Ep 1. Muse

Endeavour is an iconic British crime drama series on ITV. The popular show has been running since 2012 and follows the early career of highly intelligent Detective Constable Morse, portrayed by Shaun Evans. Set in the 1960s in Oxford, Endeavour sees Morse tackle challenging and often complex cases as he tries to establish himself in the police force.

Season 5 of Endeavour kicked off with a highly anticipated episode titled "Muse." In this episode, Morse is tasked with investigating the death of a librarian, which leads him to discover the disturbing truth about an art museum and a deadly plot.

The episode starts off with Morse attending an art exhibition at the Ashmolean Museum. He becomes smitten with an artist called Max (Pippa Nixon), who becomes his "muse" later on in the episode. After the opening, Morse is called to the Bodleian Library on a routine call about a broken window, but the investigating officer suddenly collapses and dies in front of him.

As a result, Morse is brought in to investigate the death, which turns out to be anything but routine. The victim, a librarian called Gail, was a friendly and popular staff member who had no known enemies. But as Morse and his partner Detective Sergeant Strange (Sean Rigby) investigate, they discover that Gail had been stealing books from the library.

Their investigation leads them to the Ashmolean Museum, where Gail had been seen with a mysterious man who had been copying some of the rare books she had stolen. Eventually, Morse and Strange realize that the museum has been involved in a high stakes plot to copy and sell rare books to wealthy Americans.

As the investigation unfolds, Morse's love life becomes more complicated. His muse, Max, turns out to be the daughter of one of the museum's directors and has been involved in the plot. Despite this, Morse cannot help but be drawn to her, even as he is closing in on the criminals.

The episode ends with Morse catching the culprits and bringing them to justice, but at a cost. Morse's feelings for Max lead him to make a choice about his future, which will have a profound impact on his life going forward.

Overall, "Muse" is a gripping and engaging episode of Endeavour that showcases the charm of the series' protagonist and his sharp investigative skills. The episode is filled with intriguing twists and turns that will keep viewers on the edge of their seats until the very end.