Masonic Mysteries

Perhaps, I'm just not 'getting it.' Thaw's favorite episode? Or one of them? Really? I watched it half way through before I felt compelled to check how the episode scored and was reviewed compared to the other ones. Simply shocked. Dumb-founded to find it has scored so highly. I restarted the episode to give it another chance. Perhaps, if this episode was meant as a farce? All credibility goes out the window the second grabs hold of the knife. A seasoned, cultured and highly intelligent (more so than, even, other detectives) would really grab hold of the supposed murder weapon in such a full-handed method? Even if he could spot with his keen (had to be beyond human capabilities) that it was not the murder weapon? Way to many holes.

Easily the second worst of Morse - coming in at a slow 32nd place to the horrendous 1993 episode Twilight Of The Gods. Why oh why why would anyone place an an iconic actor like Ian McDiarmid who can never be disassociated with Dennis Potter planted down in this episode when it's nothing like a Dennis Potter story? This whole episode is a disgusting travesty. As usual Morse is infested with the lust bug - this time for disdainful and disinterested Madeleine Newton of Auf Wiedersehen Pet and Grange Hill total lack of fame. Happily she is murdered a few minutes in - this is the only moment of pleasure in this Morse debacle. Totally wasted (in both senses) is Iain Cuthbertson. Diane Fletcher sums this whole episode by wiping a theoretical piece of dog faeces off her shoe as she exits a conversation with Morse. The producers of this episode should hang their heads in shame 1/10 Mark James Burden

The atmosphere is quite menacing, a cross between Lynch movies and The X-Files. Morse has clearly been set up, and the way things defy rational explanation im going from bad to worse becomes quite creepy and unsettling in a skilfully visceral way. Ultimately, however, the episode creators bite off more than they can chew: Characters from a distant past; old mentors; old scores getting settled; a villain who represents Morse's nemesis; IT hackers; the impossibility of love... It's too much and it turns the story into a cake. I know quite a bit about Mozart and the Magic Flute and all that. But if you asked me WHY this particular investigation has masonic symbolism swirling all around, in truth I would struggle to give a coherent reply.

In fictional time Morse had been an Inspector for around 30 years by season 4 of "Inspector Morse."

Morse gets into an argument with his date to the opera rehearsal at the very first scene of this episode. She tells him in front of several other members of the opera group that she wants nothing to do with him, that he drives too fast, that she was scared to get into a car with him, and that she wants her friend (another opera group member) to drive her home after the rehearsal.

So a few minutes later when everyone hears a chilling scream in the concert hall building, Morse runs directly to the scream, and finds his ex-date has been murdered. Just like any dumb patsy in any old Perry Mason TV series episode, Morse immediately holds the dead woman to him as if she had been the love of his life (not just a casual acquaintance).

Then Morse sees the huge carving knife laying next to the dead woman and picks it up (destroying any possible fingerprints of the real killer). When the rest of the opera group arrive, Morse is holding the knife over the dead woman, and he is covered in her blood. What a moron.

Morse should have been sacked from the Police force on the spot just for being so stupid. Any copper that can pull the dumbest and most cliche self-incrimination move of a TV show from the 1950s needs to be canned. I am surprised he did not also claim amnesia and PTSD to top it off.

When Morse gets suspended because he is a suspect in the murder, he pulls his tired "I am the victim" routine. It is consistent with his alcoholism that he resents the people assigned to clean up after his incompetence for incriminating himself.

Sergeant Lewis should have taken him out back of the police station and administered a sobering beating, so that Morse could take time while at Hospital to reflect on his many dumb mistakes during his suspension. Considering the way Morse treats Lewis, it would have been nice to see Lewis pound his flabby face in.

This episode was perhaps the worst of the series. In later years, Morse occasionally played the victim of police politics, and did not take accountability for his own bad choices and mistakes. Like the many times when Morse would try dating a witness or suspect, and it usually blew up in his face. Morse routinely took advantage of his position to ask witnesses and suspects out for a drink, so he could hit on them, as the "dirty old man" without any scruples.

Simply because "our hero" is in trouble from the "word Go" in this episode, well directed by Danny Boyle. In the first few minutes he makes several key mistakes which hands this initiative to his aggressor, who for the most part remains in the background. In my view this is one of the best 3 of the Morse Series, which he pieces together but never in such a way that he is in control of everything. One minor "hiccup" which would not have been apparent when this was made is that Morse refers to "McNutt" teaching him everything he ever knew! Clearly the producers of "Endeavour" forget this when creating their characters for the series with "Fred Thursday" being the Inspector. Seeing Morse come from being the one "under the cosh" to his final "triumph" is a good way to spend around 100 minutes. Good TV