Hello Endeavourists and welcome to my review of the first episode of the new sixth series.
As always let’s get the boring bits out of the way first,
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So, onwards to the review.
SPOILERS AHEAD!
Endeavour Series six, Episode one; ‘PYLON’.
Chronologically this is episode 24.
First broadcast 10th February 2019.
Where’s Colin?
Colin’s picture is around the one hour and 52 minute mark, (that includes the adverts in the time as well).
I was actually more emotional about seeing this picture of dear old Colin than I was about the actual episode.
Directed by Johnny Kenton. (No connection to the Morse universe).
Written by Colin Dexter (characters), Russell Lewis (written and devised by). Russell has written all the Endeavour episodes. He also wrote;
Lewis (TV Series) (screenplay – 4 episodes, 2010 – 2012) (story – 1 episode, 2006)
– Fearful Symmetry (2012) … (screenplay)
– Old, Unhappy, Far Off Things (2011) … (screenplay)
– Falling Darkness (2010) … (screenplay)
– The Dead of Winter (2010) … (screenplay)
– Reputation (2006) … (story)
He also wrote the Morse episode, ‘The Way Through the Woods’.
SYNOPSIS
It is the July 1969. As for the gang of four, Morse, Bright, Thursday and Strange, they have all been demoted apart from Strange who has been kept busying shuffling papers.
A girl has gone missing is found in a field by Morse. Morse wonders if it is linked to a missing girl some three years before in 1966. But his ideas and help are not wanted by the new sheriff in town, Ronnie Box.
Sergeant Morse (in uniform) has been stuck working in the sticks looking for missing horses and keeping the peace at village fetes.
The main suspect for the kidnapping and murder of the schoolgirl is found to have a past in relation to Fred Thursday.
A second kidnapping puts more pressure on everyone.
REVIEW.
(warning, this review will contain some spoilers)
Apart from what I mentioned in the video there are a few other things that niggle me. Firstly, Max is usually on the ball when it comes to diagnosing how someone is killed but he misses that Ann Kirby was killed by a car. Surely if she was hit by the car on her side then those bruises plus all the others she would have had from dropping to the ground would have had Max realising what had caused her death.
Secondly, will Endeavour ask why he was suddenly promoted? IF he finds out it was due to a lie and a lie that involved pretending he was part of a Mason Lodge, how will he react?
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The will they or won’t they of Joan and Morse is becoming even more tiresome than before. The viewer has been cheated in respect to how the last episode, ‘Icarus’ ended. Endeavour goes to see Joan and says he would like that cup of coffee after all and then in this episode we find she says, no! She is too busy.
Episode Jag Rating – out of 10.
MUSIC
First up is only a few seconds into the episode. It is Led Zeppelin and What is and What Should Never Be.
A little problem with this song being used in the episode that is apparently set in the summer of 1969. This track I believe was released in October 1969. I have been reliably informed that a live version was played in June 1969. In regard to this track Mike Dudley in the comments section related an interesting fact. Mike wrote; “One thought about the Led Zeppelin music over the opening section… A sub-plot, or suggestion about what is going on, is a reference both visually and in the script, that abduction by a paedophile might have been the reason for the death. There is also the predilection of the photographer and ‘those of a like mind’ for very young girls. If you listen to the lyrics of ‘What Is And What Should Never Be’, it is clear that the song is about a much older man talking to a younger girl – “pretty baby”. It is a matter of public record that at the height of their fame whilst in the USA, at least one member of the band – Jimmy Page – was in sexual relationships with girls young enough to have caused accusations of statutory rape…”
Thank you Mike.
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Next up is when Strange arrives at the police station where Morse is stationed.
It is from the opera Turandot: Signore, ascolta by Puccini.
This piece of music was used in the pilot episode of Endeavour; First Bus to Woodstock.
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At just after 10 minutes Morse is driving through country lanes and is day dreaming about Joan and George Fancy. The piece was specifically written by Matthew Slater the composer responsible for the music in the Endeavour series. The pianist was Ben Dawson. Ben Dawson @noswadneb
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Next up we have music played after the scene with Box turning up at the field where the dead girl has been found. Morse leaves and goes back to his station to write up his report.
The piece is Spem In Alium by Thomas Talilis.
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Next we have the music that is playing when Morse arrives at the squat (or to be more exact the house that Morse will eventually live in). The music is by the wonderful and seminal band Velvet Underground. The song is What Goes On.
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Up next is music played during the scene of the village fete. The piece is Symphony No. 9 in D Minor Op. 125 “Choral”: II Molto Vivace by Beethoven.
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Next up we have another choral piece, I’m not 100% sure about this one but I think it is “Miserere mei, Deus” composed by Allegri. It is played during the hanging scene and Morse is reading his notes and remembers what was said about two choirboys smoking cigarettes behind the altar.
This piece was also used in the original Morse episode ‘The Infernal Serpent‘.
The above is played again a little later when Endeavour is in his office comparing a picture with one of Ann Kirby on the wall.
The Matthew Slater piano piece is reprised when Endeavour is leaving the rural station for the last time. I asked Matthew if he had a name for the piece but the best he had was sadly 7:02. I put forward Morse’s Reverie as a possible name for the piece.
LITERARY REFERENCES.
A literary reference if only a visual one. Anne Kirby reading Anna Sewell’s wonderful children’s book Black Beauty.
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Endeavour is looking through the items that were in Stanley Clemence’s possession. In particular those belonging to Ann Kirby. We see a book.
The first clue that something isn’t correct. Ann was reading Black Beauty not this book Ride Like The Wind by A. Oldbury, which by the way is not an actual novel. Of course we find out that she had stopped at the mobile library to change her books.
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There as mention of Reverend Charles Dodgson otherwise known as Lewis Carroll. The man who wrote Alice In Wonderland and many other wonderful novels. Interestingly, a connection to Lewis Carroll in the episode was pointed out to me by one of my readers, Paula. The use of the name ‘Alice Band’ for a headband came into use soon after the publication of Lewis Carroll’s novel, “Alice in Wonderland”, referring to the band Alice wore on her head to hold her hair back.
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Thank you to Nicolas who pointed out this literary reference.
“Alfred Skynner – Horse Slaughterer & Glue Boiler – Dealer in Bonemeal and Hides – Kennels Supplied can be seen on the side of the van above. Nicolas pointed out this is a reference to George Orwell’s Animal Farm: “Alfred Simmonds, Horse Slaughterer and Glue Boiler, Willingdon. Dealer in Hides and Bone−Meal. Kennels Supplied “ Well spotted Nicolas and thank you.
ART
The Degas figurine that Endeavour notices on the mantelpiece of Dr Lester Sheridan that helped solve the case of the missing girl,
is based on an actual Degas sculpture.
It’s a Bronze sculpture, named ‘The Little Fourteen Year Old Girl’
One of my readers, Suzy passed on the following information regarding the statue;
“The National Gallery of Art in Washington has the original of the statuette – and there it translates the original title, ‘La Petite Danseuse de Quatorze Ans, as ‘Little Dancer Aged Fourteen. The notes point out, in reference to the original model ‘ ….her working–class background was typical of the Paris Opera school’s ballerinas. These dancers were known as “petits rats de l’opéra,” literally opera rats, presumably because of their scurrying around the opera stage in tiny, fast–moving steps. But the derogatory association of the name with dirt and poverty was also intentional. Young, pretty, and poor, the ballet students also were potential targets of male “protectors.” Degas understood the predicament of the Little Dancer—what the contemporary reviewer Joris–Karl Huysmans called her “terrible reality.” ‘
So, an interesting link with the story.”
LOCATIONS
Our first location is right at the start of the episode when we see two children walking along a street. Then we are introduced to Bright taking part in a road safety film.
The scene was shot in Blakesley Avenue in London.
The church behind Bright is St. Benedict’s Abbey Church on the corner of Blakesley Avenue and Marchwood Crescent.
Of course, the traffic lights were props.
