Exeunt – As this episode of Endeavour begins, Reverend Thamwood (Mo Sesay) presides over a funeral while DS Endeavour Morse (Shaun Evans) watches the dig. Sam Thursday (Jack Bannon) is caught getting into Win’s pocketbook. They believe the bodies found so far are those of Josiah Landesman and his former secretary Brenda Lewis. Peter Jakes (Jack Laskey) says it has been like part of him has always been here. DS Morse gives Peter his word that they’ll find him since they’re already so close. Chief Superintendent Reginald Bright (Anton Lesser) speaks to DCI Fred Thursday (Roger Allam) talk about what the boys suffered. Morse never said anything because it was private and a confidence Jakes had given him.

Fred admits that Morse would take a secret to the grave with him. Later, DS Jim Strange (Sean Rigby) talks to Jakes about the engagement announcement coming in the mail. After a call, Fred tells Endveaour that DI Chesney Finch (Richard Ridings) might have something on Mickey Flood. He is spooked enough as it is so Fred is going to go alone. Morse believes it is for the best since he has a sudden out in North Oxford. Fred thinks he should take Jakes to Blenheim Vale. Then, he asks about Peter Williams’ remains. When Morse says no, Fred suggests he just isn’t there. Fred questions whether he has found anything about the owner of the place. Morse says it is companies within companies.

The closest he has come is a firm called Centavo Holdings which is registered in Bermuda. One owner is Lionel Godfrey Chambers. Next, Dr. Max Debryn (James Bradshaw) tells Morse about the late Professor Edwin Robert Bevin who died within the last six hours. Although Max thinks he has a broken neck, the victim has taken a blow to the skull as well. Morse asks who called it in. He is told an old friend from college was expecting Edwin for lunch. When Edwin didn’t arrive, Dr. Fortescue phoned the police. Snakebite (Joseph Macnab) approaches Sam at the pub to ask if Tomahawk has been in, but he hasn’t been there. Another man tells Sam he wouldn’t. Sam says he doesn’t bother him. Morse looks around the crime scene and suspects Edwin Robert Bevin was cut off in the middle of a crossword.

They wonder what made Bevin leave his breakfast. When Morse checks the newspaper, he notices an article with Bevin’s name at the bottom of it. He also finds the engagement announcement of Joan and James. Morse is shocked to find a death notice for Professor Edwin Robert Bevin. DCI Fred Thursday meets DI Finch who urges him to drop whatever he has going on at Blenheim Vale. Fred asks who did for Landesman. Morse goes to the office of the Oxford Mail and learns that the death notice came in Saturday from Dr. McMurdo via letter from an address in Appleford. The woman explains that they have to confirm the details with the undertaker. In this case, they were dealing with Jephthah Claypole and Son.

They have to verify the name and age of the deceased as well as the date of decease and any funeral arrangements. Dorothea Frazil comes in and learns that Morse is there. After using their phone and not getting through, Morse leaves. DS Jim Strange enters Fred’s office and learns Kidlington needs a man on secondment through the end of the year and possibly beyond. Fred thought it would suit him since it comes with married quarters. Jim says he’ll need to talk it over with Joan. Fred just wants to make sure he is all right since he is moving on. Jim says he appreciates it so he’ll give Joan a call. Endeavour Morse approaches Dr. Andrea Massey (Meg Kubota) and says he is there to speak to Dr. Rupert McMurdo.

Andrea says today was his funeral and Rupert died 12 days ago. He fell from a train outside Radley on his way to work. It is believed a passenger didn’t close the door properly and Rupert leaned against it. Andrea never heard Bevin’s name. She says they should tell people that they mean something to them before it is too late. At the station, Fred reads the death notice which states, “Omnia mors aequat.” Morse says it means death makes all things equal. He tells Fred about Dr. McMurdo and his death. The letter to the Mail has an Oxford postmark. Morse will see Dr. Fortescue at Lonsdale tomorrow. He’ll also visit the undertaker. Morse asks if the Cable Street man had anything on Mickey Flood. Fred says not really, but he took Morse’s advice and found a spot for Jim at Kidlington.

