I've given the rats some thought too bratface but came up clueless. I just don't get the symbolism, unless it's some kind of reference to Thursday's burnout/weariness of crime - i.e., rats all around. Maybe it'll make more sense in the finale.

The bargeman seemed like a red herring to me. Could he have been the silhouette holding what appeared to be a cane or something? It was a foggy night and the bargeman did steal the victim's purse, after all, so he was obviously on the path. Plus, he wore kind of baggy, flowing clothing and didn't the silhouetted figure as well? IIRC the flasher's throat appeared to be slit with a shorter weapon than a sword, like maybe a long dagger. I may be totally wrong about these details though, so I'll have to watch again to make sure!

I like Strange well enough, what is it that you don't like?

The faith healers' attire did resemble that of orthodox Jews, but I got the impression Bright was agnostic since he feared his lack of faith could thwart the faith-healing effect - not that it would preclude if he or his wife had a Jewish background. Also, are we supposed to read into it when the camera lingered on the faith healer's elevator shoe as he stepped out of the car? If it was supposed to be symbolic of something, it escapes me, unless it was meant to show that he couldn't cure his own physical problem.

Interesting question that brat posed about the rats - as they do seem to be "a thing" this season. Perhaps (and this is strictly speculation now) did Oxford simply happen to have a rampant rat problem in 1970, therefore the series is referencing it to add historical authenticity?

Another interesting point is that Thursday's wife, Win, was working as a cleaning lady at the place where the one professor or scientist (whatever she was) lady wound up getting pushed over the railing to her death. No: I'm definitely in no way, shape, or form suggesting Win had anything to do with anything - just that it's surprising (coincidentally) that she just so happened to work there - in fact was the first person to see the dead body after some other woman, who had found her, had screamed.

Regarding the Jewish-seeming faith healers, I don't necessarily think the Brights are Jewish (though definitely perhaps they are [or were perhaps raised such]), but more so personally concluded that the wife was just open to trying anyone with something potentially positive to offer that maybe could help her. She seems determined to expect her medical predicament to improve, and I think is open to any and all possibilities.

I really wouldn't mind re-watching this entire season at some point soonish - particularly once the season has concluded so (after finding out all the actual answers from Ep. 3) I'll know what specific details, characters, and interactions to be paying attention to.

brat, I'm with merry, that I like Strange well enough. He seems like a good guy and pretty much by-the-books and more or less no-nonsense, but like a nice person.

@genplant29 said:

Another interesting point is that Thursday's wife, Win, was working as a cleaning lady at the place where the one professor or scientist (whatever she was) lady wound up getting pushed over the railing to her death. No: I'm definitely in no way, shape, or form suggesting Win had anything to do with anything - just that it's surprising (coincidentally) that she just so happened to work there - in fact was the first person to see the dead body after some other woman, who had found her, had screamed.

There are just too many unlikely coincidences this season - the writing hasn't been up to par, sorry to say. I still love the show though!!! And I feel a sense of melancholy that the series is winding down. All things Morse-related have been such a high point of entertainment for me over the years, plus it's brought so many people together - all of us in the fandom who enjoy talking about the 3 shows - that I'll really miss it a lot.

I'm still holding out hope for an eventual possible Hathaway series (spin-off of Lewis) starring Laurence Fox. That continues to be a door that seems entirely available to at some point be re-opened. If Fox ever expresses interest/willingness, I bet such a series would promptly gladly be given the green light.

Great idea genplant! I'd love it!

Sometimes I really hate this site. I had typed in all I had to say & accidentally hit the back button & everything vanished! We should be able to retrieve what we wrote it shouldn't disappear forever! I'll have to come back later & try again!

That's when telepathy would come in handy, brat - so we'd already know what you said, even though it vanished.

Speaking of telepathy... Might the youngish lab guy (or whatever he is), who had the crush on the woman who got pushed over the railing, be the possible serial killer? He doesn't at all seem suspicious - though of course in crime dramas often the least suspicious-seeming person turns out to be the culprit!

