#which thursday would then take it upon himself to get morse out of

[terribleoldwhitemen]

just read this from the horse's mouth (shaun evans) and unfortunately I'm spiralling again (x)

Part of our duty is to give us a reason why Morse of the later incarnation never mentions this mentor of his. So Thursday has to do something, or there has to be a fissure in the relationship, where he’s never mentioned again. We’re coming to that point now, I think, and we’ve been slowly, slowly building towards it.

mentally shaken after reading that endeavour s9 article speculating a falling out so now I’m reassuring myself by overthinking the end of neverland as thursday gives his monologue re: protecting the innocent, and specifically the way morse looks at him: the blinding respect-admiration-adoration-faith. thursday goes and proves his fidelity to those ideals beyond a doubt by taking a bullet for them moments later so is it any wonder (I realize upon rewatch) that s6/s7 morse, opera-obsessed hopeless-romantic endeavour “majored in the classics” morse, acts the way he does? that morse has an image of thursday in his mind which isn’t necessarily objective? (and vice versa but that’s a different set of meta.) they are neither of them anymore the men who went to blenheim vale but is it any wonder thursday’s still willing to dash off to the continent at a moment’s notice for a man who–despite having done his best to burn his bridges–once vowed to die at his side, and meant it? blenheim vale surely did more than any other single event of the series to bind them irrevocably (which makes sense; it was the payoff for 2 seasons of buildup) and it feels reasonable to assume russell lewis writes with this in mind (thursday even brings up blenheim vale in s6! he breaks the cardinal rule of tv trauma, which is never refer back to the trauma once the recovery arc is over, no matter how relevant it may be). you don’t unbecome that kind of devotion and god I hope this bears out in s9

[doof-doofblog]

"It Might Be Too Late By Then!"

Friday 5th February 2021

Hello again everyone! I hope you've had a good weekend and are keeping safe! I have a little bit of news to share with you, I'm sure you've all heard this news by now, but with this being an EastEnders blog, I feel I cannot not ignore the news which was announced over the weekend. It's been announced that after a staggering 20 years on the Square, Laila Morse is going to be leaving her role as Mo Slater (Big Mo). I am a little gutted, but it has been known that Mo has come and gone from Walford quite regularly, plus the fact that it's been stated that her role will be left open for her to return in the future - I guess there could always be the hope that she will return one day. Her departure is set to air in the Spring. Will guys miss Big Mo? Will you be hoping she'll return to the soap one day? Its fair to say that she's been one of the main comedic performances on the soap, she's a brilliant character, always up to mischief but her heart has always been in the right place when it comes to looking after her family. I'll be sad to see her go, but I will pray that she will return one day.

Focusing on the soap, Thursday's episode ended on such a cliff hanger, I'm excited to write about Friday's episode. The first thing I'm going to focus on is Ruby. It's clear that she's lying about her pregnancy, but it looks as if she's had enough of Kush living with herself and her husband. Once again she attempts to get intimate with Martin, only for Kush to waltz in and completely ruin her chances of actually getting pregnant. The one thing I have to mention though, that little song that both Kush and Martin sung together about getting a chippy - everyone needs to sing like that when they get a takeaway!! I bloody loved it, a bit of comical bromance that we need! "Fish, chips and mushy peas! - Salt, vinegar? - Yes please!" - simple but very catchy! Haha! I loved it, the highlight of the episode for me! But where Ruby is concerned, it's clear she's wanting Kush out of the house so she can get some very much needed intimacy with Martin. Whilst at the club, Dotty informs her that she's desperate for more shifts as Whitney is pestering her about the bills, instantly it looks as if the cogs are spinning in Ruby's mind as she comes up with a plan, almost manipulating the situation, she suggests that Dotty and Whitney look for someone else to move in to help with paying the bills, to which she just happens to mention that Kush is looking for a place. As much as Dotty is grateful to her boss for helping, Kush is less than impressed, when later he confronts her acknowledging the fact that Ruby has never wanted Kush living with them in the first place, even though he only did to cover Ruby's back - as she was the one who manipulated him again into leaving the Square with Arthur. I think it's fair to say that Ruby is a brilliant manipulator, as once again she uses the lie of her being pregnant and how Martin deserves to be able to enjoy his new child to coax Kush into thinking that she's right and he should move out. I really don't think it's going to be too long until her secrets are revealed, what do you guys think?! 

The second thing I need to talk about is Billy. Oh Billy, Billy, Billy! Is anyone else feeling sorry for the guy? I kind of am, but also feeling that the choices he's making really isn't going to help, it's just going to spiral out of control. After getting jealous of Jay buying his children trainers, Billy seems desperate to make some quick cash, so he can also provide for his children and treat them as much as Jay is. However, he seems to have turned to Vinny, informing him that he's interested in doing some dodgy deals. In this particular episode, we see both Billy and Vinny meeting up and they both make an exchange, drugs for money. Billy reassures Vinny that he knows exactly what he's doing. Later on Billy is seen waiting in the park, only what happened next seemed to really shock me! I don't know about you guys but I was expecting a big tough guy or someone who's vulnerable and desperate to make a quick fix to approach Billy out of the blue - but instead we see a group of young looking teenagers approach. I have to say, I panicked for a minute, thinking would Billy really stoop that low to give young teenagers drugs? I was so shocked, they looked so young! Thankfully, Billy did the right thing, portrayed himself as an under-cover cop and stated that he ever saw them again, he'd nick them! At that moment, I felt like maybe he knew he wouldn't be able to go through with the drug-dealing, especially if it means the clients would be as young as those teenagers! He bins the drugs and eventually approaches Jay, even though he does not offer an olive-branch, he simply states that he wants to continue working on the stall. Which is pretty bold of him I think. However, something inside me is thinking, is Billy going to get in huge trouble now for throwing away drugs? Is his actions going to cause him some kind of consequences and is he going to be in debt to Vinny now, or Vinny's "Mate"? Who knows?

The next thing I need to talk about has to be Gray!!!! How on Earth is still being able to hide his secret that he might've actually in fact killed Tina?! I think it's fair to say that during this episode, he's clearly been backed into a corner and he's having to think on his feet. He's been confronted by Phil, Sharon, Mick and Linda and being asked some very awkward questions about Tina - Where did she go? What did she say? When did he last see or speak to her? He's obviously trying to cover his tracks as best he can. Eventually he seems to be able to convince everyone in the room that he simply has no idea where Tina has gone, only that she left her at an airport. However he does seem to mention Spain and Italy, and Mick is instantly suspicious as he claims she doesn't know anyone in those countries, so why would she go there?! It looks almost as if Gray is struggling to keep his story together. However, later on in the episode, as he's informing Whitney about his quick meeting with Phil, young Mack finds a plane ticket which just so happens to be in Tina's name. Whitney confronts Gray with the document, once again Gray's face is a picture, in fairness it's another piece of evidence which could be used against him if Tina was to ever be found. He comes up with a ludicrous story that Tina actually doesn't want to be found!! Claiming that he can't tell that specifically to Mick and Linda as it would break their hearts, and that Tina felt so lost and unwanted that she felt it was in her best interest to leave and not tell anyone where she was going, even trying to make Whitney understand, stating that she too has also been in that situation, after what she went through with Leo. I have to say, even this is a bogus explanation, he tells it very well to which Whitney is convinced he's telling the truth, speculating that Tina must've felt safe putting her trust in Gray. Later, when Gray is alone in his household, he takes it upon himself to burn the plane ticket, obviously in an attempt to hide his involvement in Tina's disappearance! Ooooo if only people on the Square knew what Gray was capable of!! If only they'd knew about Chantelle, none of this to Tina would be happening. I said this before, but I am SO excited for when Gray gets his comeuppance and his secrets will be discovered, it's going to be so explosive, I can feel it! 

