I was always a fan of Inspector Morse, and even more so of its [I think somewhat younger- and friendlier-vibed] eventual spin-off Lewis. Those series were always quality television worth seeing.

It would have been wonderful if the Lewis series had spun off a Hathaway series (starring Laurence Fox), though that doesn't appear to ever be going to happen.

Glad to see you're still around on these message boards @genplant29 .

I don't see any "Inspector Hathaway" series happening very soon either. "Lewis" was popular among many viewers, in the beginning because of it's strong ties with "Inspector Morse". Later, on it's own with the excellent performance of the actors and their characters.

Still, whenever watching "Lewis", I often used to ask myself the question: what would Morse have done?

And of course, there is "Endeavour (2012-)".

To: wonder2wonder and genplant29 -

I was also hoping for a Hathaway spinoff when Inspector Lewis ended and haven't given up hope yet! Hathaway seemed more "Morse-like" than Lewis, in the same way that familial personality traits can often skip generations. Having said that, Lewis did seem to at least become a bit curmudgeonly himself as he aged, losing some of the affable, easy-going nature that made him such a good partner and foil for Morse.

I've just posted a question in the Endeavor discussion asking if any Morse fanatics recall if Joan Thursday (who features as a potential love interest) was ever mentioned or alluded to in the original Inspector Morse series. On one hand I seem to recall that Morse had long suffered from either an unrequited love, or the death of an old love. On the other hand, I have an inkling that the character of DCI Fred Thursday was created for the new series so if that's true then of course his daughter wouldn't have been a factor in the original.

Anyway, any insight either of you can share would be appreciated!

I don't recall DCI Thursday or his daughter Joan ever been mentioned on "Inspector Morse". They're probably new characters that have been introduced on "Endeavour".

His mentor, DCI McNutt, who replaces DCI Thursday when he retires, is mentioned and appeared in the episode "Inspector Morse: Masonic Mysteries (1990)".

Morse was engaged to Susan when he was at the University of Oxford. It is assumed that she broke up with him to marry Henry Fallon, who was a don there.
This left him heartbroken for several years and probably (?) led to him leaving for the army, where he joined the Royal Signals.

In the novel "The Riddle of the Third Mile (1983)", by author Colin Dexter, she is known as Wendy Spencer. The episode "Inspector Morse: The Last Enemy (1990)" was based on that story:

Alexander Reece: "You never married, did you?"

Morse shakes his head.

Alexander Reece: "What was the name of that girl we both knew?"
Morse: "Wendy."
Alexander Reece: "Ah, Wendy."

The names Susan and Wendy were linked for the first time in the episode "Endeavour: Pilot (2012)" (retcon?).
There was a similar conversation between the two younger selves:

Alexander Reece: "What was the name of that girl we were keen on? Lived on St John Street. Wendy, was it?"
Endeavour: " Susan. She preferred Susan."
Alexander Reece: "Did she? Did she?!"

She appeared in this episode for a brief instant in a flashback.

Finally, Susan Fallon (married name) appeared in the episode "Inspector Morse: Dead on Time (1992)", where the older Morse was investigating the suspicious death of her husband Henry Fallon.

I've watched two full Endeavour episodes of the most recent season (watched bits of episodes of past seasons, but each time found myself not feeling like continuing after 10 or so minute), and liked each of them, but for some reason, although I readily am able to see it's a good series, it still hasn't really clicked with me. Not sure whether it's the main actor not reminding me anything (whatsoever - either looks or personality wise) of Morse of the terrific Inspector Morse series, the prequel's starker, darker vibe, or what exactly.

Shaun Evans, who plays the younger Morse in "Endeavour (2012-)", has said that he's never seen the original series and that he's interpreting the role in his own way, so that might explain some of the differences between the younger and older character.

◾ Endeavour star Shaun Evans admits he’s ‘never seen’ John Thaw's original Inspector Morse

◾ Please, let's lay Morse to rest: John Thaw fans look away – as Endeavour's Shaun Evans reveals his disapproval of plans to mark Morse's 30th anniversary in his own series

'With all due respect, I have a job to do and that is to try and make Endeavour the best it can be. I don’t think there’s any benefit in paying homage to what went before.’

‘I think you’d have to look very closely to find references in the script to them, they’re very well embedded,’ he says. ‘If I can be dead honest with you, when I first see the script for a new episode of Endeavour, if anything jars I say, “What’s this, has it got a place in our story?”, and if it hasn’t, it has to go.

‘I want the drama to be tight and entertaining. I don’t want it to be flabby, paying homage to something I’ve never seen. I want people of my generation who’ve never seen Endeavour before to enjoy this series.

'I don’t see the point in being reverential to what has gone before. If I put a question mark against something, the writer Russell Lewis will come back and say it’s a reference to Inspector Morse. For me, sometimes that doesn’t really have a place in our show. I know I may sound like a spoilsport saying that.’

Hmm, wonder2wonder, maybe Shaun Evans doesn't fully understand or appreciate the concept of a prequel. In spite of what he said, he apparently doesn't object to his character's taste in music (particularly opera), penchant for crossword puzzles and Jaguars; or object to his sometimes gruff behavior that doesn't suffer fools gladly -- which are all very Morse-like. Having said that, maybe there's been more going on behind the scenes that we're simply unaware of, things that have to do with "paying homage", and he's had to veto them becoming part of the script or plot. Still, his quotes above reveal a degree of disrespect for a successful and popular character without whom he wouldn't have the job of portraying a younger version.

I still love the show and think it's well done! Thanks for the links!

I agree, that's a disrespectful, dismissive, quite cocky opinion for Shaun Evans to hold and to express - particularly considering he's someone I've never seen or heard of before, prior to the Endeavour series; the series is the main thing he's known for - and it primarily exists, and had a built-in audience even before he got hired to star in it, and before its first episode ever aired, thanks to the classic series, starring John Thaw, that preceded it.

Where prequels and sequels are concerned, paying homage, and making tips of the hat, to what/whom went before is pretty much always a good thing, and something that fans appreciate and enjoy.

Hear, hear! IMO Shaun Evans is doing a fine job in Endeavour but he didn't do himself any favors with Inspector Morse fans, making such tone-deaf remarks.