Ep 3. Fugue

Endeavour season 1 episode 3, titled "Fugue," follows the story of a woman who is found dead in a pub, leading to an investigation involving the pub's owner and a local singer. The episode begins with a woman, Elizabeth Striker, being found tied up and strangled in the back room of a pub called The Mews. As Inspector Thursday and Detective Constable Endeavour Morse start their investigation, they learn that Elizabeth was a married woman who had a history of mental illness. Her husband, Peter Striker, is brought in for questioning and tells them that Elizabeth had been acting strangely recently and had been refusing her medication.

As they dig deeper into the case, they discover that Peter was having an affair with a local singer named Gloria. They question her, and she admits to having been with Peter the night of the murder. However, she insists that she left before Elizabeth was killed and has no knowledge of what happened to her. They also speak with the pub's owner, Frank McNutt, who tells them that he had loaned Elizabeth and Peter money, but they were having trouble paying him back.

As the investigation continues, Morse becomes fixated on a particular clue he uncovered - the fact that Elizabeth had been playing a piece of classical music on the pub's piano shortly before her death. Morse is struck by the melody and becomes obsessed with identifying the piece and its composer, convinced that it may hold the key to the murder.

Throughout the episode, Morse's obsession with the music becomes increasingly consuming, leading him to neglect other aspects of the investigation. His single-minded focus even causes tension between him and Thursday, who reminds him that they need to focus on finding the killer. Meanwhile, the case takes a turn when Gloria becomes a suspect after confessing to being in the room with Elizabeth the night of the murder. However, her confession seems too neat and rehearsed, causing Morse to doubt her guilt.

In the end, Morse's fixation on the music proves to be crucial in solving the case. It leads him to a key piece of evidence that helps to identify the real killer and bring them to justice. However, he also learns a valuable lesson about balancing his own interests with the demands of his job as a detective.

Overall, "Fugue" is a gripping and twist-filled episode that showcases the strengths of Endeavour as a series. The writing is sharp and intelligent, and the performances from the cast - particularly Shaun Evans as Morse - are outstanding. It is a standout episode that is sure to keep viewers on the edge of their seats from start to finish.