The final thing I need to talk about obviously, is the fact that Denise has gone missing! As Jack and Chelsea come to the realisation that Lucas has potentially kidnapped Denise for a second time, Jack is frantic in trying to find her. Unfortunately, as he's too close to the individual who has gone missing and also to the alleged perpetrator, the police can't allow him to get onto the case of searching for Denise. Jack is desperate to get involved, eager to make calls and make sure the police are doing all they can to find her. Chelsea is visibly shaken, it's understandable that she's feeling she's to blame, Jack is absolutely furious and actually does blame her for bringing Lucas back to the Square. If Chelsea hadn't returned with Lucas, this probably would've have happened to Denise. Eager to try and reach out to her Dad, Chelsea calls Lucas, pleading to bring her Mum home. But this is where things get really interesting, lurking in the shadows as he slowly approaches the Square and notices the police outside his apartment, Lucas lurks behind the wall as he watches the scene in front of him. Does he look confused? Scared? I'm not so sure, it's difficult to tell how he's possibly feeling, he takes his phone out and listens to Chelsea's voicemail. Suddenly as he begins to walk away, both Jack and Callum spot him, which leads to an exciting foot chase! Jack is desperate to get some answers, as he catches up with Lucas he grabs him and leads him to the Arches when he and Callum can ask him questions privately. Jack is adamant that Lucas is behind Denise's disappearance, but interestingly Lucas claims he has no idea what he's talking about. He claims that they did have an argument but before anything horrendous could happen, he left the apartment to cool himself down and get some air. He still claims that he's a changed man and is trying to stay off the dark path he once lived. As I'm watching this scene, as much as Lucas is denying having anything to do with Denise going missing, my mind begins to wonder - It's still not easy to tell whether Lucas is a changed man or not, he could be telling the truth? Does he really have no idea where Denise has gone? Could he have ran from Jack and Callum just out of fear? Could he have really left the apartment and left Denise alone in the room? Is there someone else who's actually after Lucas and has taken Denise hostage to get back at him? There are all so many different theories. I feel, because EastEnders have already done the storyline where Lucas kidnapped Denise, it would be kind of pointless, and maybe weird to do that again?! As Jack and Callum are arguing amongst themselves on how to question him, Lucas makes a sneaky escape, much to Jack's frustration. 

The final scene we saw of this episode, Denise is sat on her own in a cold dark room, almost looks like an old office which has been cleared out. Suddenly the door opens ever so slightly and all we can see is a hooded figure looking inside at her. Poor Denise looks at them in absolute fear. Who is this figure? Another theory I'm thinking of - could Lucas have lied about his son passing away, could this be Jordan? Is he also out for revenge on his Father?! Or has Lucas absolutely duped everyone and could he be up to his old tricks? I find this very interesting and very exciting! I'm looking forward to watching more and having Denise's captures revealed. What do you think folks? Overall a brilliant episode, manipulation, excitement and drama! Brilliant! Thank you all for reading, I apologise for this post being a bit late! I'll be back again tomorrow following Monday's episode. Thank you again everyone, enjoy the rest of your day! Love you all xXx

[hekate1308]

Cut, Fictober #19

Prompt number: 19, “Yes, I amdit it, you were right.”

Fandom (AU if applicable): Endeavour, Gen

Rating: G

Warnings/Tags: No warnings apply

“Yes, I admit it, you were right” he finally snapped.

“Seems to me” Max said evenly “That this doesn’t mean a thing, considering I am stitching you up yet again.”

Morse mumbled something incomprehensible, but then, he didn’t need him to make sense now. What he needed to do was to make sure the damn wound stopped bleeding.

Really, that Morse had got injured on the job again was far from a surprise. The man was still living unhealthily, thin as a twig, and never managed to take care of himself. Of course everyone would get the best of him in a fight.

Still – he could have done without Morse getting knifed yet again and then neglecting to take care of his wounds, resulting in his stitches tearing while he was solving the latest case. The only reason DI Thursday hadn’t dragged him to the hospital was that he’d promised to come see Max, and if you asked him, that was hardly reassuring. After all, he was still a breathing man, not a corpse.

But still – there was nothing to do but make sure he didn’t bleed out accidentally while chasing down criminals.

“I – I might have paid better attention” he mumbled eventually. “But Jonson was going to get away and I couldn’t risk him getting away…”

“That may be, but I hardly think you bleeding out on the floor while he got away would have helped in any way.”

Morse glared at him, bunt Max didn’t acknowledge it. There were more important things to focus on. “Also, didn’t I tell you that you shouldn’t cut yourself on –“

“I told you, you were right! What more do you want!?” he hissed as Max carefully dabbed away the blood.

“Well, maybe that you don’t get injured every week. That would be something now, wouldn’t it” he said.

Morse fell silent, as if the idea genuinely hadn’t occurred to him before.

“Now hold still” he said, trying to sound as friendly as possible. Everyone knew that Morse, when pushed, only pushed back, leading to nothing but harsh words.

And so he worked on.

It was night – almost everyone had gone home; DI Thursday was waiting upstairs, having decided that he’d drive Morse home once Max was done, which he took as meaning that he’d do his best to actually drag him to the Thursdays’ home and get a good meal into him. Max whole-heartedly approved but was careful not to mention it; most likely, Morse, who never seemed to accept any care bestowed on him unless it came unexpectedly, would probably protest if he realized.

“That should be fine now” he said once he’d finished, let’s get you to DI Thursday.”

“Hm?”

It was only then that he realized how exhausted Morse was. He was basically asleep already, but struggled to his feet upon Max’s words.

He thought it prudent troy stay near him, in case he keeled over.

When Morse shot him another glare – or rather, tried to, since he was struggling to keep his eyes open – he simply said “I have to get home eventually as well, you know”.

By the time they reached DI Thursday’s office, Morse seemed ready to just look for the nearest flat surface and pass out. Accordingly, his governor immediately got up from his desk, looking worried.

“A nice meal and a few days’ bedrest” Max told him quietly while Morse was busy holding himself up “And he’d be right a drain. But I do mean bed rest.”

He nodded. “Well then Morse, let’s get you home.”

“Sir?”

And DI Thursday all but dragged him away.

Max found himself left alone, but he didn’t mind. As long as DI Thursday made sure Morse was alright…

He still expected to find him at his desk the next morning and was surprised when he went upstairs to drop off a report and Morse was nowhere to be seen.

“Good morning” he said as he stepped into the DI’s office, “Morse is pursuing an inquiry, I expect?”

“Morse, if he knows what’s good for him, is staying in bed until Win lets him out” he replied. “We decided to let him wake up in his own time and feed him up a bit.”

Morse wouldn’t like that, Max was sure, but he was the last one to protest.

 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Morse showed up a few days later, looking much better than he had when Max had stitched him back up, but then he would have been surprised if a few days of Mrs. Thursday’s care produced no effect at all.

“How are the stitches?”

“Holding together” he uttered, “No one needs to make such a fuss.”

