User Reviews

A taxi driver is killed by a nudist camp, Morse has worse problems his stepmother has arrived, and needs accommodating.

I thoroughly enjoyed it, a cracking story, a brilliant mystery, with some terrific characters. We once again see Morse battling some demons, and I don't just mean his stepmother, the demon drink being one. We also see a very unexpected relationship blossoming,

Now, I've mentioned before about the show having some glorious Carry on references, there were plenty here, the campsite being called Paradise, and bottoms and so forth being covered up with cakes and flowers, the opening sequences were almost comedic.

Morse, people were moaning about his behaviour last week, that behaviour continues here, all I see is the transformation into the famous Detective that started out with a death in Jericho.

After a light hearted start, it soon transforms into a pretty heavy mystery. As always, it is incredibly well made and produced, it looks perfect. Quite bloodthirsty for Endeavour.

Once again, I cannot believe how great Sean Rigby looks, he's a completely new man.

Nice to see Lynda Rook back as Morse's evil stepmother, we haven't seen her for years, she stepped back into the part effortlessly, and of course had some cracking scenes with her slightly troubled stepson.

A class act, 9/10.

This episode opens with the murder of a taxi driver on a remote country lane. It could be linked to a recent spate of attacks on cabbies but the level of violence is obviously much higher. There is also the question of how the killer got away from the scene; the only nearby property is a naturist colony... DS Strange is sent to question the people there. Inevitably there are more murders; each shot with a '22 pistol... there is no obvious link between them though. Away from the case Morse has an unwelcome house guest in the form of his step-mother and he is drinking rather too much. Strange invites Joan Thursday to a function at the masonic lodge.

I really enjoyed this episode; the central mystery was interesting; even though some of the clues were so subtle I doubt many viewers will have realised the significance, most obviously the relevance of the broken time pieces. Early on the episode is surprisingly humorous; the scenes in the nudist camp, where nothing is quite revealed, were amusing and balanced the darker elements of the story. These include the motivation for the killer and Morse's increasing drinking problem. As one would expect the cast does a really fine job and the crew does a great job filming in modern Oxford without showing anything that doesn't belong in the early '70s. Overall a really good episode.

Enjoyed the reference to Mr Benn of Festive Rd as a customer of the taxi firm.

This episode was an excellent mystery, with some fun touches at the beginning in the nudist colony. The opening music is Whimsical Spy, album is Mondo Exotica, artist Mowave. This episode had the feel of the original series when Thursday and Morse enjoyed working as a team without so much friction between them. Good to see them back on track together in Scherzo. Thursday reminds Morse about the importance of an ironed shirt. Quite right!

Technically perfect, compelling. If the goal of S08 was to dovetail the new Morse into the old Morse, this is as close to perfection as you get. The mystery dominates, as it should, but the subtext is plain.

After such high anticipation, being something who has been a loyal follower of 'Endeavour' and the 'Inspector Morse' franchise from the very beginning, the first episode of Season 8 "Striker" was a major disappointment while not being a complete mess. So hopes were not as high for "Scherzo" in the fear that the disappointment would continue. Despite though that the premise for this episode was a lot more appealing and felt truer to earlier seasons 'Endeavour'.

Thankfully "Scherzo" was a major improvement. While "Striker" was average and not up to usual 'Endeavour' standard, "Scherzo" was very good indeed with many elements being excellent in fact. What didn't uncharacteristically work in the previous episode is vastly improved upon. Is it one of the best 'Endeavour' episodes? No it isn't, it is not as good as most of the episodes of the earlier seasons while being better than most episodes from the later ones.

"Scherzo" isn't perfect. Everything with Strange and Joan felt shoehorned in and doesn't add much. Some may say that Morse's mother conflict was a distraction, actually thought that that worked much better and it did further Morse's character and foreshadowed how he would become in 'Inspector Morse' (both the iconic TV series and the books).

Would have liked the denouement to have been longer, there was a lot of information to take in with what turned out to be a quite complicated case with a solution that is the opposite of obvious and it did feel slightly rushed.