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The next location is where Stanley Clemence is standing in a doorway. Thanks to one of my subscribers, John, this has been identified as in the High Street, Hemel Hempstead old town. From close to the Rose and Crown pub.
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The third location is the girl’s school, Banbury Junior School. A huge thank you to Rob one of my subscribers who recognised the school.
It is Dundale Junior School in Tring Hertfordshire
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This location is where Endeavour is stationed.
This is Pyrton Village Hall, Pyrton, Watlington, Oxon, OX49 5AP.
Thank you to Coco for help in finding this location.
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Up next we have the church called St Christophers.
The church used was St Mary’s Church in Pyrton, Oxfordshire.
Only the exterior of this church was used. The interior was St John the Baptist ,Aldenham,Hertfordshire.
Thank you to Coco for help in finding this location.
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The location of the Thames Valley Police Station is,
The St Cross Building, University of Oxford. It contains the English Faculty Library.
The three photos above are the copyright of Daria Dorothea. @DariaDorothea
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Next we have the Social Work Department building.
By the way is it just a coincidence that the chap in the blue suit in the background looks like Colin Dexter.
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This next location has been used in Morse, Lewis and Endeavour. Off the top of my head (because I don’t want to spend hours scouring all 66 episodes. Anyway, knowing me I would start watch an episode and enjoy it so much I will watch it all and then forget why I was watching it in the first place). From the original Morse it was quite prominent in Dead on Time.
In the Lewis series it is the scene of a brutal murder in the episode Allegory of Love.
The Lewis episode One For Sorrow also used the location.
It was also used in the Endeavour episode, Game where a body is found floating under Magdalen Bridge over the Cherwell.
The location in question is Addison’s Walk in Oxford and Magdalen Bridge runs off at a 90 degree angle.
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Dr. Lester Sheridan has been stopped by traffic and now brought into custody. Morse and Strange are seen in a university quad striding toward Sheridan’s rooms.
This is Magdalen College. The large tower structure in the background is Magdalen Chapel.
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A few minutes later Thursday and Endeavour are talking. Thursday tells Morse that the past is the past. They are standing again in Magdalen College.
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The mobile library’s location has been identified thanks to Coco. Coco you are a star.
The position of the mobile library and Endeavour’s car. The location is Church Lane, Aldenham, Hertfordshire.
It is opposite the location of the church that was use for the interior shots. St John the Baptist ,Aldenham,Hertfordshire.
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Mick Haynes being interviewed by Strange and Morse. This is also Church lane in Aldenham like the location of the mobile library and the church used for the interior shots, St John the Baptist ,Aldenham,Hertfordshire.
For information as to maps see above for the location of the mobile library.
Two pictures taken during filming.
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Where Dr. Lester Sheridan took his ‘models’. This is Langleybury House and Film Centre, Kings Langley.
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I apologise that I haven’t managed to do my usual due diligence in regard to finding locations but I have so much else on that 20 plus hours working on the post was sufficient. Of course if any of you can help please let me know either in the comments section or contact me using the ‘contact me’ option at the top of my website. That also goes for any other section of my review post.
PUB LOCATIONS
No pubs in this episode.
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Actors who appeared in the Endeavour Series 6, Episode 1 ‘PYLON’ and/or Morse or Lewis.
We have Simon Hepworth who played the horse owner Mr Tingwell.
Simon also appeared in the Morse episode The Remorseful Day as Simon Harrison, Coincidentally the name of the actor who plays Ronnie Box.
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Next we have Richard Price as a Parent at Fete and was uncredited. Unfortunately I don’t know who he was at the fete so can’t provide a picture. Anyway, Richard appeared in two episodes of Lewis; The Point of Vanishing (2009) as a Passerby on Bike (uncredited) and Life Born of Fire (2008) as Photographer (uncredited). Sorry Richard that I can’t pick you out. But hey you have the honour of appearing in one of my posts. 😉
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Now we have Jesse James Sims as a Horse Hand also uncredited.
He also appeared in the Endeavour episode, Quartet (Series 5, Episode 5)
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CONNECTIONS OTHER THAN ACTORS TO THE LEWIS AND ORIGINAL MORSE SERIES
There is a scene in Pylon, when Morse meets Thursday to hand over his report, that reminded somewhat of a scene in the Morse episode, ‘The Way Through the Woods‘, with DCI Johnson and Morse.
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Another tenuous connection to the original Morse series are the wheat fields. I am sure i’m not the only Morse fan who thought of that connection. The wheat-field possibly alludes to the lovely scene in the Morse episode Who Killed Harry Field? I doubt that was something Russell Lewis was thinking of when writing the scene. Then again…
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Not a connection to Morse or Lewis but a connection to a previous Endeavour episode, the Pilot episode to be exact. After Endeavour and Thursday visit the farm run by the Skynner’s and face then the truth of how Ann was killed, Ronnie turns up and says to Morse, “Who’s a clever bastard?” A similar thing was said by Arthur Lott, Thursday’s corrupt bag man before Morse.
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Simon Harrison is the name of the actor who plays Ronnie Box. The character Simon Hepworth played in Remorseful Day was also called Simon Harrison. Thanks to Danny for that observation.
Miscellaneous
First up we have the strange spelling of a Pelican Crossing in the episode. Well it was originally called a Pelicon Crossing but is now referred to as a Pelican Crossing.
I’m assuming it was to put a little joke into the scene. Putting the contraction ‘CON’ into the phrase. It’s a con what has happened to Bright and the rest. It was a con who killed George Fancy? As the Americans say ‘i’m spitballing’ here.
There are also Puffin crossings, Toucan crossings, Panda crossings and HAWK beacons.
Here is one of the originals and also with an ice cream van included.
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The lollipops given to the children,
are called Zooms.
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I wonder if the use of the surname Kirby (the surname of the little girl who is found in the field), is a nod to 1960s singer Kathy Kirby.
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There are a few mentions of Prince Charles’s investiture. Charles became the Prince of Wales.
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I may have been doing this too long as I begin to see references in everything.
The number plate reads AYW. In the wonderful film The Princess Bride they would say ‘As You Wish’ which meant the same as I love you.
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I’m trying to find a connection or reference in regard to Mr Tingwell’s name. It’s unusual. The only decent reference I could find was to the Australian actor Charles Bud Tingwell.
However, I can’t figure out the what or why Russell Lewis would use the name.
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Max is in the field examining the dead girl’s body. Fred says to him about Ronnie Box, “He’s come from robbery”. Max replies, “Not the Lucie Clayton?”
He is alluding to the Lucie Clayton Charm Academy.
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There was quite a few mentions of various parts of a church; the Transcept, Nave, etc. So, I thought I would add a church plan for all to see. I am rather peculiar when it comes to religion and churches; I am a anti theist but I live my life in a christian way (note the small ‘c’). However, I love church music and church architecture. I have spent many a happy hour or two walking around Cathedrals and Churches.
The Vicar also mentions that the Offertory box had been forced. The offertory box is where parishioners place money. These come in all shapes and sizes.
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We had a look at what would become John Thaw’s Morse’s house.
It looks like the house that the John Thaw, Morse lived in but it is not. We did see this house already in the Endeavour episode, Girl.
The above scene is from Masonic Mysteries.
This is what Morse’s (John Thaw) house looks like now, 28 Castlebar, West Ealing. London.
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The number to phone to let the property is Oxford 66517 as can be seen in the first house photograph. 66517 is the name of train.
A reference to the Endeavour episode Passenger? Very tenuous. 😉
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There is a scene at the fete where a young boy is standing at the edge of a mirror.
This is a reference to the British comic actor, Harry Worth. At the beginning of his show we would see harry doing what the boy is doing creating the illusion that both his legs are in the air.
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Regarding the village fete, what was Joan doing there? If anyone who Morse knows is going to be there it should be Dorothea Frazil. As a reporter she could have been there as the village fete is close to where Ann Kirby was found. Her appearance was crowbarred in to the scene so we could have another will they or won’t they scene. This is obvious by her about to tell or ask something of Morse before he hears the mother shout out.