But even as he said so, he was trying to hide the sandwich that could only have been bestowed on him by one person in his desk.

Max went back to the morgue with a smile on his face.

[dramatic-bongos]

I think it would have helped if they had actually explored the Morse/Joan relationship that they set up at the end of Season 4 because I think that would have better set up the events of Season 7. Potentially.

My logic for this: I think how the show handled that was really poor and was a big missed opportunity to give some excellent character development to Joan. I think it also helps explain additional tension between Morse and Thursday that if that relationship were to have been going badly (presumably following George's death) because for this period of time he's dating Joan (in lieu of Claudine) the relationship between them will shift and when it's good, it's good, but when his and Joan's relationship starts to crumble, so too will it impact his relationship with Thursday because now he's directly impacting the happiness of his daughter.

I think this would also add to why Morse seemingly "jumps" to Violetta so quickly if we make the Joan relationship fall apart in Season 6. As to why they "fall apart" could be an expansion of the work tensions that happen in Apollo, it could be different future priorities (marriage versus not), it could be any number of things, but it makes them drift apart. This after Morse seemingly felt like he secured what he expected to be "a happy ending" for himself so enter Season 7, he goes to Venice where he is "running away" and more or less on the rebound. Then that goes wrong, as expected, Season 8 happens, and then Season 9 happens.

In short:

Season 5: don't have Morse with Claudine, instead, have Morse and Joan actually make an attempt at a relationship. This season is the relative "high"/good part of the relationship with the bad note coming with Icarus. Because while this season has Joan working on her own recovery/come back following Season 4, that depends upon Morse being relatively stable and George Fancy's death in Icarus means that the two of them aren't. Joan's not quite in a place to fully support him and he's not fully able to support her. It highlights some of the cracks in their relationship.

Season 6: They are still in a relationship, but the cracks are worse and getting wider. Maybe they argue over getting married because he wants something he can see as stable in all of this and Joan doesn't want that commitment in the absolute turbulence of what's currently going on. Then there's them working together and doing a terrible job of it for the most part which just highlights to her that they maybe shouldn't be together, but she initially keeps that to herself. (Because whereas Morse is a little optimistic that it all worked out, all Joan can see is everywhere they fought and it went wrong) Towards the end of the season, you have her outright breaking it off, if the writers wanted to be extra cruel, it could be while Morse attempts to propose.

Season 7: Proceeds as normal with the only adjustments being he's walking with this emotional baggage that's dictating the situation.

I think the only other major adjustment I'd really make is not have Joan marry Jim Strange and rather have her move away for work because that solves her problem and leaving Oxford is something she's done before. She might reappear to help her family, but she should take up work in London or somewhere else, but she opts to just put distance between her and Oxford once and for all.

I think one of the reasons S7 rubs people the wrong way is that S6 Morse is written so sensitively (even with all his snark) and has such a pitiful vibe about him. Then in Oracle he's suddenly full of confidence and is off in Venice having a random fling with a beautiful Italian woman. He's ragging on the team and engaging in adultery. He's like S5 Morse ramped up to 100.

And it's like...how did that happen? Who is this guy? I remember when I first saw it, I was still new to Endeavour and only had S6 for context. My parents put it on and we were so confused, wondering if we'd missed an episode.

I think giving him that development was an interesting concept and made sense if you think about the unresolved tension between him and Thursday in S6, but there was too much of a jump between the two seasons. Usually the new season starts with everybody recovering from the previous finale. With this one starting on New Years Eve and then ending a year later with three episodes it felt frustrating missing out on a huge chunk of these people's lives. Especially since the joy of watching Endeavour is how it takes its time. Even though S8 and S9 were also three episodes they felt much better paced.

I'm not sure how they could've made a more natural transition though. Maybe the talented fanfic writers here might have some ideas?

[sadbi-hours]

Made for @aosrecweek​ for Throwback Thursday

Oh, wow! Guys…it was like y’all read my mind! I’ve been wanting to make an AoS rec list for a bit now, but I just never had the self-motivation to put myself into gear and do it!

Well, I have now…and I really enjoyed putting this list together! I actually hunted across the internet for some of these fanfic recs, because while my tastes were different back in the day, I still love a good fanfic…and I think that still counts for something. 

Plus, I wasn’t really into saving stories that I really liked back in the day. So fair warning, I haven’t read some of these stories in a really long time and my mini reviews might be a bit off, but I still believe that a good fanfic will stick with ya through the ages. 

I hope you found these fanfics to be just as good as I do and I hope you’ll enjoy reading them too:)

P.S. I still plan to make a whole rec list of other stories I like too…with Ot3+, brotps, and all the het and slash fics that your heart desires! 

i had a secret meeting in the basement of my brain by owlvsdove

It takes Skye two seconds to realize they are seducing her, and another second to realize it is seriously working.

(In which Skye, to her absolute horror, falls in love with the science babies.)

Pairing: FSK/ Fitzskimmons

Why you should read it?: 

This story is very personal to me! Because, not only was it the first fanfic for the AoS fandom that I’d ever read..but it also introduced me to the world of ot3′s and the possibility that a poly relationship could actually work not only in fiction but in the real world too. That’s how real this relationship was for me…that’s how beautifully written it was… how completely true to how I’d believe that Fitz, Daisy (or Skye at the time of the story), and Jemma might have started their relationship back in the day, if you know, mainstream network had had the balls to explore that route.

I adore this fic! It still holds a special place for me. I do wish that the author had kept the FF.net version of the story up. There were a few things I loved that had existed in that version that are deleted out in the only existing  one…but that’s just a minor pet peeve of mine. I would still recommend this story if you love fluffy and sexy ot3 action with some minor angst, because Daisy always has to make things complicated for herself!   

Like A Stain Series by AgentSkyeMorse

Skye’s words appeared when she was 17. Trip’s words appeared when he decided to join S.H.I.E.L.D. Hunters heart is broken when finds his Soulmate. Bobbi doesn’t believe in Soulmates… That’s what she tells herself.

Pairing: Bobbi Morse/ Daisy Johnson/ Lance Hunter (aka I don’t know their ship name), and some past Daisy/Triplet 

Why you should read?:.

I don’t really remember much about this series, other than it’s a Canon-divergent post-2 and Soulmate AU. 

I do however remember it being really freaking good! I loved how the characters were not completely OCC like some AU ‘verse’s can make their main characters be. I believed that all these could have really happened if some of Canon’s events had happened differently…and there was such a things as Soulmate universes. 

There are some minor changes made to AoS’s canon, but that’s to be expected. However, I really liked how the writer still made me believe in Bobbi, Lance, and Daisy’s chemistry really well. And it had some really freaking hot sex scenes too, if I remember correctly. 

Mascot by Philote 

In which Skye adopts an orphaned dog, much to the varying delight and chagrin of her teammates.

Pairing: Gen/ No expressed Ships I believe

Why you should read?: 

It’s just a really cute story about the team’s varying reactions to Skye sneaking a little puppy on board the bus. It’s just pure s1 team fluff, and it actually has weary but protective Ward that I think is adorable…before you know, Ward became the evil asshole that he is. 

If you just want team fluff with very little angst, than this is the story for you! 

the heart is hard to translate (all my stumbling phrases never amounted to anything worth this feeling) by awkwardspiritanimals

Leopold Fitz is going to do whatever it takes to keep them safe. Even if it means turning their household items into deadly weapons.

