Endeavour season 8 has been on BritBox from as early as January 2022, after delays in production affected its rollout.
The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic still has consequences on the film and television industry internationally in terms of how films and television shows have been released.
One such series is the hit English prequel, Endeavour, and the delays which affected the rollout of the show’s eighth season. Released a year later than scheduled on ITV, the series was also affected in the US.
As such, instead of arriving on BritBox in 2021, the series arrived on the streaming service in January 2022, without much fanfare until it was scheduled for release of PBS’ Masterpiece Mystery later in the year.
Is Endeavour based on a true story?
Endeavour is not based on a true story, but the series is a prequel-sequel to the classic Inspector Morse which aired between 1987 and 2000.
The show featured English actor, John Thaw, in the lead role as Chief Inspector Endeavour Morse.
The name Endeavour is one that became more familiar with the release of Endeavour in 2012 when the prequel-sequel first premiered detailing the happenings in the years between 1965 and 1971, when Morse was still a constable working under mentor DI Fred Thursday.
The leads of the prequel-sequel were Shaun Evans as Endeavour, and Roger Allam as DI Fred Thursday.
Is Endeavour season 8 on BritBox?
Yes, Endeavour is on BritBox. The arrival of the series was delayed as it was expected that the season would arrive at the beginning of 2021, following its natural television run on ITV.
This is because the three feature-length episodes of season seven aired in February 2020, and production for the eighth season was meant to begin in the summer of 2020.
However, the pandemic resulted in season eight’s shooting being halted in the year of 2020. It was then revealed that production for the season had begun in April 2021, which resulted in the eighth season having its premiere on ITV for its first natural television run in September 2021.
A few months later, it was released quietly on BritBox in January 2022. Roger Allam was interviewed shortly after the quiet arrival of the series on the streaming service.
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It seems that the quiet release of Endeavour was done to capitalise on its arrival in the US through PBS Masterpiece Mysteries. The series is part of the promotional push for the PBS channel.
Season eight did not veer off the set structure of three feature-length episodes per season. Each one had a running time of 93 minutes or just under for the season premiere episode “Striker”.
A look at the synopses of each of the episodes reveals the following:
Endeavour season 8: Episode 1
For a series with an 8.6 out of 10 overall viewer’s rating on IMDb, season eight did not do that well compared to the other seasons.
The first episode earned a 7.7 out of 10 viewer’s rating on IMDb. The episode titled “Striker” is premised on the murder at the Oxford college which turns out to have long-reaching political implications.
It is believed that the episode is based on the threats that Manchester United’s George Best received, as Morse is also tasked with guarding the life of a beloved soccer player.
Endeavour season 8: Episode 2
The highest ranking episode from season eight has earned an overall viewers rating score of 7.9 out of 10 on IMDb, still a far cry from the overall 8.6 of the entire series.
Titled “Scherzo”, the episode is premised on the discovery of a murdered cab driver who is found inside his car just outside of Oxford.
The episode is filled with dark and unexpected twists and turns which lead down a surprising path. In this episode, Morse also has to face a blast from his unpleasant past.
Endeavour season 8: Episode 3
Marking Endeavour‘s thirty-sixth and season finale episode, the upcoming season is set to be the last season of the prequel.
Titled “Terminus”, this episode earned a total rating of 7.7 out of 10 on IMDb. The episode is premised on the team needing to investigate the death of an Oxford don.
Moreover, upon arriving at home, Thursday makes an unpleasant discovery that results in tension at home. Endeavour, on the other hand, is side-lined from working on the case as his suitability is questioned.