Cop procedural based on novels of Ann Cleeves. Can’t speak for the novels, but the first episode of the tv version wasn't great. An intriguing set-up yielded the laziest of denouements, based on the 'because he's mad’ motive.
In other episodes, viewers were treated to tired old chestnuts such as that of a trained policeman turning his back on a suspect to rescue a victim in a cellar, having been sent to a remote farmhouse on his own. (The two viewers in the UK who have never seen a cop show may not have guessed what would happen, but they were probably doing something more interesting with their Sunday evenings anyway.) The dialogue included such gems as, “Those who profit from violence aren’t above using it to their own advantage.” Really? Even a be-cardiganed Brenda Blethyn can’t make this a long-stayer, surely?
The final episode had just too many TWNHs to list, straining our credulity to the point of no return right from the pre-credit rescue of the drowning boy, who is the only witness to a brutal murder.... Stop us if you think you've heard this one before. The dialogue was yet again aimed at those unfamiliar with the notion of cop shows, or perhaps both cops and shows:
"He says he's the boy's father." (I paraphrase here)
"He could be lying."
"Why would he lie? Anyway, the DNA test will tell us."
Would two police officers, both in on the interview with the suspect and familiar with DNA swabbing, have this conversation? Presumably the suspect might just also be aware that saying he's the father would mean a paternity test?
Even if we could forgive all of the above and replace the 'gritty' Tyneside setting with, say, Neverland, we can't bring ourselves to forgive Brenda's shouting at everyone every five minutes. If she wants to be Boyd from 'Waking the Dead' she's missed the boat. If real cops yell like tv cops all the time, there must be a high rate of deafness among the ranks.
The final episode had just too many TWNHs to list, straining our credulity to the point of no return right from the pre-credit rescue of the drowning boy, who is the only witness to a brutal murder.... Stop us if you think you've heard this one before. The dialogue was yet again aimed at those unfamiliar with the notion of cop shows, or perhaps both cops and shows:
"He says he's the boy's father." (I paraphrase here)
"He could be lying."
"Why would he lie? Anyway, the DNA test will tell us."
Would two police officers, both in on the interview with the suspect and familiar with DNA swabbing, have this conversation? Presumably the suspect might just also be aware that saying he's the father would mean a paternity test?
Even if we could forgive all of the above and replace the 'gritty' Tyneside setting with, say, Neverland, we can't bring ourselves to forgive Brenda's shouting at everyone every five minutes. If she wants to be Boyd from 'Waking the Dead' she's missed the boat. If real cops yell like tv cops all the time, there must be a high rate of deafness among the ranks.
No comments:
Post a Comment