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The police officer who was sitting outside the door of Stanley Clemence, supposedly watching him, can be seen reading the Beano, A British comic paper, while pretending to be reading a newspaper.
When the police officer realises Stanley has gone he runs into the room.
Is the policeman deaf? We all know what a noise Venetian blinds can make when moved normally. Did Stanley have access to a knife or scissors? Again we all know how bloody difficult it is to break Venetian blinds and probably close to impossible by hand alone. And why would he need to cut them? Push them up and then go out of the window.
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After the abduction of the second child, Rosie Johnson, Ronnie Box, Morse, Thursday are in the police station. Ronnie says to Morse, “Listen, this kiddie was taken out from under the nose of you and Johnny Morris here, so I’ll have no lectures.” He refers to Bright as Johnny Morris. Johnny Morris was a beloved British television presenter of the 1960s and 70s. of shows like Animal Magic. Situations would be Johnny with an animal and he would do the voice of the animal in comedic way.
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In the same conversation Ronnie Box describes the car as a Vanden Plas, two tone. Vanden Plas is the name of coachbuilders who produced bodies for specialist and up-market automobile manufacturers.
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Morse tells Thursday that the blue Alice band was not in Stanley’s stuff when he was there. Thursday tells Morse to stay out of it and puts it no uncertain terms, “You get caught with your tit in the wringer on this one, – I won’t be able to help you.” This line comes from one of my all time favourite films, All The President’s Men. John Mitchell, Attorney General of the United States (1969–1972) under President Richard Nixon, tells Bernstein I think it was, “You tell your publisher–tell Katie Graham she’s gonna get her tit caught in a big fat wringer if that’s published.”
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Thursday is talking to Ronnie Box about the blue Alice band and how fortuitous it was that it turned up. Thursday then tells Ronnie that Stanley’s father always said that it wasn’t him that killed his wife. Thursday says, “In the end, it was a young DC, my old bagman, Arthur Lott, found the hammer he’d used, concealed in the cistern of the outside lav at his address.” The inference being that Lott planted the hammer.
Thursday is talking about the policeman we met in the pilot episode of the Endeavour series.
Thursday in the pilot found out that Lott had been taking money from Richard Lovell the man who was having sex parties with young girls. So, Lott was corrupt for a long time.
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Lovely to see Max out of his usual habitat.
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Fred, Ronnie and DS Alan Jago are interrogating Gilbert Sipkin. Thursday punches him with his left hand which would mean he is a southpaw. However, when he returns home his right hand is bruised.
Of course, he could have used his right hand later but…
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After talking to Max where the dead girl is found, Ronnie Box says to Thursday, “See you back at the factory.” That same term was used by John Thaw as Jack Regan in the wonderful 1970s TV show, The Sweeney.
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Simon Harrison is the son of Noel Harrison who sung a version of the song Windmills of Your Mind which was used in the film The Thomas Crown Affair.
The first trailer for the new Endeavour series used that song but was sung by Dusty Springfield.
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Thanks to Charlie for this piece of info; The rural police car had the registration “264 Hz”. That’s a musical reference, as its a frequency – and happens to be the frequency that tuning forks are tuned to!
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Endeavour says to Strange as he is leaving the police station, “If I knew you were coming I’d have baked a cake.” Is this a reference to the 1950s and 1960s song of the same words Morse spoke?
Thank you to John and Cheryl for the following references;
“we suggest the name of the mobile librarian Rhapsody Dickenson is a nod towards his Captain Scarlet And The Mysterons which first ran on TV from 1967 to 1968 in which one of the Angel female pilots was called Rhapsody.”
“At 26 minutes Box tells Endeavour: ” We just get ’em up the steps ” which echoes Jakes’ similar phrase in Girl when he tells Morse that it might not be Gideon’s Way but it gets them up the steps.”
John and Cheryl also noticed a few continuity errors one of them being, “At 1 hour 19 minutes Fred takes the blue Alice band out of his right hand trouser pocket when confronting Box with this item of evidence yet when he discovered the ribbon in the Skynner’s car he placed it in his left hand trouser pocket.”
Thank you John and Cheryl.
FRED THURSDAY’S WORDS OF WISDOM.
1. “Is that what you want? You get caught with your tit in the wringer on this one.”
2. “And if we’ve got to nudge the jukebox to get the penny to fall?”
THE MURDERED, THEIR MURDERER/S AND THEIR METHODS.
The murdered girl Ann Kirby.
Of course not murdered in the true sense. Probably not even manslaughter. The car driver who hit her is Maggie Skynner.
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Stanley is found in the church by Morse.
Stanley Clemence overdosed on spiked heroin.
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CAST
Anton Lesser as Chief Superintendent Reginald Bright
Simon Harrison as DCI Ronnie Box
Aston McAuley as Stanley Clemence
Mike Grady as Ernest Croglin
Ava Masters as Ann Kirby
Ed Coleman as Wizard
Fiona Skinner as Karen Kirby
Khali Best as Mick Haynes
Sean Rigby as DS Jim Strange
Shaun Evans as Sergeant Endeavour Morse
Colin Tierney as Assistant Chief Constable Bottoms
Abigail Thaw as Dorothea Frazil
Hugh Sachs as Reverend Postill
Katharine Bubbear as Maggie Skynner
Simon Hepworth as Mr. Tingwell
Tom Canton as Alfie Skynner
Sara Vickers as Joan Thursday
Roger May as Dr. Lester Sheridan
Elizabeth Wells as Emily Bayard
Richard Riddell as DS Alan Jago
James Bradshaw as Dr. Max DeBryn
Roger Allam as DI Fred Thursday
Daniel Boys as Joseph Kirby
Alison Newman as Viv Wall
Holly Giles as Laurel Skynner
Adam De Ville as Gilbert Sipkin
Caroline O’Neill as Win Thursday
Lindsey Campbell as Rhapsody Dickenson
I will be streaming live on Twitch Saturday 16th February at 9pm GMT. If you are unsure how to find me on Twitch then see my post about it all by clicking HERE.
To read and listen to my review of the ICARUS episode, series 5, episode 6 then click HERE.
To read all my other reviews of the Endeavour series then click HERE.
I hope you enjoyed my review + post. Take care.
Terrific review, as always, Chris. I enjoyed the episode, but the number of adverts was more than a bit distracting.
Chris, enjoying your blog so much. One comment: as a woman who was Joan’s age at that time I find her an essential character for the series. She perfectly reflects the ambivalence and exhilaration we felt during the time when we were demanding more choice in our lives.
Joan sees her Mom’s life as stilted and totally dependent on her husband’s decisions, no matter how much she is loved. Thursday’s disregard of his wife when loaning their savings demonstrates this lack of any real power over her life.
Joan sees this in many small ways even though she doesn’t know about the loan. She sees it in every day life – the way she is treated by Box until a man – her father-is seen as a protector. That’s why Joan pulls away from Morse even though she loves him. I am so happy we young women of the time are represented and the time we lived in is represented.
Thank you Terry for your wonderful insight and welcome to my website.
The usual attention to detail throughout the series is let down, as in so many other dramas, by its depiction of the execution scene. The condemned man’s ankles were not shackled; hood comes before noose; and the rope lacked the leather sheaf that protects the skin of the neck.
Tingwell has a buzz in my ear but can’t place it yet. Something from an Enid Blyton story? It is a pain to have Joan such a teaser but then the TV Morse and the book Morse have different stories on Wendy-Susan.
Hi Barbara. Like you I feel that Tingwell means something more than an actor’s name.
A further thought on this. Bud Tingwell played the farmer, Mr Bennet, in the Catweazle series first shown in February 1970.
I seem to recall seeing him in old Margaret Rutherford films where she played Miss Marple. ‘Murder at the Gallop’ I think, and I think the other was ‘Murder most foul.’
I did notice in this episode Morse starts to step with his left leg in a similar way to Thaw’s Morse. I noticed it as he was taking the short cut and found the ripped L plate on the side of the road. And as always, thank you for your time and effort in putting these blog posts together. It always the first thing I want to read after watching an episode. Always so well done.