If he finds Peter Williams at Blenheim Vale, Fred asks him to let that be the end of it. Whoever did it to him will be long gone anyway. Morse asks about Andrew Lewis. Fred says his mother is dead and he couldn’t get away from his father quickly enough. Morse says there is a cousin named Robert who is a young police cadet from Newcastle. He has been asking about the body. Morse just wants to get to the bottom of it. Fred warns him that the people who want Blenheim Vale buried will see that it is. He doesn’t want that on his conscience. Endeavour absolves him. When Fred returns home, he finds a coat on the floor. Once he picks it up, he finds a bag of drugs so he puts the bag back into the coat pocket. Sam is sleeping on the couch. Fred gets a call from Charlie who immediately hangs up.

He claims it was the wrong number. Reginald Bright tells Morse that days of change are upon them. He is retiring and DCI Thursday is going to Carshall. As for Morse’s future, he admits he is undecided right now. Reginald recommends putting in for his Inspector’s in a few years. In the middle of the night, Fred retrieves a handgun that was hidden in a box above a cabinet. Jim and Joan (Sara Vickers) check out the flat in Kidlington. Fred and Morse speak to Dr. Fortescue who tells them about his scheduled lunch with Bevin and why he called the police. He doesn’t think Bevin had any enemies. When he is asked about Rupert McMurdo, Dr. Fortescue says it rings a vague bell. It isn’t a name he associated with Ned though. Morse reveals that McMurdo is a paleontologist at the Pitt Rivers. As they leave, Fred nearly faints.

Hal (Will Brown) is asked to help Vi (Victoria Alcock) with the floral tributes. Hal prepares to help Dennis and Vi before Morse and Fred arrive to speak to Mr. Claypole. He insists he hadn’t heard of Bevin until they just mentioned him. Mr. Claypole says Mr. McMurdo was a recent customer and they were pleased to undertake his funeral arrangements. He was cremated only yesterday. Hal leaves to check the date of death while Mr. Claypole says his face was unrecognizable and they had to work using photographs. Hal says he died on the tenth of this month. When Fred shows him the paperwork with his name on it, Mr. Claypole says it isn’t their telephone number. Morse wants to get the medic to look at Fred, but Fred says there is no need.

Morse goes back to the office of the Oxford Mail and asks for a couple of the mail from the tenth of June. He also asks if they have any correspondence from Dr. Rupert McMurdo wanting to put in a death notice. When he checks the newspaper, Morse finds out that McMurdo died on the eighth of June. The notice also says, “Mortui Vivos Docent” or “let the dead teach the living”. They go over the details at the station. Endeavour says Mrs. McMurdo submitted the death notice for Dr. McMurdo. Dr. McMurdo supposedly put out the death notice for Bevin. The date for each notice is bogus. Although the same undertaker is listed, different phone numbers were used. Morse believes the man responsible left the Latin phrases to show how clever he is.

The reverse trace for the number on Bevin’s death notice goes to GF Naylor & Company at Neptune House. Once Morse goes there, he is told no one has been in the office for about a month. Morse gives his number to John Bingley (Philip Wright) in case he sees anyone from Naylor. Back at the pub, Sam is told to give Snakebite a wide berth. At home, Fred begins suspecting that Sam might’ve taken his other wallet. Win (Caroline O’Neill) claims that Sam was going to put it back. Sam hangs out with Hal outside and notices a biker walking in. Sam goes to the bathroom and it looks like one of the bikers follows him. Morse visits Joan and apologizes for the other night.

Joan tells Win that he is there to see Fred. Once Fred returns, he asks what couldn’t wait till morning. Morse says he was turning through the Oxford Mail and found a letter from McMurdo. Dr. Bevin also had a letter published. Fred gets upset and questions whether he ever takes a night off. He scolds Morse for not just calling and tells him not to bother picking him up in the morning. Morse says he just came to see if he was alright after this morning. Fred says he is fine. Joan overhears the conversation. The phone number on McMurdo’s death notice traces back to Mitchell & Wilcox so Endeavour visits their offices the following day. The store is locked up. Oxford Mail calls and someone picks up. They’re asking if it is Claypole’s Funeral Directors.

Back at the station, Fred tells Morse that Dorothea Frazil called because they had another letter from Bevin a week before he died. It was about Mr. Heath and the opportunities opened up by the European Communities Act. Fred also spoke to Mr. Bright and Division is asking about progress at Blenheim Vale. Fred told them they’d have to think about closing it down if they get nowhere by the end of the month. Next, they go to the pub to learn more about the bikers. The bartender says one of them had a staring match with a young lad. As for the dead fellow, he was last seen heading into the gentleman’s bathroom. He didn’t see his mate go, but he did see him cleaning his nails with a knife. Dr. Max DeBryn tells them that the victim was stabbed, but he didn’t have an ID in his wallet.