This is a season when, I'm with you, merry, that I don't actually have a clue where things might be going.

Okay, I rewatched a lot of Ep. 1 "Oracle" and the bargeman's profile didn't match the silhouette of the shadowy figure on the towpath who, as you surmised bratface, had to have been the killer. And you're correct that it was a sword he was carrying because when the flasher was murdered at the end, the sound of a long sword being unsheathed could be heard. Also, the shadowy figure's silhouette appeared to be the same as the flasher's killer. BUT I can't say it's necessarily an old man. One big question raised in my mind now is why didn't the killer use the sword on Molly Andrews, the first victim, since he was carrying it at the time?

I must say, I'm beginning to appreciate how unreliable "eyewitness" accounts can be -- my initial recollections have proven to be off the mark after the second or third viewings!!!

One thing that may support your theory about the young lab guy genplant is that the shadowy figure appears to have a bigger than usual head. That's why I thought it may have been the bargeman at first, with his long hair and hat. But on further review I noticed his hat had a wide, floppy brim which didn't match the shadowy figure's head. And while he may not have been wearing that hat on the towpath, his garments were longer too (the shadowy figure's coat is knee length). The lab guy seems so innocent though, but I suppose he shouldn't be ruled out!

I rewatched episode one & watched episode two, three was available if I spend money to buy their 'passport' thingy. Anyhoo, let's see if I can remember what I typed earlier?

Lots of red herrings in the first episode, especially Dr. Kreitsek.

I do not understand the tension between Morse & Thursday, doesn't make sense to me.

When did Win become a cleaner? And who would have thought she would be a fan of wrestling?

We can add cats to the 'animal' mix, Dorothea (the reporter) mentioned to Morse that someone had been doing creepy things to cats.

Did the rest of you notice that the first 'silky' shirt Lodo was wearing had scenes of Venice on it? I get a smarmy vibe from Ludo, not a gay one.

The guy that slit the flasher's throat was taller than the two doctors from the institute.

Episode two didn't seem to have much of a connection to episode one, except for the occasional reference by the 'guys'.

As for Strange, my dislike started in season three, maybe four. He did something I thought was horrible, although for the life of me I can't remember what it was. He was still in uniform & I think it was something he did to Morse? But I just can't remember. 👵 Old brain.

I know I'm forgetting something?

I'll write more at a different time, but, for now, just want to quickly respond to, or "bounce off of", a few things you mentioned, brat.

I gather Win became a cleaning lady to help her husband recoup some of the money he had lost in the earlier season when his brother begged him for the large sum. I recall it devastated their marriage when Win learned their savings were mostly gone. Last season Thursday promised her he'd get all their money back, and she told him she didn't care about the money - that they had nothing before (back when they first married), and that was okay. I think now she's doing cleaning to help them rebuild better financial security (and to be able to pay for the bird food for Fred's new canaries that get on her nerves - lol).

Which person is Dr. Kreitsek? Was he the guy who pushed the woman over the railing? (I'm never good with names of newly-introduced characters on shows.)

You mentioned the reporter lady, brat. Do I understand correctly (from past other Endeavour threads) that that actress is John Thaw's real-life daughter? I do kinda see the resemblance, if that's the case.

I didn't notice the Venice design on Ludo's shiny shirt. I really should re-watch the last 2 episodes.

I wonder if the Pakistani storyline is going to have anything to do with whatever transpires in Episode 3, or if that was a fully self-contained storyline about the racial tensions in Ep. 2.

@genplant29 said:

I'll write more at a different time, but, for now, just want to quickly respond to, or "bounce off of", a few things you mentioned, brat.

