Overview: The continuing stories of rookie Constable Morse. Shaun Evans ('The Take') stars as the young Endeavour Morse, before his signature red Jaguar, but with his deductive powers already running in high gear. This third season contains four new episodes.

DVD Verdict: OK, if you don't know this by now, PBS edits 10-15 minutes out of each episode that they show on Masterpiece Mystery. Which means you always have to purchase these wonderful PBS UK TV shows that say 'Original UK Edition' on the front of the cover. Indeed, they now have some stickers on some PBS released that say there is an extra 10 minutes per episode; so even they know that PBS TV chops and we require the full-length. Good for them, this has made me, and all fans of UK drama on PBS very happy.

Moving on and 'Masterpiece Mystery: Endeavour', in general, is a series I never saw coming back when the Pilot was announced back in 2013. It came in under my radar, but wow, once I saw said Pilot I was blown away! Then, under my radar came the full first series! Blindsided is an understatement, true but now watched (along with subsequent seasons two and now three) I have to say Shaun Evans as Morse is spot on perfect re: characteristics.

That said, my gushing halted for a second, it has to be also said that as much as the supporting cast is wonderful, and so to the acting, my only (small) issue with all the episodes is that they are way too contrived! My goodness, each one tries to weave a complex little tale for us to pick apart, to solve along the way also, but they, for the most part, just fizzle slightly and end blankly. That being my only gripe, it also has to be said that the acting supersedes that aspect and therefore it remains a go-to evening's entertainment regardless.

Watching each episode we learn a little bit about Morse's personal life, of course, early on in the first season we even got to see how he got his infamous limp too! You didn't know he had a limp? Sure he did, but in real life, not the show. But as he had to still limp in the show due to it they have written it into the script here for a future time! Confused? Just watch some of those first season episodes and that last statement will fast become understandable, trust me!

He's also rather unafraid to breach cop protocol when working on a case; but he's also necrophobic, liable to faint in the presence of a dead body. And while he's a detective of Sherlock Holmesian brilliance, he's also precocious and more than capable of making mistakes; as Detective Inspector Fred Thursday (Roger Allam), his mentor and principal (sometimes only) supporter, has put it, "You're a good detective ... and a poor policeman."

We know Morse's smarts will eventually prevail as he sorts out one murder after another, but here in this third season of 'Endeavour', set in 1967, it picks up from the dramatic second series finale that saw Endeavour Morse placed in police custody; framed for a murder he didn't commit and DI Fred Thursday's life hanging in the balance after being shot.

Now, and again, on a personal note, I fear the writers were changed here on Season Three as the show lost its pace. Aside from kicking off directly from the end of last season, the entire show seemed rather lackluster, sadly. I hope we get out old Endeavour back for a fourth season, but regardless, come the first episode, 'RIDE' and DC Morse is now suspended, and living on his own in a little cabin by a lake. "He doesn't WANT to be found," Monica tells Thursday.

But events and his own nature conspire against him, and Morse is pulled back into what he does best, solving murders, of course. In the second episode, 'ARCADIA', we have two murders thrust upon us in the opening 8 minutes, and from there the team discover a commune, which leaves DI Thursday unimpressed, "Pot and free love – I suppose. 'Free Love'. In my experience that's the most expensive kind!" In the third episode, 'Prey', Ingrid Hjort, a 22 year-old au pair, has disappeared on her way home from a night class at Raimer College. DI Thursday has Morse revisit an old unsolved case, which leads gently into the fourth and final episode, 'Coda' where a crime boss has died and the suspect pool is, well, overflowing to say the least! This is a Widescreen Presentation (1.85:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs and comes with the Special Features of:

The Making of Season 3
Interview with Shaun Evans
Interview with Roger Allam