The British crime series Endeavour that serves as a prequel to Inspector Morse has been renewed for an 8th season through 2021 that could see it end up running longer than the original.
Production has just started on the 7th season of Endeavour in the United Kingdom, with the 6th season that was broadcast in South Africa on ITV Choice (DStv 123) in early-2019.
The 7th season of Endeavour that will be broadcast in 2020 will only have 3 episodes as opposed to the mostly four, 90-minute episodes of earlier seasons.
Since 33 film-length episodes of Inspector Morse were produced during 1987 and 2000, the 8th season of Endeavour that will be broadcast in 2021 would equal the original if it also had 3 episodes, or surpass it if it were to have 4 episodes.
Endeavour follows a young detective sergeant Endeavour Morse (Shaun Evans) with the 7th season that will kick off at the start of 1970. After New Year's Eve, a body is discovered in Oxford on 1 January 1970.
Women's liberation will form a major theme of the 7th season.
"In the dawn of women’s liberation, social progression and scientific growth, the 1970s begin for Oxford’s finest with the discovery of a body at the canal towpath on New Year’s Day," says ITV in a press release about the 7th season and announcing the renewal of Endeavour for an 8th season.
"With the only clue in the investigation a witness who heard whistling on the night of the crime, the team have their work cut out to uncover their culprit."
For the 7th season of Endeavour once again all episodes are written by Russell Lewis with the story that will continue after the dramatic 6th season finale that saw chief superintendent Bright (Anton Lesser) takes over command of Castle Gate after detective chief inspector Ronnie Box (Simon Harrison) was rushed to hospital and Alan Jago was shot dead.
Shaun Evans will make his directorial debut as director of the 7th season's first episode.
"Though each film can be enjoyed as a standalone, we have approached Endeavour 1970 as three panels of a triptych, or - in musical terms - a grand opera that unfolds across three acts," says Russell Lewis. "Whether it wears the mask of comedy or tragedy remains to be seen…"
Damien Timmer, executive producer, says "It's a thrill to enter a new decade and tell more tales of the not-quite-so-young now Endeavour Morse, to be transmitted half a century after they took place! Russell has some very striking stories to tell in this new set of films which we hope will baffle, unnerve and delight the show’s fans!"
Returning to the Endeavour cast are Roger Allam (detective chief inspector Fred Thursday), Anton Lesser (chief superintendent Reginald Bright), Sean Rigby (detective sergeant Jim Strange), James Bradshaw (Dr Max DeBryn), Abigail Thaw (Dorothea Frazil), Caroline O’Neill (Win Thursday) and Sara Vickers (Joan Thursday).
Filmed in and around Oxford, the new Endeavour episodes will be executive produced by Mammoth Screen’s Damien Timmer, alongside writer and creator Russell Lewis and WGBH’s Rebecca Eaton. James Levison will produce the series and ITV Studios Global Entertainment continues to distribute the series internationally.
