Endeavour Series 9: ITV release date, trailer, and cast of Morse prequel with Shaun Evans and Roger Allam

Endeavour, the crime drama prequel to Inspector Morse, is returning to ITV for its ninth and final series this February.

The series, which stars Shaun Evans and Roger Allam, charts Morse’s early days in the Oxford police service, each week solving new crimes and conundrums.

Here’s everything you need to know about Endeavour Series 9 ahead of its release on ITV.

What is it about?

Endeavour is a prequel to Colin Dexter’s detective drama Inspector Morse (the title is taken from the character’s first name, which was revealed in one of the last episodes of the original John Thaw series). The official ITV synopsis for Series 9 explains that the series, now set in the early 70s, “finds Endeavour and Thursday entering a new era of change both professionally and personally”.

The synopsis for the first episode reveals that “Endeavour’s return to Castle Gate coincides with another homecoming, that of the celebrated Oxford Concert Orchestra, led by illustrious composer Sir Alexander Lermontov. A gruesome discovery in a College garden leads Endeavour and Thursday to the orchestra’s door, and when a second tragedy hits, they uncover a web of secrets.”

“Meanwhile, grisly London business turns up in Oxford and a criminal from the Smoke is brutally murdered in a derelict warehouse. As the mystery unfolds, Endeavour and Thursday realise there are some unsettling ties to a case the pair had hoped was long since behind them.”

The second episode sees Endeavour investigating the disappearance of a local woman, while the final ever episode sees him investigate a series of suspicious funerals.

Who stars in Endeavour?

Shaun Evans plays the young Endeavour Morse, a police officer in Oxford. Away from Endeavour, Evans is best known for appearances in submarine drama Vigil, crime drama Ashes to Ashes, novel adaptation The Scandalous Lady W, and legal drama Silk.

Roger Allam plays DCI Fred Thursday, Endeavour’s mentor in Oxford. Allam is a prolific actor across stage and screen, having appeared in series like Spooks, Game of Thrones, and The Missing, and films like Speed Racer and A Royal Night Out. He’s perhaps best known though for playing Conservative MP Peter Manion in The Thick of It.

They’re joined by Anton Lesser (Better, Game of Thrones) as CS Reginald Bright, Sean Rigby (Gunpowder) as DS Jim Strange, James Bradshaw (Close to The Enemy) as Dr Max DeBryn, Abigail Thaw (Miss Scarlet and the Duke) as Dorothea Frazil, Caroline O’Neill (The A Word) as Win Thursday and Sara Vickers (Watchmen) as Joan Thursday.

Who writes and directs the series?

Russell Lewis has written all three episodes of Endeavour Series 9, as he has done with every episode of the series so far. Lewis, who created Endeavor, has also written for Grace, Inspector Morse, The Bill, and Kavanaugh QC amongst others.

Actor Shaun Evans directed the first episode of Endeavour Series 9, with Nirpal Bhogal (Sket) directing the second and Kate Saxon (Far From the Madding Crowd) directing the final episode.

Is there a trailer?

Yes, there is! You can watch it right here.

You can also see an earlier version that was shared by ITV on twitter right here.

When and how can I watch it?

Endeavour Series 9 begins on ITV1 on Sunday 26 February at 8pm, with new episodes airing weekly. You’ll also be able to stream the series online with ITVX.

How many episodes are there?

There are three episodes to Endeavour’s final series, each of which are around 90 minutes long.

This takes the show to 36 episodes across 9 series, ever-so-slightly exceeding Inspector Morse’s 33 episodes across 8 series.

Will there be a tenth series of Endeavour?

No – this is the final series of Endeavour, drawing the show to a close almost 11 years since its pilot episode was first broadcast.

Where can I watch Morse and Lewis?

Both Inspector Morse and its sequel series Lewis are available to stream online for free at ITVX.

Why should I be looking forward to Endeavour?

Because it’s drawing the next chapter of Morse’s story to a close.