I don’t think Morse was necessarily demoted. He was transferred like everyone else to a new station when their original station closed. In the episode, Morse says that the CID at his station was shut down and he either had to transfer somewhere else (ostensibly outside Thames Valley?) or take the uniform job. Even in the uniform job he still had the rank of sergeant. Even Strange wasn’t demoted, just transferred.
I wasn’t bothered by the fact that Morse hadn’t seen to have seen anybody in months. Busy with new jobs, distance, embarrassment, what have you. He had to move out of the flat he shared with Strange, so I’m sure they saw each other after the last episode. But, I could totally envision them not having seen each other for a few months (maybe not nine, but, three I could see).
What bothered me more in what I thought was a decent episode, was that Morse all of a sudden doesn’t care about finding Fancy’s killer. For all of Morse’s gloominess and world-weariness, that one just didn’t ring true for me. Morse is always gloomy, but he always wants to find the killer.
Hi Gene. He was defintitely demoted. In series five he was DS Morse. In this episode he was Sergeant Morse. Strange kept his rank as DS. Yes, the suddeness of Morse’s disregard for finding George’s killer was against the grain but I think he just felt sorry for himself.
Sergeant and Detective Sergeant are the same rank, however much CID might not agree with it. . The ultimatum of uniform or out might suggest the lodge at work in sidelining a troublesome DS.
CID have a tenure system where after a specified period officers have to move on to other departments or back to uniform.
I think the house where Dr. Lester Sheridan took his ‘models’ was Langleybury House & Film Centre. It’s on the land of a Children’s farm but I don’t know if that was this episode’s farm location too. I think the House has been used before as the mason’s hideout.
Hi Chris
I only discovered…got into… Endeavour last year and thus onto your brilliant website. I’ve been checking in everyday since Sunday for your review.
With reference to the use of the Led Zeppelin song, you are correct. It was on Led Zeppelin 2 released in October 1969. However, according to “Led Zeppelin – A Celebration” by Dave Lewis, the track’s 1st live performance was “previewed in June 1969 on a BBC radio session”.
Being generous, you could say the producers of this episode might have got away with it, but the album was released in Oct 1969.
Hi Charles. Thzt’s interesting regarding the live version. Because of that I too will give them the benifit of the doubt.
Yes, I agree Morse always wants to find the killer …. so I can only suppose that Strange will come up with something that will reignite Morse in due course.
A very enjoyable episode though. Well done to all involved.
BTW – The rural police car had the registration “264 Hz”. Thats a musical reference, as its a frequency – and happens to be the frequency that tuning forks are tuned to!
Oh that’s interesting regarding the frequency. I will add that info to my post. Thanks Charlie.
There are many different tuning forks tuned to many different frequencies. They are not all tuned to 264 Hz. https://hypertextbook.com/facts/2003/DanielleDaly.shtml shows that middle C can be 256 Hz, 262 Hz and 264 Hz. 440 Hz is commonly used as a reference frequency for the A above middle C to calibrate acoustic equipment and to tune pianos, violins, and other musical instruments. Based on this frequency, middle C comes out as 278.4375 Hz
Just a suggestion: 256 Hz may be given as the frequency of middle C because it is 2 to the 8th power. It means that the frequencies of each octave blow middle C can easily be calculated, and the results don’t have fractions. Don’t believe the first thing you read on the internet! Another website https://pages.mtu.edu/~suits/notefreqs.html gives the frequency of middle C as 261.63 Hz, based on 440 Hz for A above middle C.
I loved this episode, it had a good feel. Some illogical things, yes, but there is always this or that detail that may have been missed or that doesn’t seem to make sense to some but does to others.
I think the Joan/Endeavour story was dealt with, we see clearly how she refused him. As to the why, this is typical Joan behaviour, doesn’t make any sense, she seems to be playing games with him. This time, he’s had enough of that and makes that perfectly clear on the first next occasion he sees her. Good for him. This should be the end of it. But it may not be, she may pull off another trick or fall for Ronnie Box and he has to save her, or what have you. I hope they won’t go down that road.
I seem to be the only one bothered by the opening noise. Whether Led Zeppelin is your taste or not, it’s just not Endeavour. It should not be used as a background sound for Endeavour. That sort of “music” is okay to be used in a scene, when it’s relevant like when Endeavour goes to search young Clemence’s room. But other than that, it has no place in Endeavour. Going with the times? What is this, Heartbeat? No. Endeavour is set in the sixties, sure, but the sixties are a frame for Endeavour, not the other way around. Endeavour is not there to show us the sixties. Endeavour is classical music. There are plenty of aggressive, angry classical pieces around that could perfectly illustrate the changes happening in the sixties, in Endeavour Morse style. Shame.
To make up for that though, Matt Slater wrote an incredibly beautiful piece of music that someone on twitter called “Endeavour’s inner landscape”; he was still looking for a title for the piece and I think this would be perfect. The perfect music for Endeavour, melancholic and passionate. Barrington Pheloung set the tone perfectly for Inspector Morse, I think Matt Slater has now made Endeavour his own with his music for this episode.
All in all, to me this episode was a joy.
Dear Chris, Without seeing the episode yet (in Australia) I have slid quickly over most of this post but can’t resist remarking on the use of the 2nd Movement from Beethoven’s 9th because I immediately thought of A Clockwork Orange. Made a deep impression in that film and the sensations of that context always flood back when I hear it. Bud Tingwell, the Australian actor/director, flew Spitfires in the R.A.A.F. in Britain during WWII, had a fairly successful acting career on stage and in film in England before returning to Australia. Very fondly remembered for his Detective Inspector Reg Lawson in the famous long-running tv series “Homicide”. Would you like any further details? Regards, Suzanne.
I too think the character name Tingwell is a nod to Charles “Bud” Tingwell. He played DI – later DCI – Craddock in the four MGM Margaret Rutherford “Miss Marple” films made between 1961 and 1964.
First, I have to mention my favorite exchange of the evening, which actually didn’t involve Thursday: Max DcBryn, to his surprise visitor, one E. Morse: “How did you know where I live?” ” E. Morse: “You’re in the book.”
I, too, wondered what Joan was doing at the fete, but I thought they made it fairly clear in her scenes with Endeavour and in his comments about her that the two of them had had some kind of definitive split, probably at Joan’s instigation, in the interim since “Icarus.” Perhaps they gave it a go and it didn’t work, perhaps Joan laid down the law over that cup of coffee–I’m sure we’ll find out as this series continues. But I did NOT get the feeling that the kind of “will they or won’t they” thing they’ve had going will continue as it was; more that Joan is open to being friends and Endeavour’s pride won’t let him do that.
I had read in one of the interviews you posted, Chris, that Endeavour ends the series in the abode we see Morse living in in the original series. (Was it a flat? Was it the whole house? Does anybody know for sure?) I then read that the house that was the original set for that purpose had had problems with squatters, had maybe been redeveloped, etc., but that, regardless, was quite possibly no longer available for filming purposes. So when he showed up at Max’s house, and Max’s house and garden reminded me so much of the Morse house I remembered from my binge-watch this summer, I kind of wondered if that might become the substitute location–that, maybe, for some reason, Endeavour takes it over. But then where will Max bake his seed cake? And I have a hard time imagining Endeavour caring about greenflies in the tea roses! (I had a hard time imagining Morse taking care of his garden in the old series, either; I always thought there must be some kind of gardener for the property.) So maybe Max’s house just becomes Endeavour’s inspiration.
What I found most interesting about this episode was all the setting up it did for series-long themes and plot-lines. The Fancy case is the obvious one, but more to the point it will be how the team gets back together (or doesn’t) and gets its honor back (or doesn’t). As part of that, we’ve got the rise of Jim Strange, not just through the ranks via cronyism, but as a good copper–he’s the only one actually trying to solve Fancy’s murder (and did you notice that the “board” he put together for the case seems to be at his home, not his office?) and he seems to be trying to use his new job and connections to get some justice for the old Crowley team while he’s at it, too. Parallel to that, and partly (maybe accidentally) at Strange’s instigation, it seems like there’s going to be some kind of showdown between the Thursday/Bright was of doing things and the Box/Jago way of doing things. On first watching, I thought Box, in the end, was asking Thursday’s help in becoming a better copper, but on second viewing, I think maybe he was instead asking Thursday to join him in his own way of doing things. But now Endeavour is going to be joining their team and there’s going to be a counterweight to Box’s influence. Which side will win? And will the battle continue on past the end of this series, because that’s a lot to ask out of only three more episodes!
