Detective Constable (DC) Endeavour Morse

Detective Inspector (DI) Frederick Albert Thursday

Detective Sergeant (DS) Peter Jakes

Chief Superintendent (CS) Reginald Bright

Reginald "Reggie" Bright is the Police Chief Superintendent, or head of the Oxford City Police's Cowley Station, who reports to the Assistant Chief Constable and the Chief Constable of the Oxford City Police. He is portrayed by Anton Lesser. Russell Lewis, creator of the series, said:^[1]

Bright has come – as I think is alluded to in some of his dialogue – from the Colonial Police, and has spent most of his career ‘overseas’. I think that dictates in some part his attitude to the men. He is still applying the lessons learnt in the tropics – a certain ‘Empire’ way of dealing with ‘local officers’ and indigenous peoples – to the good folk of Oxford. His is a world – his younger days at least – straight out of John Betjeman's A Subaltern's Love Song. ‘Six o’clock news... lime juice and gin.’ The second son. Packed off to ‘foreign climes’ to make his way in the world, and do his bit for King and Country. He is a man even more out of time than most in the 1960s. But, he is a very decent man, if a little dazzled by those he perceives as his social betters. When the chips are down, his loyalty to his troops – for all his bark and bite – is total.

Bright is somewhat oblivious and is considered to be an "old school" police officer, very worried about appearances and courtesies when dealing with rank, royalty or the Oxford elite, and at first, like Sgt. Jakes, is jealous and very contemptuous toward Morse, despite the young detective's obvious intelligence. Bright suggests to Thursday that it is bad practice to enlist a DC as his bagman, but soon comes to better appreciate young Endeavour by the second series, after he returns from being shot and solving several complex cases.

As the series progresses, he slowly becomes a more sympathetic character; he is exceedingly protective of WPC Trewlove, for whom he has a soft spot and shows immense bravery when the situation calls for it, challenging the initial image of his being weak-willed and sycophantic. His quiet courage and clear dedication to justice gradually helps to ease his and Morse's relationship onto a friendlier footing, with the two men slowly becoming respected colleagues and equals. He is also a devoted husband to his wife, Carrie, whom he mentions often and who makes an appearance in Series 6. He and Thursday, as the two senior members of the Cowley team, are often seen contemplating the changes of the world and the impact it has on their profession as policemen.

In the original script for the pilot, the character was called Chief Superintendent Rupert Cavendish.

Police Constable (PC) James "Jim" Strange

Constable Strange is one of many Police Constables in the Oxford City Police and is portrayed by Sean Rigby. Morse and Strange meet in Series 1 episode 'Girl' and immediately become friends, with Strange one of the few to take the time to truly get to know Morse and gaining a better understanding of his character. At the end of series 1, Strange takes the police exam to become a Sergeant in Morse's place, but at the beginning of series 2 it is revealed that he failed. As a police-constable, he partakes in a great deal of legwork on the streets and is shown to keep his head in a crisis, taking command of a situation quickly and efficiently. In series 2, Strange is invited to become a freemason, and accepts, despite Morse's disapproval.

At the beginning of series 3, Strange is promoted to Sergeant, and in the third episode he moves from uniform to CID, replacing DS Jakes as Morse's immediate superior. This puts a strain on their friendship and a clash at the end of Series 3 when Strange reiterates his authority over his and Morse's contrasting methods of policing. However, the two remain on the same side; they work together on a more even keel during Series 4 and in Series 6 and after the closure of Cowley Station, Strange falsely claims Morse to be a brother Freemason in order to get him transferred back to CID.^[2]

Woman Police Constable (WPC) Shirley Trewlove

W.P.C. Trewlove, played by Dakota Blue Richards, joins the Oxford City Police at the Cowley Police Station in Series 3, Episode 2. She is an efficient and effective investigator and swiftly gains Morse's praise in her diligence and abilities. Chief Superintendent Bright sees her as an attractive addition to the station and proves to be exceedingly protective of her; for her part, she becomes extremely fond of him in turn. A woman in police work was novel in the 1960s. Constable Trewlove is sometimes treated in a condescending manner by detectives as well as suspects. Morse, Strange, Thursday, and Bright step to her defense, particularly following a confrontation with a sexist, misogynist Box.

In a similar manner to Joan Thursday, Shirley Trewlove develops a distant yet romantic fondness for Morse which he also fails to openly reciprocate. Perhaps out of a sense of propriety of not jeopardizing his work or reputation at work. In Series 5 she quietly starts to see D.C. George Fancy, and their growing relationship is observed by Morse. He seems to believe she is worthy of a more sophisticated partner. Trewlove is obviously deeply affected at the end of the series when D.C. Fancy dies in gang-war crossfire. She leaves for a new position at Scotland Yard. At her departure she tells Morse to 'make the most of life'.