A bag full of drugs was found in his jacket. They won’t know what it is until it has been tested. Jim Strange says the killer better hope they find him before the bikers do. Once the body is removed, Endeavour finds a button from a coat on the ground. Sam drinks alone in a cemetery. Dr. Max DeBeryn says there were no fingerprints on the knife so it had been wiped thoroughly. He gives them sketches of the tattoos. Morse finds it odd that there were no keys on the victim. At the station, Morse learns that Dorothea called for him and DI Arthur Lott (Danny Webb) is waiting for Fred. Arthur asks if the biker was with the Death’s Head Motorcycle Club. One of them was killed a couple of months back in Camden. Arthur says they may be trying to set themselves up in university towns.

He thinks they might be able to help them identify the victim. Arthur tells Fred where he’ll be in case he wants to stop by for a drink. Once he leaves, Fred tells Morse that people change. Morse says it is rarely for the better. Endeavour goes to Bevin’s funeral. He approaches Theo Conklin in the cemetery and learns he is there because he likes to read headstones out of curiosity. Endeavour asks if he has ever noticed anyone not part of the funeral. Theo says no. At the station, Endeavour looks through the sympathy cards and finds one in Latin. Charlie calls Fred to say he needs to see him at seven. Fred opens her desk and sees a gun. Endeavour shows Fred the card that translates to “death has come with a new terror.”

The flowers for the funeral came from two suppliers so he’ll call them to see if they remember any Latin phrases. Reginald says he is going to make his last report to Division before turning everything over to Chief Superintendent Prettyman. They talk about the possibility of Division closing down the investigation into Blenheim Vale. The body has been identified as Raymond Kennit who was also known as Tomahawk (Jack Hamilton). Reginald makes sure to say goodbye to them even though they’ll be together at the church. Morse speaks to Vi about the Latin card. She insists no one asked for Latin. Instead, they could’ve put it on at the cremmy or the undertakers. Endeavour goes to the church and finds Joan there already.

Sam arrives and says his dad is running behind so he is there to fill in. Endeavour immediately notices the buttons on his jacket. Charlie Thursday (Phil Daniels) tells Fred that he has to let the Blenheim Vale and the Ostrich Fanciers’ Club go. Fred begins asking questions before DI Arthur Lott interrupts. Fred wonders if Mickey came there to tell him about Arthur’s involvement. Arthur thinks they can come to some arrangement once they’ve heard that Blenheim Vale has been wound up. Arthur says he and Clive Deare came up together. Arthur had the nous and Clive had an accent to open doors. Fred wonders what would happen if he doesn’t shut down the operation. Arthur says a father should dance with his daughter at her wedding.

Fred wants what is his back in cash. He says he’ll put Morse straight. While Reverend Theodore Affcott (Ross Green) walks them through the wedding, Charlie pleads with Fred to do what Arthur wants. Charlie is shot before Arthur yells that he is just making a point. Fred shoots one man and chases another away. When he returns, he finds that Charlie is already gone. Jim tells Joan he wouldn’t think less of her if she changed her mind, but she hasn’t been more sure of anything in her life. Morse tries to talk to Sam about where he has been hanging out. When a biker drives by, Sam leaves in a hurry. Later, Morse gets a call from the Oxford Mail because another one has arrived. There is another Latin phrase and the death notice is for Dr. Fortescue this time.

Fred rushes to Dr. Adam Fortescue (Jo Stone-Fewings) who admits to giving an interview to the Mail earlier this year. Morse goes to the store where the phone was answered and goes inside. He notices a newspaper article about the gay liberation front by Fortescue. There is also a death notice for Morse in the newspaper. John Bingley tells him that he worked out he was keeping an eye on The Mail. He had to go to the Oxford Times for his death notice since he has a friend there. Morse pretends the place is surrounded, but John isn’t concerned. When they hear sirens outside, John attempts to attack Morse. Cops rush in and stop him. They decide to speak to Violent ‘Vi’ Bingley since John used her business to place the Latin sympathy cards.

After 36 years, she knew something wasn’t right about him. She explains that his father taught him how to be a monumental stonemason. That is where he learned Latin. Once they sit down with John Bingley, he says they should be thanking him for ridding the world of two very dangerous. He complains about the poison they’re pushing. John says they want godless queers running everything before saying they want to destroy the family. He eventually turns his attention to the European Communities Act. John says they’ll be overrun with blacks, browns, yellows, and every shade in between. After the interview, Morse goes out to the pub with others. Fred confronts Sam to ask whether he is using, dealing, or both.