The other three just want him to get some sleep.

(tripfitzskimmons polyamory)

Pairing: Tripfitzskimmons 

Why you should read?:

A post season 1 Ot4, where Fitz feels helpless because of his brain injury and tries to help in the only way he knows how and still can…by making everyday objects into deadly weapons…

Trip, Jemma, and Daisy try to be understanding, but would like it very much if Fitz would stopped turning their possessions into weapons. 

It’s very sweet little ficlet, but does have some Fitz angst. So beware of that.  

love letters to a ghost by arsonistlullabye 

Skye is haunted the ghost of a boy who wasn’t strong enough. Fitz is haunted by a girl who makes him want to be stronger.

Pairing: Fitzdaisy/ Fitzskye

Why you should read?: 

This story is set in an alternate AoS ‘verse, where Fitz couldn’t handle the pressure and loneliness of being one of the youngest to attend S.H.I.E.L.D. academy…and trigger warning, kills himself and begins to haunt the Academy as a ghost.  

Years later, Skye attends and seeing her go down the same path as him, does everything he can to help her become her best self..while also slowly falling in love with her. I don’t want to spoiler anymore, but it’s a really good…but i’ll be honest and say that depending on how you view it, it might not have the happiest ending, but I believe it fit perfectly with the story.   

Take me away to some place real by Florchis 

After the Framework, Fitz decides to go see his mother for a few days and takes Jemma and a reluctant Daisy with him. Things are not easy, but helped by three late-night conversations, Daisy learns that they can choose to not make them hard.

Pairing: FSK/ Fitzskimmons

Why you should read?:

I feel like I’m cheating a bit by rec-ing this fic, since it’s a prompt of mine gifted to me through a @aosficnet2 exchange a few years back, but where Florchis decided to take the idea far exceeded my expectations. This story…left me speechless.It made me cry. It was…just so beautiful and hopeful… yet bittersweet. 

Nothing’s sugar coated…or wrapped up neatly in a little box in this story. They’re all broken by what they experienced in the Framework. Daisy’s left with old and new insecurities to wade through, Fitz can’t always tell the difference between Reality and the Framework, and Jemma’s just trying to hold everybody and herself together…and a trip to see Fitz’s amazing Mom doesn’t automatically fix everything.

But it makes their traumas more manageable…It makes them want to try to be better, not only in their relationship but as people as well. Oh, man! You have to read this story…especially if you were left broken yourself by season 4. Seriously, go read this! 

I couldn’t in good conscious rec one of Florchis’s post-framework stories without rec-ing one of @theclaravoyant. You can go read it here if you like!  

six birthdays skye had by zauberer_sirin

Birthdays are the worst. And hers are not even real.

Pairing:  Skoulson

Why you should read?:

Alright! Hear me out! I, myself , as in me now, in no way ships Coulson and Daisy in a romantic relationship, but when I first started out reading AoS fanfics, I was experimenting…trying to figure out my tastes and what I shipped and liked romantically. 

And I can admit that I’ve read other Skoulson fics in my time, but this fanfic is the only one that I’ll willing recommended…because the romantic aspect of Skoulson’s relationship was left ambiguous, at least to me. It was more of a character study of how Skye has always views and copes with her birthdays through the years and the one time, she actually liked being born…and even though, I hate it, her relationship with Coulson has a lot to do with her acceptance of it. 

But I wouldn’t blame anybody for skipping over this one, I haven’t read it since I read it the first time just because I would have to stomach the romantic Skoulson in it…but I feel like it’s still worth recommending. It’s a pretty good Skye/Daisy character piece.   

Along the Way by theclaravoyant

When Shield’s two youngest prodigies shake hands for the very first time, their expressions are exactly as you might expect for two people who know they’ve just met their soul mates. But for this particular pair there’s something else as well.

Confusion.

-

Sometimes finding your soulmate(s) is not as simple as it seems. Then again, sometimes what we spend most of our time looking for, has been right under our noses all along.

Pairing: FSK/ Fitzskimmons

Why you should read?:

A FSK Soulmate AU that went a long way to redefining my outlook on the trope. Fitz and Simmons’ quest to discover who their other soulmate is and what the weird soul mark they have means is really well done and completely in character with how Fitzsimmons are as individuals and as a unit… 

It’s just a very well written AU that’s I’d recommended anytime of the day. You should read it.   

and when we burst, begin again by  owlvsdove

May gets hurt in the line of duty. Jemma tries to fill her shoes.

Pairing: FSK/ Fitzskimmons

Why you should read?:

If you haven’t noticed by now, there is a pretty consistent theme to my fanfic recs…and that’s the hurt/comfort or heavy angst trope and this one fits that bill to a tee.

Set in a post season 1 Canon-Divergence world I believe, where I think Ward really injures May and Jemma take it upon herself to become the team’s glue…and how it slowly chips away at her emotional sanity. It’s really well written and I think you guys will like it…if you don’t mind the heavy angst too. 

break my heart into pieces on the floor by hpfreakster

Months earlier she had stood there ready to give her life for them, now she stands there pointing a gun at Skye and Fitz.

Pairing:  BioSpecialist with a side order of Fitzskye

Why you should read?: 

An alternate end to season 1, a role reversal with Jemma being the Hydra agent who betrayed the team, A flawed but ultimately goodhearted Ward, and a possibly triple agent Simmons…? What more could you ask for in a fascinating, alternate plot twist and development? 

I know some can’t even read about Ward as a main character in any fashion, but I really loved this fic…how it was done…how Ward was portrayed. He wasn’t perfect…or really even likable…but he loved his team and would do anything for them, even haunting down the woman he loves to avenge Fitz and Skye. 

I think that’s a really cool story;)  

He’s Not A Monkey by  AgentMaryMargaretSkitz

“He’s Leo. Fitz. The dog is Fitz.”

When an 084 explodes, Skye sees that Fitz has turned into a puppy. Some Biospecialist and pre-Skitz.

Pairing:  Another Biospecialist with some minor Fitzskye

Why you should read?:

Wow! Another fluffy dog story rec! I really need to find my AoS fluff in other tropes! LOL! 

But who can resist Fitz being turned into a adorable freaking puppy…who adores Skye and Jemma…and keeps biting Ward in various places I think! I couldn’t! Haha! 

stretch your arms around me by  Conifer

With them, Skye learned to love.

She learned how to give it just as much as she learned to feel it. It was abstract and solid and all-consuming, a mess that left her feeling dizzy and weightless. It was impossible to put a finger on but easy enough to place; she knew the heart-pounding feeling when she had it.

Pairing: FSK/ Fitzskimmons

Why you should read?: 

A kind of a sad Fitzskimmon fic, where Skye knows that her relationship with Fitzsimmons will come to an end someday…because well, according to Skye, it has to. In her life, happiness never lasts for long…but she’s going learn from and enjoy her time together with them for as long as it lasts. 

It’s a bittersweet, but heartwarming fic that fits right in my alley. Go ahead and read it…but be prepared to have your heart broken.  

The zeroh law of thermodynamics by  Florchis

Fitz and Simmons are each other’s soulmates. Daisy isn’t. Fitz and Simmons don’t care. Daisy does. Sort of. Or: Jemma wants them to tell her their fantasies, Daisy wants a tattoo and Fitz wants to be a gentleman. (They all succeed.)