Joan Thursday

Joan Thursday is Inspector Thursday's daughter. She is in her early to mid-twenties and works at a bank in Oxford. She is portrayed by Sara Vickers.

In the original script for the pilot, the character was originally called Jackie Stokes.

Winifred Thursday

Winifred Thursday, commonly called Win, is Inspector Thursday's wife and the mother of Joan and Sam Thursday. She is played by Caroline O'Neill.

Win married Fred Thursday in November, 1941 before he was shipped out to Africa; as she explained to Joan, they were married and permitted to go on honeymoon for one weekend before he had to return to the war. She is a devoted wife and mother and in the early episodes acts in a friendly, maternal fashion towards Morse, welcoming him into the home and helping to provide care when he is badly injured. As the wife of a detective-inspector, she patiently puts up with Thursday having to depart to solve a crime and sends her husband off in the morning with sandwiches and the daily command to 'Come home safe.'

In the later series, the toll of change affects Win badly; Sam's departure to the army, followed by the shock of Joan's involvement in a bank heist which results in her fleeing Oxford, causes her to suffer from depression which is worsened by Joan's refusal to make contact. She starts to recover with the help of medication, the structure of a part-time job and the joy of Joan's eventual return.

Win and Fred take up ballroom dancing during Series 5 and Win eagerly looks forward to Fred's retirement so that they can spend more time together as a couple. However, these plans are scuppered when Fred loans their savings to his brother Charlie, money which is consequently lost and leaves Fred unable to retire; these issues continue to affect the couple in Series 6, as Fred desperately resorts to intimidating witnesses and taking protection money from Box and Jago to make up his and Win's ruined finances. Disgusted by her husband's behaviour, Win becomes more distant than ever, to the point where she asks for a divorce; however, they reconcile by the series' end after Fred stands up to the corruption alongside Morse, Bright and Strange. Their marriage remains steady throughout Series 7 and although Fred is concerned when Win is among the first to discover a murder at her place of work, she remains stoic and tells Fred to find those responsible.

Sam Thursday

Sam Thursday is Inspector Thursday's son, portrayed by Jack Bannon. He originally has a job in Oxford but is preparing to serve in the British Army, a role which he departs for at the end of Series 3, a change which Win finds difficult to adapt to. Sam is the younger Thursday sibling; cheeky and charming and often bickering contentedly with his sister Joan, he is part of the regular and warm dynamic of the Thursday family, something which Morse is unused to. He is friendly and welcoming towards Morse, conversing with him often during the morning pick-ups and is one of the few characters whom Morse refers to by his first name, showing a more casual and comfortable acquaintance between the two of them.

Sam takes centre-stage in Series 5 Episode 4, Colours, when a murder takes place on his army base; as Sam was indirectly involved, he is treated as a suspect, resulting in his father's dismissal from the case. Army life has been shown to have had an impact on Sam; he becomes a more mature, rounded character and takes his position as a Corporal seriously, rebuking himself when he believes he has failed in his duty. He shows a respectful attitude towards his superiors as well as those in his military care, demonstrating loyalty to his army mates and arguing with his father over the arrest of someone whom he believes to be innocent. He also reveals, for the first time, the difficulties of growing up as the son of a policeman, particularly a prominent Detective-Inspector like his father.

Charlie Thursday

Charlie Thursday is Inspector Thursday's brother, portrayed by Phil Daniels. He inadvertently becomes caught up a long firm scam, using a loan provided by the Inspector, potentially incriminating him.

Paulette Thursday

Paulette Thursday is Charlie's wife, portrayed by Linette Beaumont. First seen in Series 5, Episode 2, Cartouche, when Charlie and his family visit Fred's family in Oxford.^[3]

Carol Thursday

Carol Thursday is Charlie and Paulette's daughter, portrayed by Emma Rigby. She appears to be a similar age to her cousin, Joan. First seen in Series 5, Episode 2, Cartouche, when Charlie and his family visit Fred's family in Oxford.^[3]

Dr. Max DeBryn

Dr. Max DeBryn is the Home Office Pathologist responsible for aiding the Oxford City Police in identification of dead bodies recovered, as well as postmortem on the bodies. Dr. DeBryn remains the pathologist for Thames Valley police in the first seven episodes of Inspector Morse.^[4]

DeBryn is first introduced in the Endeavour pilot (being the only other original character to feature in every episode of Endeavour, besides Morse himself) as the pathologist attending the apparent suicide of Miles Percival, meeting Morse for the first time at the scene. Sarcastic, dry-witted and an expert in the field of pathology, he is initially scornful of Morse's necrophobia, which culminates in Morse fainting at a post-mortem he is conducting; however, as the series progresses, he comes to recognise and respect Morse's capabilities as a detective and his loyalty to him extends to a willingness to pass confidential information onto Morse to help solve a case. He is also called upon, more than once, to provide medical care to Morse in the line of duty and also occasionally to others who have been injured, demonstrating his clear medical prowess. It quickly becomes obvious that DeBryn matches Morse in intellect and often quotes poets such as A.E. Housman to emphasise a point. In his role as a pathologist, DeBryn does not appreciate incompetency and is not afraid to take people to task for a lack of professionalism with his quiet but quick temper.