He is adamant that it has to stop. Sam ends up punching Fred before storming out of the bar. Later, Endeavour wonders where he is going to go with everyone else moving on. Jakes recommends coming with him to America. Morse insists that isn’t for him. The following day, Morse calls about ACC Deare’s service record. Then, he meets Fred to talk about Lionel Godfrey Chambers. Endeavour explains that he found him at the cemetery. Lionel died when he was five days old. Someone must’ve found a dead child around their age and obtained their birth certificate to get a passport. Lionel’s grave is adjacent to a family plot both of them know. Morse has looked into Arthur Lott’s service history and he was a cadet with ACC Deare.

Morse suspects Arthur is up to his neck in it with Deare at Blenheim Vale. Fred admits to seeing Arthur. He tried to do a good turn four years ago, but it went bad and left him open. They’re calling in their marker and the price is Blenheim Vale. Fred tells Morse that he has to let it go for everyone’s sake. Win speaks to Joan before her big wedding. Reginald runs into Miss Frazil outside the church. Strange learns that Morse isn’t coming. Instead, Morse goes to the dig site where he encounters Arthur Lott who brought insurance. Morse says Thursday has squared it away with the new Chief Superintendent. They’re finished there, but Morse would like to know who killed Andrew Lewis. Arthur says the kid was poking around and should’ve kept his nose out.

As for Peter Williams, Arthur says they didn’t kill him. Arthur took him up Lincoln Way because there was a couple that wanted a kid of their own. He thinks their name was Kennit. Morse remembers that Tomahawk’s name was Kennit. When Morse tries to take Fred’s savings back, Arthur attacks him from behind. The bikers come out and go after Arthur. Fred dances with his daughter at the wedding. Once Morse arrives, he apologizes to Joan for being late. Joan says he has never called her by her name. Morse thinks it is for the best because he wouldn’t be able to stop. He confesses to loving her. Morse should’ve told her earlier, but he thinks it is too late now.

Joan begins kissing him after saying no. It seems Morse was just fantasizing and they hug instead. Joan and Jim drive away. Fred and Win talk about the past while preparing to move. When Morse visits, Win says they’ve been worried so they’re glad to see him up on his feet. When he goes inside, Sam tells him that he is going to try out for the police. Once Sam leaves, Fred asks Morse if he has time for a pint. Morse tells him that the bikers had been looking to get even with Arthur ever since he did one of theirs in Camden. Morse went there alone to tell him they were closing down the investigation. Fred asks about Peter Williams. Morse says someone once told him that not every question gets an answer.

The Peter Williams Jakes knew died a long time ago. Morse isn’t sure what happened to Charlie, but Fred thinks Lott had it coming. Morse asks about Tomahawk. He told the bikers he was a registered informant. Endeavour suggests they won’t immediately try to find whoever really killed him. The barman said he wasn’t in a state to defend himself, but someone else who knew what he was doing could’ve. In a flashback, Fred ends up killing Tomahawk. Fred doesn’t regret it because Tomahawk was not his son. Morse warns him that it is an eye for an eye with this lot. If they ever see Sam again, even Fred wouldn’t be able to defend him against that mob. Morse thinks Sam should disappear. Endeavour gives Fred all of his money back.

Fred gives him a gun since he might need it if he is staying. Endeavour sits with the gun at the cemetery. We hear a gunshot. Reginald speaks at the grave while Morse sings in the choir. Later, Endeavour drives away in a black Jaguar and passes by a red Jaguar.

 

Endeavour Review

The final episode of Endeavour didn’t really feel like a final episode because nothing about it stood out from others. It just went through the motions without delivering an overwhelmingly emotional finale. Some scenes were slightly confusing with the flashbacks so it was sometimes difficult to know exactly what was true and what wasn’t, but the investigation was mostly dull and straightforward.

The performances were great as usual. Endeavour is hindered by the drawn-out runtime that has become commonplace in British drama even though it is rarely necessary. Unfortunately, the final episode really wasn’t even memorable in any way. If it wasn’t the final episode in the entire series, it’d probably be forgettable.

The episode scores a 5 out of 10. Recaps of Endeavour are available on Reel Mockery here. Find out how to support our independent site at this link. Learn more about advertising on Reel Mockery here.