The Chemistry of Death

Having read the books, I was excited to see this had been dramatised.

I was however shocked to reach the equivalent end of the first book by the beginning of episode 3. Everything just felt very rushed, with lots of important events and scenes missed. There was barely any building of characters or their back stories, with some characters completely missing who were important to the story in the books.

I'm not sure whether reading the books made it less enjoyable being aware of these ommisions, but it certainly felt underwhelming and decidedly rushed throughout.

I understand literary and poetic licence, but whilst it wasn't a bad production and the casting and acting was good, this didn't hit the spot if you've enjoyed the books.

A great book with an adaptation that lacks a bit of suspense - What the audience is offered is nothing that you haven't seen in other British crime series in one form or another: from the investigator who is tormented by private demons, to the village one Setting with dense forests and aging pubs where everyone knows everyone else, all these elements have long been seen in much more interesting implementations. The acting isn't particularly good either. What is reproduced in the original book through interesting and professional monologues by a forensic scientist only works like annoying talk in the series.

The biggest weakness of the series, however, is that the pacing is simply not right here. The first episode babbles along lamely, in the second the events roll over - cliffhangers included - before everything is dealt with very quickly in the third and Hunter is sent to his next investigations just as briskly as he is unmotivated. Real tension, for which the name Simon Beckett actually stands for fans, never wants to arise there. Maybe a movie would have been better than a series. All in all an average crime thriller that could have been much better with the excellent book template.

TV shows are made from many different ingredients and in the case of The Chemistry... some are good but unfortunately it's the bad ones that give the flavor. The good ones: main cast is solid, cinematography nice and the overall feel one of a high quality production inspired by shows like True Detective. But the main plot and every second scene just make no sense, so much so that you watch with growing resistance. And it's not just the emotionally incredulous things like having flashbacks of your dead baby girl running happily on a beach while you're in a ruined cottage with a horribly burned and disfigured murder victim or technicalities like having a SWAT team on standby in a small village. It's even mundane things like people wearing rain coats in a storm but never zipped and not putting hoods on, professional police investigators leaving bagged evidence scattered all over the murder scene or knowing a big storm is coming but not securing a body in an already weather damaged shack. I really wanted to love this show. Instead I just grew more and more irritaded with each episode. A shame cause it could've been a really iconic show and Threadway has potential to pull off a complex, disturbed yet charismatic character, the likes of Sherlock Holmes.

The best about this show is undoubtedly the cinematography. Many times, it just takes the breath away. And not just the landscapes, but rather how they use it to depict characters, the scene, the environment they are in, the mood, the atmosphere. That is outstanding, 10/10. The story is arresting, dark from the very start, and just goes on and on to build up the protagonist of the series, a forensic pathologist riddled with guilt about his past. I would say, that's the less convincing - however, vital - element of the character, the theme about it well overused (in my opinion). The score is good, original and well in sync with the cinematography. One of the best English series in recent years. You won't be disappointed if you watch it, for sure.

Started well, but let's be honest, you've seen it a thousand times before. I personally get particularly frustrated by a father constantly chasing the shadow of a passed child, but then that's just me. It's difficult to invest in any one of the characters, especially the lead role. Thankfully it doesn't delve into the Dexter/Da Vinci's Demons style crime scene overview each time he assesses a dead body or that would be it!

It may improve as the series moves on, but I'm of an impatient nature so ep 3 was about my limit. If you like predictable, crime scene investigation then its not terrible, but if you prefer to be kept guessing then leave well alone.