Pairing: FSK/ Fitzskimmons

Why you should read?: 

I couldn’t rec @theclaravoyant‘s Soulmate AU without recommending @florchis!

This story showed me that love comes in many forms and variations…and just because Daisy isn’t Fitzsimmons’ soulmate doesn’t stop them from pursuing a meaningful romantic triad with her. Of course, like any real relationship, there are trail and errors…misunderstanding and miscommunications…but they never let that keep them down because they love each other and will do anything to make their unconventional (in every sense of the word) relationship work. 

It’s a really good Soulmate AU story. You should read it…along with @florchis‘s FSK stories here and here. I just love the different and interesting ways she makes the FSK ship play out and begin. 

Apples and Dandelions by  theclaravoyant

After Fitz’ father sends a number of threatening messages and an ultimatum to Shield, Fitz decides it’s time to confront his father. As it turns out, the apple can fall as far from the tree as it likes, especially when there’s someone there to catch it.

Pairing: Fitzsimmons with Fitz & Daisy brotp 

Why you should read?: 

I know that I didn’t really rec manyGen or brotp stories on this list…and I’ll be fair with y’all, but I really do view the majority of my bromance’s in Television and Films as romantic relationships too..and most of the time, I’d rather read shipper fics than purely brotp ones. 

But this fic was so good that I could not share it on my list…but I won’t bore you with the details. It’s a theclaravoyant fic and I think that they’re all amazing.  

[colthing]

Dying to write Frendeavour

I’ve honestly been saying for the last three seasons that I’ve wanted to write this pair. But you know what it’s like - real life gets in the way of slash fiction lol. I’ve started writing again and I have a little Frendeavour something based upon the last scene of the last episode, Canticle.

CORNED BEEF, LOVE & LUST

Endeavour, eyes still closed, writhed in the hot, knotted sheets, the bedding clammy and curled tightly around his torso. But something didn’t feel quite right about this bed. The fact that he couldn’t remember where the hell he had been greatly troubled him. And his head was on the verge of splitting in two. “Morse,” he heard a gentle voice. His eyelids fluttered.

“Morse,” there was that voice again. Initially, he was surprised to see the source as Inspector Thursday, sat idly by his bedside, until the memories of the awful Maplewick Hall and the poisoning came flooding back to his addled mind.

“What day is it?” he asked. He couldn’t help but wonder how long he had been in this hospital bed.

“Corned beef,” Fred said, calmly. The room was oddly quiet and there was not a birdsong nor traffic to be heard. He didn’t want to raise his voice. He didn’t want to scare the lad.

“Friday,” Endeavour came to realise with a sigh. “It’s Friday.”

“That’s right. It’s Friday.” Thursday studied the beautiful shape of the young man in front of him, skinny as a rake, though somewhat sculpted, with mildly muscular arms poking from a tight white vest, and a messy crop of blonde hair which was simply begging to be tousled. He swallowed. Morse was attractive, even in this state - somehow he was moreso.

“Did she confess?” Endeavour asked, but while he may have wanted to talk about the case, Fred couldn’t stop thinking about what he shouldn’t - men - more precisely, the lithe Latino and Arab conquests of his time during the forces, and Morse’s startling likeness to them as he stretched his body, and showcased his chest and just a hint of groin.

Morse observed that all eyes were on him. He was a detective after all. Thursday didn’t want to talk about the case. He wanted to talk about Morse. “How long have you been here? With me?” he added.

“Five…” he began, “or six hours.”

The blonde man was clearly shocked by the admission as Thursday joined him on the bed. The rough fabric of his suit brushed against Endeavour’s bare skin and the sensation of Fred’s thigh beside him, though warm and familiar, startled him. “Why are you surprised, lad? I couldn’t bear to lose another person close to me,” he said in despair.

Fred was, of course, referring to the current unknown whereabouts of his daughter, Joan. He possessed a fatherly love for the pair of them, both Joan and Endeavour, but his feelings for the latter were more complicated. Long-buried memories of his fondness for those young, pretty boys during his days as a soldier affected his better judgement. Win knew of his past, and her acceptance of it had firmly cemented her place as Mrs Thursday, but it went unspoken in their household. And sometimes the unspoken needed to be spoken.

“I was worried about you, lad,” he leaned in, wrapped his strong arms around Morse and whispered into his ear. But now something had gripped Thursday and he couldn’t stop himself. He placed a chaste kiss to the nape of Endeavour’s neck, his left side being out of view of the hospital window, the whole of it disguised as a manly hug. He was aware of how careful he had to be, especially given the nature of the recent case.

Endeavour smiled and hummed in approval and Fred kissed into his neck again, this time undoubtedly sexual, with more fervour and open mouth. He feared he may be perceived as taking advantage of the young policeman’s post-drugged confusion. But, how ever ill he may still have been feeling there was nothing confusing to Morse about Thursday’s actions.

Whilst he may not have known of the dalliances had by Fred in his youth, Endeavour thought that possibly, like himself, he had been affected by the events of the recent case. Joy Pettibon’s husband had so tragically hanged himself because he could not live with what he was. And like Morse had said to the beaten Dudley Jessop after the filming of that television programme days ago, ‘If love isn’t dirty, then I expect you aren’t doing it right.’ There was no denying there was a love between himself and Thursday. But that line… between the friendship of two colleagues and something more… was weakening by the day. And they both knew it.

As the older man slowly retreated, Endeavour rolled onto his side and pulled the damp sheets halfway back to reveal his body, but show nothing to the passers-by. He bravely took a hold of Thursday’s hand, now shaking, and placed it underneath that tight white vest so that it was in direct contact with his sticky chest, and soon, underneath his boxer shorts, to be in direct contact with something else entirely. Morse’s reaction to Thursday’s affections was evident in its grasp, and the gaze shared between them was one of love, lust and fear.

They could not be caught. Fred retracted his hand with a cough. He appeared to stumble over his words, his cheeks crimson. “I.. I had better let you get some rest,” he advised, lifting himself from the bed, for now he was worried that Morse was most certainly still under the influence of the poison LSD-like drug.

And as Endeavour slumped back into the pillows, watching his superior make his way to the exit, he wondered whether or not he was still under the spell of the mixture himself, as his mind would continue to race fifty to the dozen into the night, filled with a thousand images of Fred, and just why Morse had welcomed those kisses upon his neck and guided those trembling fingers around his erection.

[newstfionline]

On Tour’s Mountain Roads, Beer, Baguettes and, Briefly, Bikes

By Andrew Keh, NY Times, July 18, 2017

MONT DU CHAT, France--A white-haired man was dancing naked in the middle of the mountain road, his sunburned body rocking imprecisely to a pop song pounding from a set of speakers. His halfhearted attempt to cover himself with one hand as he swayed was mostly ineffectual, which only made his friends laugh harder and cover their eyes. Behind them was a 20-foot-long, homemade banner that read, “VIVE LE TOUR.”

It was late Saturday afternoon on Mont du Chat, a full 24 hours before the competitors of the Tour de France would ascend these brutally steep roads. But the merrymaking, as the man’s striptease made clear, was already in full swing.

For connoisseurs of cycling, mountain roads provide an optimal vantage point to see a race in person. On flat pavement, riders speed past in a thick pack, gone in a flash. On steep climbs, though, they lumber past, often slowly enough for fans to talk to them or touch them or even run alongside them for a bit.