I gather Win became a cleaning lady to help her husband recoup some of the money he had lost in the earlier season when his brother begged him for the large sum. I recall it devastated their marriage when Win learned their savings were mostly gone. Last season Thursday promised her he'd get all their money back, and she told him she didn't care about the money - that they had nothing before (back when they first married), and that was okay. I think now she's doing cleaning to help them rebuild better financial security (and to be able to pay for the bird food for Fred's new canaries that get on her nerves - lol).

Which person is Dr. Kreitsek? Was he the guy who pushed the woman over the railing? (I'm never good with names of newly-introduced characters on shows.)

You mentioned the reporter lady, brat. Do I understand correctly (from past other Endeavour threads) that that actress is John Thaw's real-life daughter? I do kinda see the resemblance, if that's the case.

I didn't notice the Venice design on Ludo's shiny shirt. I really should re-watch the last 2 episodes.

I wonder if the Pakistani storyline is going to have anything to do with whatever transpires in Episode 3, or if that was a fully self-contained storyline about the racial tensions in Ep. 2.

Kreitsek is the younger guy, dark skin, long wavy hair.

Yes, the woman who plays Dorothea is Abigail Thaw. Besides the cat bit, she mentioned that she had 'attended' six odd deaths in the last six months but Thursday rebuffed her concerns. But they are probably related to the original killer?

I'm wondering how it (episode two) will connect to episode three, but according to the synopsis on Wiki for episode three, there doesn't seem to be any real connection (other than Sturgis).

I did forget one thing that I had mentioned in my 'vanishing' post. I thought the time jump in episode one was weird. For the first 15 minutes or so it is still NYE/NYD, then it's five months later (May 1970)? I thought that was odd.

I remember the other thing I forgot. Gen, I would love a Hathaway series but I doubt one will happen. Fox has gone 'off the rails' a bit the last year or so. So I would think that TPTB will keep a wide berth for now?

https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2020/apr/27/laurence-fox-question-time-fiasco-half-educated

https://www.thesun.co.uk/tvandshowbiz/6560495/laurence-fox-married-billie-piper-woke-controversy/

https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/love-sex/laurence-fox-girlfriend-dump-question-time-racism-rant-sunday-times-a9484376.html

The Lewis series remains my very fave of the franchise, I think because it's the "friendliest", and generally probably the least dark, of the three inter-related series. Plus, at the time it came out I was at the perfect in-between sort of age to feel like I was able to relate to all the main recurring characters, as I was in the mid-zone between still-youngish and, by then, gradually "getting older". So everyone clicked with me, and felt varying extents of relatable (plus everyone was likable), in their own ways. It was wonderful, too, Lewis and Laura winding up together, as I'd always tremendously liked her - ditto I was always a fan of Chief Superintendent Jean Innocent (Rebecca Front).

Lewis is the only Morse-franchise series that I found myself feeling the need to own the run of on DVD. I've watched all the DVDs I have (they're "comfort food" viewing for me) at least three times apiece, and keep feeling like I'd love to watch 'em all yet again sometime soon - and just may do that!

Gee bratface, thanks for the links. After reading them I like Fox even more -- I may quibble with the way he expresses it but I do agree with him and think the "white privilege" stance is racist! Judging races as monoliths is the very definition of racism. And I think the Gillette razor ad was bigoted in a way as well.

Back to the show: I think the time jump may serve the purpose of highlighting the increasing tension between Endeavour and Thursday, in that Thursday's prolonged inability to nail his suspect and close the Molly Andrews case, especially after being so confident early on that he could, created doubts about his theory, prompting Bright to ask Endeavour to look into it. For a seasoned pro like Thursday, this was a blow. Don't forget, the character of Thursday's a creation of Russell Lewis and doesn't appear in Colin Dexter's novels, so as the series is winding down I suppose an estrangement between the two cops is as good and realistic a segue to the times, years hence, of Inspector Morse as any.

While I STILL don't get the rat and crow symbolism, the cat issue is likely connected to the towpath murders, as animal torture is known to be a behavior common to serial killers.