Box is not very bright really. He is wily and cunning, but lazy and a bit stupid. He may be corrupt, and I want to see the back of him very fast indeed, but I think he has got on through taking credit for other people’s work as we saw with Morse last night. He’s either too stupid or too lazy to be a proper detective!
Great review and insights as usual Chris.
I so agree with you re: the big cheat for the audience with Joan and Morse – seemed a very cynical exercise to me. Right down to the trailer which many, many people thought was Morse and Joan kissing and I am pretty sure that was deliberate too.
I wonder if – like Dakota before series 5 was even written – Sara told them she will not be back (and who could blame her) and just like the development of Fancy as a romantic exit for Shirley, Box will be for Joan.
That will be very poor writing to replicate the same but easy.
My theory is if Box shows improvement in his character in the next episode then that is definitely the outcome. Just like Fancy who rubbed Shirley up the wrong way in the first episode- ditto – Box and Joan.
I also agree that I found it odd that Morse had no contact with any of his colleagues for 9 months ! I read somewhere that this was the longest time between series (series 3 and 4 the shortest 2 weeks) – this series gap being almost a year.
His negativity about finding the killer of Fancy was okay – tbh – what I found not quite right his Morse’s guilt around the death of Fancy – Thursday yes – but Morse didn’t send him there and their relationship never really grew warm and fuzzy.
Hi Chris, the piece in this episode was Allegri Miserere Mei. I don’t think it was used in the Morse episode The Infernal Serpent; in that episode it was by Byrd that the choir was rehearsing.
In terms of the demotion, my understanding is that a uniformed sergeant and a detective sergeant are at equal levels and one is not superior over the other.
Overall I thought the episode was good, though I too was surprised that it wasn’t more obvious that the girl had been killed by a car.
The Joan storyline is getting tiresome and her been shoe horned into episodes and turning up. Shocking underuse of Mrs Thursday, I guess we’ll have to see if we saw more over the next few episodes.
You could be right in respect of a sergeant and a detective sergeant. I know that in the US they are of the same rank/level but not sure about the UK. I’m going to ask Russell Lewis for a definitive answer.
Well you were right Mark. Russell replied to my query, “Uniform Sgt & Detective Sgt are of equal rank. Detective denotes an officer working within a specialist investigative dept. From my days on The Bill, the common misconception that detectives of equal rank have seniority was & is a particular bugbear for uniform. No demotion.”.
Wow! THAT was fast! Now the question is, was there any significance to his transfer letter being addressed to “Mr. E. Morse” instead of “Sgt. E. Morse”? That’s generated a LOT of discussion elsewhere, though, personally, I don’t think it’s that important. And I’m sure they’ll let us know in the next episode, anyway.
My prediction- It is Jago who killed Fancy (one would think he was already in Oxford unlike Box who would have returned to London after the Passenger episode) and Box ends up having had nothing to do with it.
A bit of an underuse of Frazil too I thought – again I hope that changes. She was underused last series too and just kept turning up to state the obvious- a big departure from the earlier series.
It is very possible it is Jago. On my Twitch live stream I posited the idea that it was both Box and Jago. They both were in the club with Eddie Nero and his henchman as well as Cromwell Ames and his henchman. Fancy seeing Box and Jago enter the club thinks that they are there on Police business. Fancy hears or sees something that makes him realise that Box and Jago are corrupt. A gunfight ensues that results in the death of George Fancy. Somehow Jago and Box get out unscathed.
I’m not so sure about that theory with regard to Box. There’s no doubt he’s a bad cop–we’ve seen enough evidence of that–but I don’t think that means he’s necessarily a “dirty” cop. No question, he’s not above fitting up or beating up a suspect, and not caring too much if a suspect is definitely guilty, but I think he believes himself to actually be a good cop, or, when he has doubts, at least WANTS to be a good cop. (I’m still ambivalent about what he meant in his final conversation with Thursday: Was he asking Thursday to endorse his own thuggish ways, or asking Thursday for help in learning how to be a better policeman a la Thursday himself?) He may see it as no more than he due to accept little freebies like drinks or meals from those he’s paid to protect and serve, but I don’t thing major bribes from gangsters fit into anybody’s definition of “good cop.” Jago, though? We haven’t seen enough of Jago for me to draw any conclusions about him. It could be very possible that he’s the murderer, and when it’s discovered, he brings Box down with him.
Actually- that makes sense because Fancy had met Box but not Jago so would think without ID he would not have followed him in to such a precarious situation. But might follow Box.
Right from the end of last series I thought it was Box (we didn’t know about Jago) I just thought if Box is to be paired off with Joan then he would need to be innocent.
Dear Christopher, thank you once again for your excellent work and attention to detail….. I knew that the character of Tingwell was familiar but couldn’t place him… so good work there. Just a few thoughts to add…..Thursday puts the alice band [from the car] into his left hand pocket, but later retrieves it from the right. Was the Allegre also used as a acid house dance track in Seraphim and Cherubim [also about the abuse of young girls and wasted youth]? The Station House in Woodstock…. was it linked by the track used in the pilot, whose unofficial title was The Last Bus From Woodstock…..? Other observations, DI Box is softening pretty rapidly as Chief Superintendent Bright also did in series 1…. and both have an absolute blind spot… can’t bear to see kiddies harmed… might they finally bond over this issue? I am really enjoying the programme…..
The unofficial title of the pilot was First Bus to Woodstock; Last Bus to Woodstock was the title of the first Inspector Morse book.
The Allegri piece was used as a sample in the dance track in Cherubim and Seraphim, I recognised it immediately and expected the drum beat to come in. This was an episode of Morse that struck a chord with my generation and really let the parents of the home counties know what their kids were up to of a weekend evening. The two tracks made for the episode are spot on and it was always hoped they were real available tunes they were certainly made by someone with a knowledge of dance music
To echo others thoughts, thank you for the time you put into these reviews Chris. They’re almost as much loved as the episodes (almost)!
From a medical perspective I share your thoughts on Max’s inabilities to draw any immediate thoughts on the child’s (Ann Kirby) possible cause of death. In the world of emergency medical aid we know that when a child is hit by a car it is injuries to the torso (as opposed to the legs in an adult) that are evident, and then head injuries as the child’s skull impacts upon the bonnet of the car. As he later mentions this causes both coup and contracoup injuries as the brain shifts within an otherwise closed vault. In motor vehicle injury serious enough to cause death the coup part of the injury would be unlikely to occur without external wound pattern evidence. Even if the child was not discovered next to a road the discovery of such wounds would lead an expert such as Max to have a strong index of suspician of motor vehicle as a serious line of enquiry to determine cause of death. First working hypothesis until proved otherwise at least.
Question. Would Endeavour really be that good to recognise ‘Red Leb’ as the drug of choice in the squat? Just found myself tickled by that scene. May I add on this point I have little experience to draw upon (as what I did there). Sorry. Couldn’t resist.
I’d never heard of Red Leb and had to Google it for the definition. Thank you for your insight into Ann Kirby’s death.
I don’t know quite where to post this, so I’ll post it here. Running down the little girl and then not immediately calling an ambulance is, in my view, most certainly at least manslaughter. She might have survived if she had gotten immediate care. That’s at least gross negligence.
Also, I don’t see how Maggie would ever have gotten behind the wheel again!
Hi Nora, I absolutely agree. I thought from the first watching that they both should have been charged with manslaughter. A poor excuse they gave for their lack of action- their child would have no one to drive her?? How does that weigh against letting another child die??
