Theater/Mystery.

I've never seen Judge John Deed but i just added it to my DVD queue on Netflix (it doesn't stream). I didn't care fir Shaw as Dalgliesh, I thought that Mardsen was immeasurably better in that role. I think very highly of his portrayal of Gently though. He was good in The Scarlet Pimpernel as well.

Wendell, Based on your other likes I think that you would really like Foyle. The series is available on both Netflix and Amazon. PBS Masterpiece aired Foyle Series 1-5, but did not air series 6-8. I had to buy the later series from Amazon UK. We watch them an a DVD player that I hacked the region codes on and was able to make region free.

Agree about Midsomer, they should have just ended the series with dignity instead of the contrived 'cousin' nonsense.

Also, A Touch Of Frost is one of my very favorite series ever. If you haven't seen David Jason in the movie 'All The King's Men' you should rent it sometime, its the true story of the Sandringham battalion and the disaster that befell them at Gallipoli. The film literally moved me to tears.
Cheers,

Craig
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Re: Endeavour is Back ... With Another DE Moment

Post by Rufus »

Craig_From_Cincy wrote:Rufus, Does a local PBS affiliate air George Gently? To my knowledge, it hasn't aired on Masterpiece Theater/Mystery.

I've never seen Judge John Deed but i just added it to my DVD queue on Netflix (it doesn't stream). I didn't care fir Shaw as Dalgliesh, I thought that Mardsen was immeasurably better in that role. I think very highly of his portrayal of Gently though. He was good in The Scarlet Pimpernel as well.

Wendell, Based on your other likes I think that you would really like Foyle. The series is available on both Netflix and Amazon. PBS Masterpiece aired Foyle Series 1-5, but did not air series 6-8. I had to buy the later series from Amazon UK. We watch them an a DVD player that I hacked the region codes on and was able to make region free.

Agree about Midsomer, they should have just ended the series with dignity instead of the contrived 'cousin' nonsense.

Also, A Touch Of Frost is one of my very favorite series ever. If you haven't seen David Jason in the movie 'All The King's Men' you should rent it sometime, its the true story of the Sandringham battalion and the disaster that befell them at Gallipoli. The film literally moved me to tears.
Yes, Gently was on this evening from 9.00 pm to 10.30 pm on PBS Buffalo. I think I like Shaw better as Gently than as Deed, but I'll have to see more episodes. David Jason was excellent in "All the King's Men" and, of course, in "A Touch of Frost". "Midsomer Murders" should have been terminate. "Foyle's War" is truly top notch. I find "Wallander" too black. I don't think I'd like Shaw as Dalgleish, as he, Shaw, is too contrived. I'd like to see "The Sweeney" again along with "Callan" and "The Prisoner", but I think I'm dating myself (I can identify a Gremlin and a Pacer).
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Re: Endeavour is Back ... With Another DE Moment

Post by JRTASTER »

Re : Foyle's War, Season Six, I believe two episodes from Six just aired tonight, back-to-back, on PBS Boston.

The first episode found Foyle in conflict with his former sergeant, Milner, now a Detective-Inspector in his own right.
Sam and Foyle are pursued by an armed assassin in Post-War London, barely escaping being shot. Foyle is seen smiling
as the news of Labour's ouster of Churchill makes newspaper headlines at the episode's end. A whole different tone
and texture to the episode and somewhat jarring for me. A bit more preachy than I like.

The second episode concerns a murder connected to a black American soldier's attempt to marry the mother of his
mixed-race child. Although the locals' bigotry toward the soldier is depicted, (spoiler alert) the real focus is
criticism of the racism of the African=American's army comrades. Although the series' creator had displayed an
anti-American tone in several other episodes (often voiced by Brits), to me this episode was a direct and not very
nuanced slap at a distinctly (and admittedly very real) American attitude/problem...and a bit out of line so far as this
Yank was concerned.

For Foyle fans, however, the good news is that at least Season Six may be airing on other PBS stations!

Enjoy!

jr/John
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Re: Endeavour is Back ... With Another DE Moment

Post by Squire »

As far as I'm concerned the Midsommer series ended with the retirement of Tom Barnaby.
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Re: Endeavour is Back ... With Another DE Moment

Post by Craig_From_Cincy »

Speaking of series that were never aired in the USA, I finally got series 3 of Jam and Jerusalem (aka Clatterford) on Amazon UK and started to watch it tonight. BBC America aired series 1 & 2 but never series 3. Hacking the region code on my DVD player is one of the best quasi illegal things that I've ever done.
Cheers,

Craig
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