Despite his chosen profession, and his seemingly detached nature, DeBryn is quickly revealed to have a softer side: he is shaken by the murder of a child in the Series 2 episode 'Nocturne' and confides his anger to Morse, entreating him to find the person responsible and showing how he has come to put his faith in the detective. As a doctor, his upholding of the Hippocratic Oath means that he is willing to approach a dangerous situation to offer help to those in need; in Series 5 Episode 5, Quartet he is able to save the life of a young boy hit by a stray bullet although he is modest about accepting praise in the aftermath. He also holds a love and expertise for fishing, as well as baking; when Morse visits him in his home in Series 6, the doctor is revealed to live in a comfortable cottage with a beautiful garden, remarking to Morse that something has to be lovely. He remains loyal to Morse, Bright and Strange during the drastic changes at Castle Gate during Series 6, offering the three of them both personal and professional support while making his displeasure at the behaviour of Box and Jago known. Such is his loyalty that he ends up being abducted in the final episode of the series, Deguello, although he is rescued and continues his work in pathology.

Dorothea Frazil

Dorothea Frazil is the editor of the Oxford Mail Newspaper. Since the pilot episode, she has been portrayed by Abigail Thaw, the daughter of original Morse actor, John Thaw. Ms. Frazil helps Morse and the Oxford City Police with information pertaining to many different and difficult cases. Although her relationship with Morse is initially strained due to their respective professions and Morse's belief that any association with the newspaper would be corruptive, it soon softens to the point where the two consider each other as friends.

As a newspaper editor, Dorothea proves herself competent, confident and unafraid. Having spent time reporting in Korea, she seeks to write the truth in her newspaper and her enquiries can occasionally place her in the line of danger, although she proves herself to be unintimidated and refuses to back down from a difficult situation. Morse is angered when she is threatened by a prominent Don at the college at the end of Series 1 and during Series 4 has to team up with Thursday to rescue her when she is taken hostage as part of a case. She is one of the few who truly understands Morse's difficult temperament, on both a personal and professional level and recognises his need to successfully conclude a case, even when there are challenges involved.

In keeping with actress Abigail Thaw's family connections with the series, the name "Frazil" is a pun on Frazil ice vs. thaw.

Monica Hicks

Monica Hicks is a nurse of Jamaican descent who lives in the same house as Morse. A competent and dedicated nurse, she becomes the young Endeavour's love interest in the second series after caring for him when he suffered a concussion and inspiring and motivating him to finish a complicated case. However, the difficulties of Morse's role as a detective take their toll on the relationship and their romance appears to have ended when Morse was sent to jail at the end of Series 2, though they remain friends after his release, occasionally seeing each other at the hospital where Monica continues to work.

Monica is portrayed by Shvorne Marks.

Detective Inspector (DI) Bart Church, Oxfordshire Police CID

D.I. Church is the "guv" of the Oxfordshire (County) Police's Witney Station CID and was supervising Morse during his several months of "light duty" following his shooting. Inspector Church retires in December 1966, possibly forced out due to the rampant corruption in county and city police forces. Inspector Church is portrayed by Simon Kunz.

Lila Pilgrim

Lila Pilgrim is the ukulele strumming nightclub singer who performs in the Moonlight Rooms, the Oxford nightclub owned by East London gangster and enemy of DI Thursday, Vic Kasper.

Detective Constable (DC) George Fancy

DC George Fancy, played by Poldark’s Lewis Peek. He first appeared in Series 5 Episode 1, Muse and in the end, he dies in the gang crossfire at the end of Series 5 Episode 6, Icarus.

Detective Inspector (DI) Ronnie Box and Detective Sergeant (DS) Alan Jago

DI Ronnie Box and DS Alan Jago, portrayed by Simon Harrison and Richard Riddell respectively. They both appeared in Series 6 Episode 1 Pylon, and in the end, DS Jago was fatally shot by DS Endeavour Morse, while DI Box is seriously wounded at the end of Series 6 Episode 4, Degüello.