Numerous photographs, plaques, and model ships seen in the background of his office as Chief Superintendent suggest prior service with the Royal Navy Submarine Service. As a young Constable in "Endeavour" Strange is already in the habit of addressing people as "matey". Slightly overweight, and given to bouts of pomposity, he is nonetheless a dependable and honest policeman, with his mind set on a career in the police. During the second series of "Endeavour", Strange is invited to become a Freemason and accepts. During the third series, set in 1967, he is promoted to Sergeant and subsequently moves from uniform to the Criminal Investigation Department as Morse's immediate superior. Morse questions whether Strange's involvement with Freemasonry may be behind his promotion, and Strange admits that this may be so, although unlike Morse he sees nothing wrong with this, saying that you have to "play the game" to get ahead.