BRITISH CRIME DRAMA. “Happy Valley.” / “Karen Pirie.” / “Shetland” Season 10 / “Unforgotten” Season 1.

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“Happy Valley” (Britbox) British crime drama, focusing on Catherine Cawood, a dedicated police sergeant in West Yorkshire dealing with personal trauma while fighting local crime.



       This series won the 2015 BAFTA Award for Best Drama Series, and won another BAFTA for Best Drama for the second series.

       Drawn from the astonishing script by Sally Wainwright and Sarah Lancashire's magnificent performance, this 3-season series could be in the Top 5 of my Best TV Series of all time. Some critics saw the opposite as in “cliché-ridden” and “blokey police procedurals" but that'd be their frigid “correctness” talking. The wicked realness of “Happy Valley” is unquestionable to men 🎥👍📽


“Karen Pirie” (Amazon Prime) British crime drama, based on the Inspector Karen Pirie series of novels by Val McDermid. 


       In the first series, a young detective sergeant, Karen Pirie, is put in charge of a twenty-five year-old cold case, the unsolved murder of a barmaid. The second series deals with a kidnapping/murder in the 1980s. 

       Take note that this project was brought to us by the same crew that made the excellent “Line of Duty.” They don't disappoint. 

       Lauren Lyle as DS/DI Karen Pirie is also a welcome introduction because she is much younger than more detectives. Along with her second in command DC/DS Jason "Mint" Murray, played by Chris Jenks. 

       Karen's zeal and insistence is old-school, pretty much like grandma Brenda Blethyn's “Vera.” And Ms Pirie even wears the 1980s hip pack! Scripting is tight and the thrill element is fast-paced. No boring moments. 🎥💻📽


“Shetland” (Britbox) Season 10. British crime drama. The stories take place largely on the eponymous archipelago, although some of the filming takes place on the Scottish mainland. 


       Originally based upon the novels of Ann Cleeves, Douglas Henshall starred as DI Jimmy Pérez in the first seven series, while Ashley Jensen portrayed DI Ruth Calder from the eighth series.

       In Season 10, DI Calder and DI Alison "Tosh" MacIntosh (Alison O'Donnell) investigate the murder of Eadie Tulloch, a retired social worker found dead in the isolated hamlet of Lunniswick. The six-part series uncovers deep-seated community secrets, corruption, and a personal betrayal involving Sgt Billy McCabe. 

       Yes, I just realized that this is now the 10th Season. I don't intend to compare though that Mr Henshall's Seasons are more interesting than the last three although the small-town allure and mysterious intimacy remain as this show's viewer magnet. 🎥💻📽


“Unforgotten” (Amazon Prime) Season 1. British crime drama that follows a team of London detectives as they solve cold cases of disappearance and murder. This series runs for 6 Seasons but Amazon wants more money for those so we just chucked it.



       Season 1, which hints at other Seasons’ themes, deals with a cold case, introducing seemingly unconnected characters who are gradually revealed to have some relationship with the victim. As the murder mystery unfolds, the emotional ramifications of the crime on the lives of those affected are also explored.

       This is an intriguing watch albeit not as dramatically intense or edge-of-seat thriller as most British shows that I've seen. Still interesting. 🎥💻📽


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