Chris, I always get so excited about joining in on a dialogue based on your reviews and info that I forget to explicitly thank you for your stellar research and hard work…as I di in my last. So, a dedicated post just for that. Thank you!
Thank you Chris for your wonderful reviews and commentaries. I really love the information on locations, art, actors etc. After reading your posts I see the episodes in a new and more enlightened way.
Pylon impressed me for several reasons. It had such a visual impact—the unattractive new utilitarian police headquarters building, the gentle countryside scenes, the bustling energy of the fair—and what wonderful music! I loved the way the unity of the whole film was achieved, opening with Bright’s traffic video and culminating in the road tragedy involving the little girl.
Another thing I admire in Endeavour is the economy of the writing. There is so much compacted into a single phrase, and very little unnecessary waffle (which annoys me in so many books and films). eg the photographer at the fair’s ‘My little bookworm’. How many of us thought that was a hint that he may have been a suspect? But at the same time it gave us vital information about the girl, told us what eventually caused her death, and once the suspicion was over became simply a tender moment we could all relate to.
I don’t necessarily agree with your feelings re Joan and Endeavour, although I get your point. My friends who watch the show love this aspect of continuity, and always look forward to the way this ‘will they-won’t they’ tension manages to draw them in. Personally, I believe it is an effective way of giving viewers an insight into Endeavour’s own emotional neediness. A drama needs a certain amount of resolution if we are to feel satisfied, but here the resolution comes when the crime is solved. For me, anyway, the lack of resolution in this ongoing relationship adds to the real-life unpredictability and the depth of the whole production. Just my thought, anyway. I look forward to seeing more of your detailed observations during the next three episodes, and hopefully for many more to come.
“Well it was originally called a Pelicon Crossing but is now referred to as a Pelican Crossing.
I’m assuming it was to put a little joke into the scene. Putting the contraction ‘CON’ into the phrase….”
Why would Bright not put CON there, if it’called Pelicon initially? There’s no joke, it’s just using the proper terms for a widely distributed television advertisement that Bright is making for his department.
The rather more interesting thing is of course, that this ad is showing us in the very first scene the case’s solution. Crossing a road at a tricky bit can lead to bad accidents, use a Pelicon crossing (if there is one, of course). Very clever of Lewis.
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I always love your Location posts. I’m sure in no time the unidentified locations will reveal themselves with the help of your readers.
Upon contemplation Pylon has some quite similar plotlines to a James Nesbitt tv serial I saw from a few years ago. I had to look to check but it was called ‘The Missing’, starring himself and Frances O’Connor.
The plot is essentially a child gone missing believed abducted while on holiday in France and all the horrors a parent might think of in such an event, which naturally play out over a few episodes. The twist in the story was also that the child was accidently knocked down and killed by a local man who hides the body to avoid detection and nothing more sinister.
I knew Pylon reminded me of something else and I finally hit upon it. Just a thought and apologies if someone else has beaten me to this thought.
Hi Davey. The plot of a missing girl/boy and paedophiles has been done to death on television in the last few years. Writers realise that any plot concerning children is emotive and a contemporaneous story.
Thanks Chris for another fascinating explanation of the episode.
I thought this episode brought Endeavour back to it’s heyday of the first two series – the story unfolded slowly, there weren’t so many twists, turns and red herrings as we’re shoe-horned into, say, episodes in the fifth series, and it genuinely kept me guessing til the end.
I’m looking forward to seeing more of Win and Fred’s relationship after he lost all the retirement savings and had to keep working; it looks like he’s still in the doghouse at home, which I’m sure will provide an interesting side story in future episodes.
I too am fed up with all the ‘will they, won’t they’ with Joan and Morse – it was gripping and rather sweet in the first few series, but is proving rather stale now.
Can’t wait to watch the next three episodes (I wish there were more!) and, of course, read your insightful dissections afterwards, Chris.
Apologies for the many ‘auto-correct’ typos! Modern technology, eh?!
I do wonder if Fred and Win can return their relationship to the way it was. It is going to take something remarkable I think for Win to forgive Fred. I hope Russell Lewis doesn’t do something as obvious as having Fred hospitalised so that Win realises how much she needs him.
I thought was was interesting about the episode was how the depression of Mrs Thursday and Fred Thursday kind of pervades the whole episode. Without the cheerfulness of the matriarch and patriarch it feels like a strange new world. e.g. The link between Strange and Morse has been kind of semi-broken because neither has the same kind of relationship they did before with Fred Thursday and without George and Shirley the gang is gone…Bright is also maudlin… The only people who seem chipper are Strange and Joan. It’s interesting when we think back to when we first met Strange – he was in uniform and Morse was already out of uniform! in this episode we see the foundations of Morse. His inability to work through his feelings is becoming evident through though saying he is bitter is probably a bit too strong. We also see the foundations of Strange going to be in a superior position to Morse….and Morse’s future house. Also Max – it’s strange how as ever the audience seems to both know him well…and not know him at all…so nice to see him in a different setting.
Why does endevour look at the church windows at end
I believe ir is because he is wondering if he has done the right in regard to returning the case at the back of the church. Thursday also wanted to hand the case in as evidence with the words, ‘tell the truth and shame the devil’. Well they didn’t tell the truth so whose side are they own, good or evil.
I thought Mary’s sleeve was a shopping bag when I first saw it! which is strangely appropriate 😉 I think that Morse was entrusting the suitcase to Jesus and Mary to hold the truth or reveal it, a decision he can’t make himself at the time. (Contrast between the heavenly figures and the Thursdays who aren’t functioning in their role as parent to Morse now leaving a hole.) Also echoes of the conversation with priest about losing his belief, yet here he is.
Just re-watched this for second time….lots to think about. I didnt like the Led Zep track, the usual classic would have been better….I feel that Strange is really becoming his future self…he had an important air about him, and getting out the z-car…looked the part. The incident board he is working on is very interesting….the Joan bit Im not bothered about, and I dont beleive Morse is either…let it go….So where is Morse living now…that squat could well become his own home..very good line of thought …..
I think you are right Sue about Jim Strange. He is finding his place not only in the world but in the police force that will be his career for life for many a year.
Hello Chris. Thanks for the beautifully produced review and thoughtful observations. I take slight issue with you on two points, though like others above I see your reasoning.
For me, the Joan/Endeavour flicker is actually quite a realistic part of the backstory to why Morse never marries. There has to be a few big reasons why he never ‘settled’ and why not the fact that he never quite found the courage to go for it, after losing Susan (name from the TV series), the on-off Joan relationship seems to supply further evidence as to why he never quite made that leap and I do think it is a consistent plot device to show how the sensitive and hopeful man never quite gives it up but never quite makes the jump.
On the demotion/promotion point… are we all sure that a transfer to uniform (with his own station) is actually a demotion? It seems to me that he held his rank and actually had more autonomy (albeit in a backwater) so that is not really a demotion. But it was worth it to make the character more real – and to see how smart he was in uniform.
I’ve just come from re-watching Second TIme Around for the first time (sic) since Endeavour started and, while I was watching expecting to be critical of the continuity, I was actually rather surprised as to how it still fits in – even for those of us who now know the young Endeavour. So, what RL and the amazing Endeavour team have done is incredibly subtle. Can we imagine how tough it is in writing and acting to create something new and popular while keeping faithful to something as great as Morse. Hats off to these people, I say! And I know we all agree on that.
My last (obsession!) is the house. I’m fascinated to see how Endeavour gets to buy that place after the events of *Pylon*. For me the (now sold and redeveloped) Morse house seems almost sacred to JT and to see young Morse move in will be a very emotional moment. Can’t wait!
Very best Morsean wishes to all.
Marcus
Hi Marcus. On the subject of the demotion I wrote to Russell Lewis and I was wrong about the demotion. Russell wrote, “Uniform Sgt & Detective Sgt are of equal rank. Detective denotes an officer working within a specialist investigative dept. From my days on The Bill, the common misconception that detectives of equal rank have seniority was & is a particular bugbear for uniform. No demotion.”. I have to agree about how emotional it will be to see the young Morse move into a home that is part of the lore of the Morse universe.
