After such high anticipation, being something who has been a loyal follower of 'Endeavour' and the 'Inspector Morse' franchise from the very beginning, the first episode of Season 8 "Striker" was a major disappointment while not being a complete mess. So hopes were not as high for "Scherzo" in the fear that the disappointment would continue. Despite though that the premise for this episode was a lot more appealing and felt truer to earlier seasons 'Endeavour'.
Thankfully "Scherzo" was a major improvement. While "Striker" was average and not up to usual 'Endeavour' standard, "Scherzo" was very good indeed with many elements being excellent in fact. What didn't uncharacteristically work in the previous episode is vastly improved upon. Is it one of the best 'Endeavour' episodes? No it isn't, it is not as good as most of the episodes of the earlier seasons while being better than most episodes from the later ones.
"Scherzo" isn't perfect. Everything with Strange and Joan felt shoehorned in and doesn't add much. Some may say that Morse's mother conflict was a distraction, actually thought that that worked much better and it did further Morse's character and foreshadowed how he would become in 'Inspector Morse' (both the iconic TV series and the books).
Would have liked the denouement to have been longer, there was a lot of information to take in with what turned out to be a quite complicated case with a solution that is the opposite of obvious and it did feel slightly rushed.
However, so much is great. The production values are infinitely better than they were in "Striker". This is not indicative of tight budget and rushed deadlines, like the footballing plotline scenes did previously and is instead closer to the outstandingly high visual quality of the previous seasons. The episode looks very atmospheric and handsome in photography and production design and the 70s period is evocatively done. The music is its usual haunting and melancholic self, the theme tune still iconic.
Moreover, the writing is intelligent and thought provoking, with some initial light-hearted-ness that doesn't sink into vulgarity and the heavier tone it adopts later is done seriously enough without being too much so. The story is suitably intricate and quite dark with the murders suitably brutal, it's complicated but doesn't come over as convoluted (or at least to me it didn't). The nudist colony setting is used effectively, and is not vulgar or too sleazy. The acting is stellar, Shaun Evans and Roger Allam never disappointed throughout 'Endeavour's' run and their chemistry is magic. Linda Rook is the supporting standout and has suitably intense chemistry with Evans, it was like the long gap between her last appearance and this did not happen.
Concluding, very good and a major improvement. 8/10.