Endeavour: The Complete Seventh Season Masterpiece

The PBS broadcasts of Endeavour have always been four to five minutes shorter than the UK originals.I suspect that this was part of a PBS plan to hook freeloading US viewers on the show, then motivate them to spend money for the uncut episodes on DVD and Blu-ray.I don’t really begrudge them that.Plus the Oxford scenery is spectacular on Blu-ray.In addition to the uncut UK version, the Blu-ray of Season 7 includes seven behind-the-scenes featurettes (total time 19 minutes), plus English SDH subtitles.I haven't seen the Amazon downloads of Season 7, but I have seen the free PBS downloads.The PBS downloads are identical to the PBS broadcasts: the cut American version.The timings do not include the closing credits, which are longer on the PBS broadcast.Episode 1: “Oracle”PBS broadcast = 1:28:33Blu-ray version = 1:32:10Episode 2: “Raga”PBS broadcast = 1:27:48Blu-Ray version = 1:31:28Episode 3: “Zenana”PBS broadcast = 1:28:38Blu-Ray version = 1:32:19If you’ve been following my reviews of Endeavour, you will know that PBS screwed up last year’s release of Series 6.They mistakenly issued the cut US version on DVD and Blu-Ray.(and never admitted their mistake).I do begrudge them that.Anyway, the American DVDs and Blu-rays of Series 1-5 and 7 are the “Full-Length UK Edition”.The uncut Season 6 is only available on Region 2 DVDs imported from the UK: Endeavour Series 6 [DVD] [2019]It has the ITV logo on the cover, not the PBS logo.But you will need a region-free DVD (or Blu-ray) player to view them.After years of resistance, Amazon now sells region-free players.Enter “region-free DVD player” or “region free Blu-ray player” in the Amazon search window.Or you can watch the UK DVDs on your computer’s DVD drive.(surprisingly, Endeavour has never been issued on Blu-ray in the UK).Or look up my Amazon review of the Season 6 American Blu-ray, where I explain how to find the deleted bits on the internet.POINTS OF INTEREST:Other than the fact that Endeavour has shaved his mustache, I can’t reveal too many details without risking spoilers.The three episodes form one long story arc.If nothing else, it has a very ambitious script by Russell Lewis (who has been the sole writer since the first episode).Filmed in Oxford and Venice.--- Symmetry: Inspector Morse (1987-2000) and Inspector Lewis (2006-2015) each had 33 episodes.Counting the current season, there have been 30 episodes of Endeavour.The plan was to film one more season with three episodes, thereby ending the series with 33 episodes.But the Covid virus has put the future of Season 8 on hold (scripts have been written, but nothing has been filmed).When there is more information, I will add it to the Comments section following this review.Season 8 of Endeavour will be set in 1971.Season 1 of Morse will be set in 1987 (a safe prediction).So we still have 16 television years of Endeavour Morse’s life yet to be accounted for.Perfect excuse for a new series.--- Last season, Inspector Fred Thursday was demoted from Detective Chief Inspector (DCI) to just plain Detective Inspector (DI).Humiliating enough, but he also lost his official car, the legendary Jaguar Mk I, and was instead assigned a cheesy Ford Zephyr Mk III.For Season 7, Thursday has been re-instated as Detective Chief Inspector.And the Jaguar Mk I is back - see photo.--- Episode 1 of Season 7 (“Oracle”) featured this testy exchange between Inspector Thursday and his wife:Mrs. Thursday: “Canaries! Where are we going to keep canaries?”Inspector Thursday: “Up my arse! - like David Nixon.”This is not a slur against the 37th President of the United States.David Nixon was a popular British magician and television personality in the ‘60s and ‘70s (famous for producing canaries from unexpected places).--- Episode 2 (“Raga”) features two members of DCI Fred Thursday / Roger Allam’s family in prominent parts:His wife, Rebecca Saire plays Mrs. Radowicz.Roger and Rebecca’s son, William Allam, plays Mrs. Radowicz’s son Gary.See photos.--- Episode 3 (“Zenana”)Inspector McNutt is mentioned several times in the season’s final episode.[McNutt was also mentioned in Endeavour Season 2, Episode 4 “Neverland”.]Perhaps we will finally meet him in Season 8.Of course, longtime viewers have already met Inspector Desmond McNutt.In Morse Season 4, Episode 4 “Masonic Mysteries” (1990), Inspector Morse (John Thaw) visited the retired McNutt for help on a case.Morse describes McNutt as "my mentor".ENDEAVOUR BREAKING NEWS:Your best source for news about Morse, Lewis and Endeavour is the website run by Chris Sullivan:morseandlewisandendeavouralso on Facebook, YouTube and Twitch

MASTERPIECE PROGRAMS ARE ONE OF MY FAVORITE AND LOVE ALL BRITISH MYSTERIES

Brand new, perfect condition, arrived fast. Complex plots with lots of twists and turns. Great casting makes for believable characters. After watching, I bought the whole book series as well.

It's a great series. Enjoy watching many times.

This came on time and properly packaged. Endeavour is one of the more popular franchises shown on PBS Masterpiece Mystery along with the original Inspector Morse and its spin-off Inspector Lewis. Whether season 7 is the best is best left up to individual’s judgement. I will note the season only had three episodes and this season basically followed two main story lines. In earlier seasons, each episode tended to stand more on its own. This phenomenon is not unique to Endeavour. Some reviewers balked that many of the plot devices have been used before. I did not find that objectionable since there really only so many plot devices to be mined in a who done it mystery. I will say Endeavour has relied more and more on gunplay over the course of the series. Typically, the notion of Morse is he solves them with his intellect, which I prefer.

(Based on Blu-ray edition) The 'Endeavour magic' continues. The writing, the production, the direction (yes, Shaun Evans' included), the cinematograpy, the acting, and the - amazing - casting efforts deserve an ovation. Likely the best TV series out there. Very sad to learn of composer Barrington Pheloung's passing in 2019; he was very much a part of what made this series so great. Especially in this Series 7, one can "sense" the climax ending coming on in episode 3, causing rapt attention to the screen. Kudos to all involved in the making; eagerly awaiting the next series!

I have always been a huge fan of this series since its beginnings, with great characters and subtle and fascinating story lines. I love how each episode takes two or three threads at the beginning and weaves them together so seamlessly and prettily that the ending usually blows your mind. Season seven is wonderful. The strained relationship between Morse and Thursday seemed a bit forced to me at first, but then I thought of how it's always been there, and things come to a head this season. But it's brilliant as always and I really enjoyed watching.

A good mystery series. Delivery was as committed to and product was as described.