But reaching these roads is no easy task. Prime spectating spots tend to be several miles above sea level, on windswept outcroppings of rock, or, as here in the western edge of the Alps, cut out of thick woods. Local authorities tend to close mountain access roads in the days before the Tour passes through. There is a longtime tradition, then, of cycling fans camping out in the mountains for days, or even weeks, to claim a coveted place along the course.

That type of pop-up community was on display last weekend on Mont du Chat, the toughest climb during the first mountain stage of this year’s Tour. In the days before the race rolled through on July 9, an impermanent society of tents and mobile homes developed, where sun-bronzed hordes of multinational partyers--nature lovers and attention seekers, rowdy young people and tranquil retirees--communed in crowded, roadside quarters.

The fans had little to do but wait. But for many of them, waiting was half the fun.

“We just enjoy being outside,” said Ferdinand van der Duin, 67, of Groningen, the Netherlands, who sat quietly in a lawn chair on that Friday morning. Van der Duin and his family had arrived on Thursday and pitched a couple of tents on a narrow, slanted patch of grass next to the road. “If the cyclists never came up on Sunday, we’d still be O.K.”

There were more than two days to go before the race, but the mountainside was brimming with people.

Up the road, nine men from around the French department, or region, of Isère--mostly in their 50s and 60s--were constructing a refined dining room amid the trees, using bamboo scaffolding to support a tarp roof and an overhead lamp. They placed a citronella candle on a floral tablecloth to dissuade bugs, and their dinner left nothing to be desired: thick coins of saucisson, a dry-cured sausage, to start; a simmering pot of mahogany-hued chicken tagine; a wheel of Brie and a hefty brick of Comté; and homemade génépi, a liqueur infused with alpine herbs, to cleanse their palates.

“Bravo to the chef,” they said, clapping, after mopping the stew with bread.

Wine flowed throughout. The men talked politics and howled with laughter recounting their trip to the Tour last year, when a trusting stranger stumbled upon their camp and left so drunk that he passed out in the woods.

The men were lucky enough to claim one of the best views on the entire mountain--the Alps towering in the distance, Lac du Bourget shimmering below--but that was all invisible in the dark as they cleaned up their plates and refilled their glasses.

A few hundred yards up the road, a group of young men in their teens and early 20s--hailing from Le Bourget-du-Lac, the town just to the east of the mountain--was only starting their night. They pulled beers from a cooler and played endless rounds of pétanque, a French lawn game.

They said that they come up to Mont du Chat often, mostly to hunt wild boar and goats. They were excited about the Tour--like many other people there, they hoped to make it onto the television broadcast of the event--but the race, they said, was just another excuse to meet up on the mountain for a good time.

“Before the Tour de France we’re up here, and after the Tour de France we’ll still be up here,” said Thibault Joram, 18, who wore a beret atop his wiry frame.

At 3 a.m., the young men rumbled down the slope, setting off firecrackers and clanging an enormous cowbell. It was 6 a.m. when they finally decided to call it a night.

Just a couple of hours after that, early Saturday morning, Gisèle Machet scooted up the mountain in her Peugeot 106 with a sack of baguettes on the passenger seat. Machet, 67, who lives in the nearby town of Meyrieux-Trouet, was not a camper--just a woman who understood the daily need here for fresh bread. After picking up loaves from a local bakery, she was driving up the mountain, from R.V. to R.V., to drop them off.

“I’m doing this as a service,” Machet said as she accelerated up the road. She was charging the campers her cost: 1.10 euros per loaf, no profit. “If the situation were switched,” she said, “they’d do the same thing for me.”

Some people had arrived as early as Monday, but the mountain truly came to life on Friday afternoon. People painted the roads, leaving encouraging messages, or taunts, for the riders. Neighbors made small talk. Some campers sought out their countrymen, taking clues from license plates and flags. Les Aigles, the only restaurant on the mountain, and the site of its only toilet, did a brisk business.

Otherwise time passed slowly. Inje Dienaar, 56, of Zutphen, the Netherlands, spent hours that afternoon seated on a prime corner of the course--a spot she and her husband had claimed on Thursday--crocheting a doll for her granddaughter. Her Jack Russell terrier, Ellie Bellie, sought refuge from the punishing sun under their R.V., which boasted a satellite dish, a solar generator and, crucially, a television.

“We’ve got a season of ‘Inspector Morse’ and the newest season of ‘MasterChef Australia,’” Dienaar said.

On Saturday, before the sun began to set, the police closed the road for good. Anyone traveling it up or down from that point on would have to walk or ride a bicycle along six miles of curving road.

Parties in the mountains tend to get wild the night before the race, and it was no different on Mont du Chat.

A group of two dozen or so young men from Le Bourget-du-Lac and Chambéry, a nearby city, set up turntables and speakers in a clearing that featured a heterogeneous array of objects reminiscent of an American fraternity house: a barbecue grill, a hookah, a sombrero, a flat-screen television balanced on an old wooden desk, two refrigerators filled with beer, a hammock, a shopping cart, a coffee maker, many pairs of flip-flops and assorted costumes.

They planned to wear the costumes--Marge Simpson, a pig, a Dalmatian and a cockroach, among others--when they ran alongside the riders on Sunday to improve their chances of getting on television. This was the ultimate goal. When a race official suggested that the image of a syringe they had painted near their campsite, with Chris Froome’s name written next to it, would hurt their chances of getting on camera, they quickly splashed it with a layer of white paint.

“We have fun, but there are rules about what you cannot do,” said Jean-Philippe Taravele, 27, who wore an Atlanta Falcons football helmet. “We’re not stupid.”

Up the road, another party--the one that later would inspire the elderly man to remove his clothes--was raging. Fans danced in the middle of the road, yelling exaggerated encouragement to the last amateur cyclists chugging up the road ahead of Sunday’s stage.

Sunday morning moved fast. More people arrived after hiking up the mountain. The riders started the stage from Nantua around midday, and the fans on Mont du Chat gathered around strangers’ televisions and radios to track their approach. An ominous early thunderstorm fortunately cleared by late morning.

Near the summit, Szymon Konieczny, 28, of Katowice, Poland, prepared enormous cutouts of his favorite riders’ faces, an idea he said he had borrowed from watching the N.B.A. His wet socks hung on a wire behind him.

“Paint the street? That’s old,” Konieczny said. “Hold a flag? Old. A head? That’s new. They will come by and say, ‘Wow!’ It will give them energy.”

After days of waiting, the mountain became engulfed in noise when the first riders arrived around 4:30 p.m. Warren Barguil of France led the group at one point and inspired crazed cheers of “Allez!” Froome, the three-time Tour de France winner, was close behind and was mercilessly booed and cursed the whole way up.

Crowding the course, inches from the cyclists, the spectators could yell almost directly into their ears and look straight into their eyes. George Bennett of New Zealand cracked a big smile when he spotted a man dressed like an insect, furiously snapping his cloth pincers. But otherwise the riders had blank, detached expressions. Some seemed pained. A few of the stragglers received pushes from helpful fans.

“They go so slowly that you can actually see the effort and see them suffering,” said Caitlin Van Hooten, 28, of Chicago.

It took a little more than half an hour for the entire pack to make it through, and when the last rider went over the top, the weekend (or, in a few cases, the week) came to an abrupt end. It grew eerily quiet on the mountain. Within an hour, most of the roadside tents had been packed up.

