British Mysteries & Thrillers to Watch Now 'Endeavour' Is Over

When Morse, based on the popular Colin Dexter books, initially premiered in 1987 on ITV with John Thaw as the titular inspector, it was probably just seen as yet another contemporary police procedural in a landscape filled with them. However, the series turned out to be a massive turning point. In the states, it was Mystery!'s first hit contemporary set mystery series, opening the door for the anthology series to move away from endless Arthur Conan Doyle and Agatha Christie and into the present day. And in the U.K., the original series, which ended in 2000 and the death of Thaw, turned out to be the basis for a four-decade franchise.

First came Lewis, then Endeavour, both launched as TV movies celebrating the original show anniversaries that were then spun into long running series. By the time Endeavour concluded in 2023, there had been a Morse series on TV for almost 35 years straight, and over 100 episodes between them. However, all good things must come to an end. Even though there is always the possibility that ITV could find a new entry point into the Morse Cinematic Universe, with Dexter's passing in 2017, the possibility seems more remote than it might have otherwise.

But fans shouldn't fret, there are still tons of British mysteries and thrillers to watch. Here's a rundown of the best options for those who are having a bit of withdrawal over the ending of Oxford's City's finest detective mind.