I recall that CID staff had an allowance for “civilian clothes” which made the role financially very slightly better than “uniform” although actual rank was not affected.
Re. the initial wheat field scene, my first thought when I saw Morse walking through the wheat, rope in hand, going after the horse, was of The Catcher In The Rye (okay, I know it’s wheat and not rye, but close enough). I looked up again the explanation to the Salinger term and it was “the one who saves children from losing their innocence”, something it could be said that Morse attempted to do in this episode.
A bit of a stretch, maybe, but also maybe not 🙂
Thanks for the engaging reviews, Chris, I am looking forward to your next 3!
Hi Andy, and welcome to my website. I think that is a lovely connection between a great TV show and a wonderful novel. One of the wonderful things about the Morse, Lewis and Endeavour shows is that, unlike the majority of TV shows, they can be critiqued and analysed in the same way as students of English Literature, (and I am one of them), analyse, critique, evaluate and interpret great novels.
Andy, have a look at what is the source of Holden’s unbeknown confusion. You’ll be quite surprised. You might just Google: “Comin’ Thro’ the Rye” “Burns” or look up the Wikipedia entry.
Let me see if I got this right – the wife hit the girl with her car. The wife then picks up the injured girl, put her in the car, drives her home where the girl then dies. The husband then decides to put the body at the foot of the pylon so that the maintenance team will find her. Only the team does not arrive, and the husband, being afraid the body will be eaten by animals, decides to steal a horse from a neighbour and release it in a field near the pylon in the hope that the neighbour will report the theft to the police, the police will then look for the horse which will eventually lead them to the girl’s body???
Apart from this small matter, I agree with Chris that this was very much a 6/10 episode. Stuning visuals, great dialogues, brilliant acting by Evans (he really does become Morse), but let down by a ludicrous story, forgettable supporting cast and the boring internal intrigues of the Oxford / Thames Valley Police.
Hi Chris, I’ve just found your excellent website. I’ve always liked the ‘Morse Universe’ and am a big TV geek. I think I just found my new obsession! (Which your website will feed).
I have an obvious connection with Endeavour as you will no doubt have noticed. Irish spelling though…😉
Now to my comments on S06E01.
Led Zeppelin. I won’t hear a word said against them! I think they represent a new era. The song seems to from the remastered BBC Sessions album. The recording was made on 29th June 1969 on ‘Top Gear (no, not THAT Top Gear🙄). My Songcatcher app however, identifies it as a track from the album Led Zeppelin II (Deluxe Edition) from CD2 of extras (Rough mix with vocal). The two tracks may ultimately be from the same master tapes though. The track as used in this episode starts from about 3:30 so just about as it enters the final verse.
Anyway, that’s a bit of a rambling post. I will be watching tonight’s episode on catch up later in the week so will have to stay away from spoilers until then!
Mind how you go.
Sean
Oh my god,u good!
I’m VERY late to this site, although I’ve been watching ‘Endeavour’ since the series started. I love all the extra background information. One thought about the Led Zeppelin music over the opening section… A sub-plot, or suggestion about what is going on, is a reference both visually and in the script, that abduction by a paedophile might have been the reason for the death. There is also the predilection of the photographer and ‘those of a like mind’ for very young girls. If you listen to the lyrics of ‘What Is And What Should Never Be’, it is clear that the song is about a much older man talking to a younger girl – “pretty baby”. It is a matter of public record that at the height of their fame whilst in the USA, at least one member of the band – Jimmy Page – was in sexual relationships with girls young enough to have caused accusations of statutory rape…
Hi Mike and welcome.I never knew that about Led Zeppelin. Thank you Mike I will add that info to my post.
Thank you for your massive efforts, Chris – this is THE go-to site for all things Morse & Endeavour!
Am I alone in thinking that the characters of Box and his sidekick are sly references to Carter and Regan of ‘The Sweeney’?
Other than that, I’ve not been able to spot many film references in this episode: have the makers dropped that game? I found it quite entertaining in the previous series.
Hi Kirsten and welcome to my website. I think you are spot on in regard to Box and Jago. I think in the new series Russell lewis has cut down on the number of TV and film references.
Hi Chris, do you know if there is significance in the naming of Jago ? Its a Cornish name but Jago is clearly from the north east. It doesnt feel like a name chosen at random so I feel it must be significant in some way but I cant think how – any ideas.
By the way i think you are mistaken in stating that the actor playing Box is the son of Noel Harrison. He did have a son called Simon who was an actor but he was born in 1961.
Hi Tom. I think it is a reference to the Iago character in the Shakespeare play Othello. Iago is Othello’s second in command but he hates Othello and does his best to destroy him.
Hi Chris, happy Endeavour is back. You mentioned no art? What about the Degas Statue?
Maybe I missed your comment, but thought the first time in was shown, “Hmmm, this will mean something later.
Thank you for all your efforts in keeping us Endeavourists in the loop.
You are right in regard to Degas. I did mention the statue but only in the miscellaneous section. I think it is because I am not a huge fan of sculptures as art and that have made me unconsciously bias against it. I much prefer my art on canvas. However I will add the Degas to the art section.
Has anyone worked out the reason for the number 892 assigned to Sgt Morse? I am sure it was not picked out in various shots for nothing. But why?
Maybe a significant date?
I’ve found a possible reference for 892. At least, the year is right, and it’s kind of a nice image for Morse?
“892 Naval Air Squadron (892 NAS) was a carrier-based fighter squadron of the British Royal Navy… the only… squadron to fly the McDonnell Douglas Phantom FG.1.
…
892 gained worldwide exposure when one of their Phantoms won the Daily Mail Trans-Atlantic Air Race in May 1969.”
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/892_Naval_Air_Squadron
Just rewatched this, and a self-satisfied Ronnie Box is seen leaving Martyr’s Fields, immediately after Bright’s Pelican escapade at he beginning of the episode.
The Miserere is indeed by Gregorio Allegri; this piece is not used in The Infernal Serpent, that’s the Miserere by William Byrd.
Thank you beyond words for this website! I am curious about the stained glass at the end. Is it Mary Magdalene? In any case, what is the message here?
Hi Carolyn. I can’t be sure who the figure is but I think the message is simply that Endeavour hopes that if there is a God or supernatural being that they will not allow the case to be found again.
I took it as a moment where Morse questions himself a little: he is committed to being one of the “good ones” among the police, but here he is hiding evidence relevant to a past murder case. Of course he is doing so to protect Thursday’s reputation (who is “worth a hundred of a man like that [Box]”, and turning in the evidence wouldn’t change anything.
I added this idea at the end but will post it here because it’s on this subject. Morse gazes at the stained glass images and seems to realize something. I think they are images of forgiveness, and looking at them, I think he figures out that it is the rector of the church who has been buying the pedophile’s photographs; he connects that with the rector’s earlier reference to a need for forgiveness. Otherwise, what is the point of the exchange with the rector, where he appears to be thinking of something that he does not say, implying a private sin but not mentioning it. I don’t think Morse is ‘getting religion’ at the end; the look on his face is his ‘Eureka!’ expression. Now he understands that much earlier conversation.
Hello! What a strange and wonderful find this site is! I have just watched the Pylon episode of Endeavour here in Canada (on the American PBS network) and somehow arrived here. Amazing work… and so glad to have caught the first episode in the new series. Here’s the thing… I was watching the credits and noticed that some of the letters in the text that scrolled by were in red, and when I slowed things down and played it back, they spelled Anna Sewell (who wrote Black Beauty, of course). Is this ridiculously old news or what? Just wondering…
The text in red is something that is only done in the USA and is normally some kind of clue to the episode. We in the UK don’t have the red text in the credits. Thank you for your lovely comment on my website, i’m glad you enjoyed it.
Nigel – it’s a Masterpiece Mystery thing, not exclusive to Endeavour. It’s quite fun to see how the “clue” ties into the episode – some take a bit of digging (Google, of course). Last night’s clue was fairly easy (to me, at least; I read the book ages ago!)