“You’re here so long, and then it’s over so quick,” the Dutch teenager Brent van Lieshout said as he loaded his car. “It’s bizarre, if you think about it.”

But Thomas Adelskov, 53, the mayor of Odsherred, a municipality in eastern Denmark, tried to savor the moment. He has an election in November, and he was looking for a way to spend time with his sons Mads, 27, and Jonas, 24, who live in Copenhagen.

They had arrived in an R.V. on Thursday and soon met a young Danish couple who had pitched a tent nearby. The five watched the race as a group and were surprised and elated when Jakob Fuglsang of Denmark appeared near the head of the field. They screamed his name as he rode by and buzzed about the moment for hours afterward.

“Four days on the mountain,” Adelskov said as he settled into a lawn chair surrounded by trees, “and for that, it was worth it.”

[thesnootyushers]

The British public loves a good police show. Here are some of the best!

The TV police procedural has been a stalwart of British television since Dixon of Dock Green first walked the beat in 1955.  The genre has evolved and developed over the years, but the British TV bobby has never been too far from our hearts as we have tuned in en mass to watch their adventures.

With the recent death of Inspector Morse author Colin Dexter, and the highly anticipated 4th series of the amazing Line of Duty starting later today, Snooty Ushers Dave and James have put their heads together to make a list of our favourite British TV cop shows.  The only rule was that it had to be about actual British police (so no Sherlock, Cracker, or any of those amateur sleuth shows). So, in no particular order, let us begin

Just missing out: New Tricks, The Fall, Ripper Street, Between The Lines, Rebus (with Ken Stott, not John Hannah),  Maigret (because it is French!), A Touch of Cloth

Line of Duty (BBC, 2012-)

Dave: What better place to start than with the original inspiration for this list, the brilliant Line of Duty.  The show focuses on AC-12, a special team of elite officers who investigate the police. While this echoes the similarly themed Between The Lines from the 90s, it stands on its own as one of the best British police procedural dramas.  About to enter its 4th season, each series focuses on a different, but interconnected case, fronted by a high profile British actor.  The AC-12 team recur throughout.  It is grounded firmly in reality and it so brilliantly written, intricately plotted and tightly directed that something as simple as 3 people sitting in a room having a conversation can deliver such incredible tension.  The cast to deserve so much credit, the AC-12 officers led by Irish stalwart Adrian Dunbar’s damaged every-man Superintendent, Martin Compston is instantly relatable as the terrier like DS Steve Arnott (although I do take issue with him not using his Scottish accent), but it is Vicky McClure as DC Kate Flemming who is the real star.  The 3 series so far have weaved such a tight web of intrigue and tension that I wouldn’t dare revel any plot points here, I would just implore you all to catch up before the new series starts.  If you need another reason, Keeley Hawes, in Series 2, gives one of the most devastating, intense and down right brilliant performances in recent memory.

James: This is a show that proves that British TV can match anything from around the world. It’s also my favourite ongoing British show of any genre. One mistake seemingly ruins a promising young police officer’s career, and he is shunted to the AC-12 (“Internal Affairs” if we were in America), in an attempt to push him out of the force. But instead, DS Arnott truly finds his niche, as does the show itself. There are loads of police shows with conflicted and morally ambiguous lead characters, but Line Of Duty focuses almost entirely on their feet of clay, yet never falls into witch-hunt territory. Lennie James, Keeley Hawes, and Daniel Mays have given three different performances as heroic cops who come under AC-12’s gaze, and the three series so far have all taken different paths, never covering the same ground. And the interrogation room scenes are the high point of the show as weeks, sometimes years worth of story lines are brought together. A truly great show.

Life on Mars (BBC, 2006-07)

Dave:  If Line of Duty is grounded in reality, this is something different all together.  Sam Tyler (John Simm) is a DCI working in Manchester.  When he is involved in a car accident, he wakes up in 1975.  He is still a cop, but a rank lower and finds himself working for the oafish DCI Gene Hunt (Philip Glenister).  This just worked on every level.  The ambiguity surrounding Sam’s predicament kept us guessing.  Is he dead? crazy? In a coma? Or has he actually traveled back in time?  The world of modern policing contrast with the good old days of the 70s made for some thrilling moments and some genuinely funny moments too, with the chemistry between Simm’s straight laced, lateral thinking, by the book cooper and Glenister’s blunt instrument works a treat.  The ambiguity continued after the conclusion of the series, with the story continuing on the 80s set sequel series Ashes To Ashes, which saw Gene Hunt move to London and paired with a female detective (Keeley Hawes).  While never hitting the heights of Life On Mars, it ran for 3 seasons and gave us a satisfyingly heart-breaking conclusion.  This will be forever remembered for giving us immortal and unforgettable DCI Gene Hunt.

James: Whether it was their intention from the very beginning or not, the makers of Life On Mars got to cherry pick all of the best bits out of 70s cop shows. We got a modern piece of television – Sam Tyler struggling with the nature of his reality and Gene Hunt getting into car chases and punching criminals. And as someone who lived in Manchester it was great to see how they shot around the city to get that Seventies feel.

Also, the third series of Ashes To Ashes also deserves a mention, as Daniel Mays (who featured in Line Of Duty as well) gave a fantastic performance that shepherded the whole saga to a great conclusion.

Snooty Usher TV Trivia Fact #711 – The American version of Life On Mars (with Harvey Keitel as Gene Hunt) ended after one season, and being years away from wrapping their own version, the original writers gave their US counterparts free reign, and they came up with a doozy. Both the “modern day” and 1970’s realities were both just a simulation to keep astronauts minds active on a mission to Mars, and a glitch had causes Sam’s program to jump from one simulation to another.

Snooty Usher TV Trivia Fact #712 – There are currently Czech and Russian versions running in those countries that take their Sam Tyler character back to Soviet-era police, giving another level to the show.

Inspector Morse/Lewis (ITV, 1987-2015)

Dave: Based on the novels of Colin Dexter, Inspector Morse ran for 33 episodes across 13 years, becoming one of the nations favourite detectives.  He was the epitome of the gentleman detective, a middle class bachelor with middle class interests, he drove a classic Jaguar, listens to opera and has a fondness for real ale, this was contrast in his relationship with his partner DS Lewis, a working class family man from the North East.  Set in the beautiful city of Oxford, with the various colleges and classic architecture used as a stunning back drop.  Now, the term national treasure is banded about a little too often for my tastes, but is there a better way to describe John Thaw?  His gruff nature embodies Morse with an every-man quality that masks his vast intellect.  Kevin Whately’s Lewis is perfect foil as his put upon Sergeant.  Their relationship is central to the show’s success and longevity.  The series ended in 2000, when Morse collapse and died of a heart attack, his legacy would live on however when in 2006, when Kevin Whatley’s Lewis would return.

Robbie Lewis is now a Detective Inspector, he is widowed and his kids are grown. Paired with a new DS, James Hathaway played by Lawrence Fox.  Hathaway is a chain-smoking, emotionally detached intellectual. Lewis is Colombo like, in as much as his scruffy appearance and the fact that is not an Oxford man, means he is constantly under estimated by the high brow university community.  While he relies of Hathaway’s classic education at times, he is more than a match for Oxfords criminal element.  Lewis and Hathaway’s chemistry would rival but not quite eclipse that of Morse and Lewis, but was the driving force behind this shows success, it was baffling when after 7 series and a natural conclusion, they brought the show back for 2 more years, changing the dynamic of the leads and for the first time in nearly 30 years, the show began oustay its welcome.