However, so much is great. The production values are infinitely better than they were in "Striker". This is not indicative of tight budget and rushed deadlines, like the footballing plotline scenes did previously and is instead closer to the outstandingly high visual quality of the previous seasons. The episode looks very atmospheric and handsome in photography and production design and the 70s period is evocatively done. The music is its usual haunting and melancholic self, the theme tune still iconic.

Moreover, the writing is intelligent and thought provoking, with some initial light-hearted-ness that doesn't sink into vulgarity and the heavier tone it adopts later is done seriously enough without being too much so. The story is suitably intricate and quite dark with the murders suitably brutal, it's complicated but doesn't come over as convoluted (or at least to me it didn't). The nudist colony setting is used effectively, and is not vulgar or too sleazy. The acting is stellar, Shaun Evans and Roger Allam never disappointed throughout 'Endeavour's' run and their chemistry is magic. Linda Rook is the supporting standout and has suitably intense chemistry with Evans, it was like the long gap between her last appearance and this did not happen.

Concluding, very good and a major improvement. 8/10.

I checked and indeed The Carpenters played their first British concert at the Royal Albert Hall on the 24 September 1971. I'm sure the couple would have enjoyed the show. A somewhat quirky but enjoyable episode with Morse showing signs of becoming the Morse we know and love. The appearance of Aunt Gwen was a suprise and sadly funny to watch their bickering. All in all a good episode with a slightly different feel, the conclusion was somewhat of a suprise, also nice to see all the old vehicles and period details which are done a lot better than other shows. A great show and deserving of its praise.

Although Strange winning a ticket to see "The Carpenters" at the Royal Albert would have been interesting given its not a venue they ever got to! The appearance of Morse step-mother seemed quite unncecessary along the lines of "something you wouldnt do"! Then we have the now customary relationship suggestion between, in this case, 2 males! That aside you have 3 murders each shot with a .22 pistol which suggests 1 person. There are not many clues so you have to watch to enjoy the mystery unravel, which proves to be amazingly simple. Much better than the previous episode and a well put together murder mystery thats worth watching. Although as someone put it in those days in Oxford you probably wouldnt get 3 murders in a year let alone in 3 days.

Don't get me wrong. I love the whole Morse canon, but i had trouble staying tuned in. Sometimes I think the producers are so obligated to 90 minutes that they need slow, plodding moments to get there. I thought this one was a bit precious with the nudist colony and all that. I thought the story was well thought out and the plot well structured. I guess Morse is a drunk. He drinks huge amounts of whiskey in a big glass. I know he is depressed and lost. How he does his job, i don't know, not to mention his general malaise and disinterest. I find Thursday to be a much more interesting character at this point.

I don't understand what happened to Russell Lewis...it's like he forgot how to write a coherent, interesting teleplay. He's always been prone to ridiculous conclusions with "Endeavour" but at least, prior to the last couple seasons of the show, he's been able to construct clever, engaging episodes (mostly). But, Mr. Lewis's gifts seem to be fading as we approach the end of Endeavour. While Scherzo isn't the worst of Season 8 and is arguably the best of a lumpen trio of episodes, it's still a mess. And, the poor script hasn't been saved by the muddled direction, the tired performances or even the now lazy/underfunded design departments. What happened to the snappy set direction from previous seasons? It's like they're not even trying to pull off the 70s.

I'm hoping they're able to pull it together for the the final season so this show can go out on a high note.

The opening music was off-putting and grating, as is the continued habit of the opening credits interspersed with scenes. The plot was way too complicated and the whole semaphore thing unbelievable. Morse is beginning to grate and it's hard to see him mature into the older detective. Would prefer to see more of peripheral characters such as newspaper woman, and Thursday's wife and daughter (and Strange.)

I have loved to follow Morse, Lewis, Hathaway and young Morse (Endeavor), and still do. But this is a series that is on "overtime", regrettably, it has faded.

This episode is somewhat OK, but the plot is not good. So, if possible, I would much better see forthcoming episodes of "Hathaway" than to continue to follow Endeavor further into the dark and stormy night.