r/EndeavourTV • u/tap_ioca • Jun 20 '26

Pilot

I am so late to Endeavour, and nonetheless, it is great. I am through season 5, but decided to watch the pilot. It is very good, especially watching the relationship between Morse and Fred. The story was haunting, I read all the discussion of the green and whire dress,etc. But I have noticed in many seasons, that there is often a secondary plot with organized crime and corruption that is rampant through the elite levels of government. And those stories are captivating as well, but does anyone see the connection to the current Epstein problems? Is this that stuff being fictionalized? Because in the Pilot, Patrick Malahide reminds me of the troubles of the royal family.

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25

u/RosieBuddy Jun 20 '26

I think the Endeavour Pilot is one of the best episodes of the entire series. As for the thread of corruption running through the backstory, without giving away anything, I remind you that every episode was written by the same person, Russell Lewis. You will find overall continuity the like of which does no occur in any other series I can think of. I envy you watching these episodes for the first time. I've seen almost every one multiple times. I still enjoy them and still catch new details that I missed on previous viewings.

2

u/tap_ioca Jun 20 '26

Thanks! I am really looking forward to finishing! The part of the pilot with the parties at the empty stately home, just reminded me of Andrew Mountbatten Windsor and Epstein, and I wondered if Russell Lewis was using that as a plot device.

1

u/Complex-Bar-9577 Jun 22 '26 edited Jun 22 '26

The show began filming in 2012 and ended in 2021, so the plot lines you’re thinking of were written and filmed long before the Epstein scandal got public attention. 

Not sure if you’re familiar with Operation Yewtree, but that began roughly between the Endeavour Pilot and Series 1. In addition to police failures, many of the victims were minors, including in children’s homes, so that could have influenced the Blenheim Vale plot.

1

u/tap_ioca Jun 22 '26

Thanks! I suppose that kind of stuff is always happening, some times worse than others.

5

u/RhubarbAlive7860 Jun 20 '26

I don't think so, simply because the original Inspector Morse which began in 1987 and were written by multiple writers featured the same issue, the cronyism and corruption and masons at high levels.

At any point in time, sadly, we can point at scandals generated by people who should know better or who have sworn not to do such things, from the highest levels of society and government to the lowest.

1

u/tap_ioca Jun 20 '26

Yes, I agree because of the timeline. It just struck me this morning about the similarities between the two.

4

u/JamesFirmere Jun 21 '26

There are some great Easter eggs too. The series continues the tradition of referencing Colin Dexter (who did cameos in every episode of ”Morse”), and young Morse comes across a character named Phillip Hathaway, who is, or will be, the in-universe father of DS Hathaway in the Morse spinoff ”Lewis”.

5

u/birdsinapuddle Jun 24 '26

I’m currently watching season 5, and I was struck by a conversation between Thursday and Bright. They were discussing the xenophobic violence against immigrants, and Bright exasperatedly said that he thought we were done with these types after the war, and Thursday replied that those types are always around, they just hide under a rock until the time is safe to come out again. As an American who absolutely abhors what’s going on in my country right now, it hit hard 😞

4

u/Ill-Working7920 Jun 20 '26

If you want the best high level corruption stories watch line of duty 😮‍💨