The conclusion of Lewis was not the end for the franchise.  In 2011, ITV turned back the clock with the prequel series Endeavour.  Set in 1965, it focuses on Morse’s early years as a DC.  Shaun Evans does a great job of honouring Thaw and giving us a believable young Morse and Roger Allam adds a touch of class as Morse’s noble DI, Fred Thursday.

James: Morse is a national treasure. It really is the gold standard that all detective shows are aiming for. The character work between Morse and Lewis was brilliant, and they knew when to inject some levity and humour into what was a serious drama. Decades before Sherlock, theses were basically films that were shown on ITV, and we got thirty three of them. Although Lewis is slightly in its predecessors shadow, it featured a nice change of dynamic with the two leads, and in a nice touch of symmetry, there were also thirty three episodes of Lewis.

I would echo Dave to say that Endeavour really does uphold the quality of the shows that came before it. There’s the same sheen of quality, and Shaun Evans portrays Morse’s traits without simply mimicking John Thaw.

Snooty Usher TV Trivia Fact #713 – Inspector Morse author Colin Dexter made a cameo in all but three of the Morse episodes.

Snooty Usher TV Trivia Fact #714 – In the pilot episode of Endeavour, Morse questions a newspaper editor.  The editor asks if they have met, as he seems familiar to her.  The editor is played by John Thaw’s daughter Abigail. She recurs throughout the series

Luther (BBC, 2010-16)

James: Neil Cross wrote for Spooks and Doctor Who before being Luther, and his writing deserves a lot of credit. He has created a conflicted detective haunted by his past, and set him in a harsh, yet real-feeling London. However, in this could be the set up for almost any detective show – Idris Elba makes Luther into a great piece of work. His performance really nails the complex character, making him sympathetic but still hard as nails. He will make a great next Bond… or Doctor Who!

The show also stands out by giving Luther a full-on nemesis. Ruth Wilson play Alice Morgan, a character who comes in and out of the show. Cross has always said Luther is inspired by Sherlock Holmes and Columbo, and by giving the detective his own Moriaty, Luther raises the bar again.

I truly hope that we get more episodes of Luther. The most recent series was only two episodes, and surely it would be possible to squeeze another couple into Elba’s (and Cross’) increasingly busy schedule. Perhaps just even a one-off to finally wrap up the series, although the end of the third series seemed to do that quite well – coat and all – before it was brought back. Maybe Netflx or Amazon Prime could throw enough money at it to get another go around.

Taggart (STV 1983-2010)

Dave:  Now, I am a Scotsman who has lived in England for the better part of 10 years and this show has a lot to answer for.  The amount of times I have been asked to utter the phrase “Thurs bin a murder”, well let’s just say it is more than once.

Set in the Maryhill area of Glasgow, Taggart was and remains the UK’s longest running TV police series.  The show survived the death of its title character, when the great Mark McManus died in 1994.

Jim Taggart, was a gruff no nonsense Glaswegian, with little time for sensitivity.  The show was just so brilliantly Glaswegian, the best part of watching this growing up was trying to spot the locations where it was filmed.  The show declined in quality following McManus’s death, relying on the more gruesome elements to attract viewers, (I recall one episode where 6 people were murdered, too much!!).  Those early years though gave us something so intrinsically Scottish that DCI Jim Taggart will forever be one of my all time favourite TV cops.

Heartbeat (ITV, 1992-2010)

James: Trips to Aidenfield were a staple of Sunday nights when I was growing up. It started out with Nick Berry was Nick Rowan, a London police officer who moves to North Yorkshire with his wife , Dr Kate Rowan (Niamh Cusack). The two of them have to deal with small town life, as well as some pretty hard hitting storylines. Bill Maynard’s turn as lovable rogue Greengrass provided the  light relief, and the policing team of Ventress, Bradley, and Blakeston were always welcome.

Later series broadened the focus from a single lead character when Rowan transferred to the Mounties in Canada after Berry decided to leave. Jason Durr came in as Mike Bradley, and it became more of an ensemble show, with the storylines moving into the more usual Sunday night territory that. But those early shows left and indelible mark on this Snooty Usher.

Messiah (BBC, 2001-2008)

Dave:  The first series of Messiah was one of those shows that just blew me away.  It was dark, it was scary, it was gruesome.  Ken Stott is DCI Red Metcalfe, he and his team are faced with series of brutal killings.  As they delve deeper, they find that someone is killing people, mimicking how Jesus’s apostles died. Now, I am a sucker for serial killers with a religious motive and this is one of the finest examples of it.

Red and his team returned for 3 more series and new cast taking over in 2008 for a further 1 series, with Marc Warren taking over from Stott in the lead.  While they were suitably gruesome, it never quite hit the heights of this ground breaking first case.

James: My sister and I used to buy cheap books from charity shops when we went on holiday. One of these books was about a series of gruesome murders that wove religious themes into plot. We talked about how it would make a great film or TV show – and when we got home we found out that it did! Ken Stott was just perfect as the detective trying to get to the bottom of these horrific crimes. He played the role like a man with the weight of the world on his shoulders, like he constantly had a splitting headache. The supporting characters were excellently cast as well.

A Touch of Frost (ITV, 1992-2010)

Dave: I love Del Boy Trotter as much as anyone, but for me at least, this is David Jason’s finest hour.  The gruff, empathetic Detective Edward ‘Jack’ Frost.  Based on the novels of R.D Wingfield, A Touch of Frost was a firm favourite in the McKee household.  This is set in the fictional town of Denton, in the south midlands and while they are completely different, it is difficult not to compare Frost with ITV other long running Detective series Inspector Morse.

Frost never had an established DS like Lewis, working with a series of different sidekicks which really worked.  The humour in the show came from Frost’s interactions with his boss Superintendent Norman “Horn Rimmed Harry” Mullett.

James: A Touch of Frost was great. David Jason knew just how much comedy business to put into his performance. I think everyone was surprised just how good he was in the more serious role, and I remember trying to find out if Denton FC was a real football team.

Prime Suspect (ITV, 1991-2006)

Dave: While I enjoyed the early episodes of Prime Suspect, I was never a massive fan of it, mainly down to the fact that I don’t really like writer Lynda La Plante’s work.

Having said that, the quality of this show and the performance of Helen Mirren demands attention.  Ground breaking and harrowing at times, this gave us a really believable, flawed female lead. Tennison has been oft imitated and never, to date, bettered.

The Bill (ITV, 1984-2010)

Dave: And finally, no list of police shows would be complete without this long running series.  Set in the fictional Sun Hill Police station, this gave us a load of memorable characters. Remember PC Reg Hollis? WPC June Ackland? DCI Frank Burnside? The list goes on.  It lost something for me when it changed from the 30 minute episode format, but I still hold many fond memories of this show

James: I love shows that are truly episodic. Whether it is the monster of the week episodes of shows like Buffy or The X-Files, or the half an hour episodes of The Bill that were on every Tuesday and Thursday. The ongoing tales from Sun Hill lost something when it went to an hour long, but those early episodes will last a long time in my memory.

Until next time, thanks for reading. Stay gold Ponyboy, stay gold, and catch ya later on down the trail.

10 Of The Best British Cop Shows The British public loves a good police show. Here are some of the best!