A huge amount of work you put into this Chris! I enjoyed all of it. Well done!
Thank you, glad you liked it.
Chris, I’ll rewatch my PBS broadcast but FYI for your comparison post, the scenes where Morse/Strange spoke with Mick Haynes (bus driver), Joan Thursday at the fete, Morse/Max off duty were all cut from the American broadcast. I miss the Morse/Max scene the most as all scenes with Max are priceless; the one with Joan at the fete is, as you pointed out, superfluous and therefore correct in being edited out. Not sure why the Mick Haynes scene was cut – perhaps the librarian scene sufficed? I mean, what pointed out Morse to take the shortcut, the same as the girl? It was fairly important to know. Otherwise, production values on this show are quite brilliant on my large screen TV; no commercials and turning down the crazy sound right before said commercials from the ITV broadcast are so much better on PBS. Alas for cut scenes. Thank you so much for reposting your review! And the hebophile storyline, so soon after the last Unforgotten season broadcast, was quite chilling. I had to look up the Jimmy Page connection and found that gave me pause. Hmmm…
Pylon episode. The To Let sign has the letter ” i ” hand written between the o and l. Is this a blooper ?
Hi Tom. No it’s not a blooper. In the UK you will often see a To Let sign vandelised in this way as a rather weak childish joke. The joke being that the place to let is a ‘toilet’, not worthy to be let or rented.
Chris – sorry, second viewing, Morse/Joan at the fete is in the American broadcast. It’s right before the mum alerts Morse about “Rosie” gone missing so it had to be included.
Just watching season 6, episode 1 here in the states in June. Masterpiece is edited down for time due to contracts. I see extra footage in DVDs. I did not understand many things in the episode due to language differences and happily found your website looking for help. You have cleared up many confusions, especially Lucie Clayton. Russell Lewis writes well to men and women. I think Joan is for the ladies, unrequited love and all. Her storyline drives men frustrated here too. With 20 yrs difference between Morse’s, the overall story was moving along rapidly and series getting renewed. I take the story of Fancy’s death and the demotions are as a writers way to slow things down. Obliously, this is so popular, it can go 6 more seasons. Did the satchel found in the church prove the husband or a frame up?
Thanks for the light!
Hi. The finding of the case proved that the husband was framed because a different case was used as evidence. However, the case also proved that he was guilty.
I don’t recall the Zeppelin song at the beginning, was it not in the US version?
It would seem the Led Zep song was not used in the US in any region.
Hi there! What a phenomenal job you’ve done with this site. In “Pylon,” the scene where the Bayard parents pick up their daughter – the dad is uncredited. He looks familiar, but I can’t place him. Any idea who the actor is?
Hi Chris,
Really love your website!
Just a couple of notes on your comments on S6, E1 (Pylon):
– Others may have pointed this out, but the references to Lewis Carroll almost certainly allude to what we know about Carroll and his well-documented fascination with young girls, including photographing young girls. There is no evidence that he was a paedophile, but he certainly idealised pre-adolescent girls and spent a lot of time with them, and his behaviour would certainly be considered troubling by modern standards;
– Someone else has mentioned this, but ‘PELICON’ is not a joke! It’s an acronym and was the original name for the crossings. My father was in the Police, on traffic, from the late sixties until the eighties and I grew up knowing this fun fact!
Hope this helps – keep up the amazing work!
Jane
Hi Jane and welcome to my website. I believe we shouldn’t judge Carroll by today’s standards. As the character of Professor Deering said in the Lewis episode Allegory of Love, “Don’t judge Carroll by today’s tawdry standards. He admired the beauty of children. If he did have impure thoughts, then he didn’t act on them.”
Hi Chris,
I agree that we shouldn’t judge Carroll by today’s standards. However, we should perhaps follow Morse’s shining example and neither fudge nor shy away from the implications of evidence because they make us feel uncomfortable.
Dodgson’s interest in the young Alice Liddell was problematic, even for an age when child nudes were mainstream and fashionable.
In fact the Liddells themselves became increasingly troubled by Dodgson’s intense interest in their daughter until, at some point between 27–29 June 1863, they suddenly terminated the friendship.
Of course Victorian restraint meant that the Liddells never openly spoke of the incident.
These are verifiable facts and have nothing to do with today’s tawdry standards. It would be disingenuous to maintain anything other than what it so plainly was.
Furthermore, due to the same Victorian restraint various members of Dodson’s family later undertook a whitewashing and tidying up of his life. Dodgson’s diaries from 18 April 1858 to 8 May 1862 conveniently disappeared and, more crucially, the single page in Dodgson’s diary recording the 27–29 June 1863 incident was cut out. Various, more sanitized alternatives were bruited about and they were, and still are, eagerly accepted by those who prefer an innocent, untainted literary hero.
Of course the only reason Lewis Carroll was mentioned in this episode was because his hobby of photographing nearly nude prepubescent girls in provocative poses was used to foreshadow later events.
Unfortunately, this use of foreshadowing is so heavy-handed and poorly written that it serves more as an example of how not to do it.
Still, it is curious that you made no mention of this in your episode review.
I was really wondering about the white bag where Stanley was keeping his possesions. I have recognized in it a regular shopping plastic bag. But it seems unlikely that in 1969 it was a casual package. Also, I was following a thread on one forum where Stanley’s needles were discused. Would be interesting to hear your opinions on items and their time mis/matching.
The scene where Jim Strange visits Morse is really good. I love Strange’s description of his new role. The light is beautiful in all the outdoor scenes, I presume they were filmed during the fine summer of 2018. It’s quite a male dominated episode. I suppose this is somewhat inevitable given the addition of Box and Jago.
Hi, Chris.
I just had to say thank you. I am a a subtitler based in Sweden, and currently working on “Endeavour”. Your reviews are a gold mine when it comes to checking references and to see if I got everything straight. The answer is sadly enough often no, but at least I get many opportunities to visit your eminent website.
You are a true scholar and I salute you.
Best regards,
Anders Enerlöv
Anders, thank you for such a kind comment. It’s wonderful to know my website has so many uses for so many people.
Just discovered your site while watching thru series 6 in Australia after waiting ages to catch up. Great work Chris.
Not sure if it’s been mentioned before, I haven’t seen it, but wasn’t Ronnie Box the name of the character from Big Deal – a one off series from the 80’s about gambling ?
Also,there was a 60’s series called Mrs Thursday. From memory set in the East End (London) where Fred Thursday grew up. He often mentions places like Mile End , where he went Saturday Morning pictures etc. Dont know if Mrs Thursday had a husband named Fred but this could be a connection.
I remember the series, Big Deal, it starred Ray Brooks who I believe sadly passed away a few years ago. His character name was Robbie Box. I had never heard of Mrs Thursday. It was on between 1966-67. It looks like she didn’t have a husband in the series. Welcome to my website.
Thanks Chris – yes it was Robbie Box, well remembered. Glad I made you aware of Mrs Thursday. I hadn’t previously been aware of your website and found it by looking up references in the series because I was noticing them while watching. I think that having a character named Mrs Thursday in a series set in the 1960’s, plus there being a series of the same title screened in the 1960’s, is not a coincidence.
I’m very pleased to say that Ray Brooks is still alive, and hopefully, well. He was the wonderful voice behind Mr Benn, of course
“Alfred Skynner – Horse Slaughterer & Glue Boiler – Dealer in Bonemeal and Hides – Kennels Supplied
refers to George Orwell’s Animal Farm:
“Alfred Simmonds, Horse Slaughterer and Glue Boiler, Willingdon. Dealer in Hides and Bone−Meal. Kennels Supplied “
Thank you Nicolas. I have put that info into the post.
Having delayed my sense of gratification for Endeavour over the last twelve months to finally catch up with seasons six and seven I recall when I last revisited Muse (S05E01) I had to research online to find out what the Tufty Club was, which was referenced by Thursday in his rebuke of Dr Adrian Croxley. So it was with humor to see Reginald Bright in Pylon (S06E01) starring in his own road safety commercials!