Sleepin_Dragon

Karen continues to dig for information, and finally gets a break. She opts to keep the theft of her laptop quiet, along with her relationship with Phil. Isla starts her own digging, while DI Lees piles on the pressure and tries to coax her into spying on the team.

I'm struggling to see what Phil sees in Karen. She's written with so little personality here, quite hard to warm to, and to top it all she's sporting a bumbag. It can't just be me.

Is it me, or is this one a little tougher to follow? Episode one flowed so well, but this felt choppier, and I found myself having to spool back a few times to keep track.

Murray remains a puzzle - I can't tell if he's quietly brilliant or just a bit ditsy. Bel, meanwhile, should probably be running the whole investigation; she's got more shape and intuition than everyone else combined.

And when I closed my eyes during that prison scene, I swear I could hear Jimmy Cranky.

It's good, but it does feel padded in places. Hopefully the finale pulls a big twist out of the bag, because it could do with something dynamic.

6.5/10.

Ridley and Carol now have to find Tara and solve a murder, and they're left to decide whether the two cases are linked or simply running in parallel.

This was much more like it. I said in the previous episode that it had a Vera vibe, and that's even stronger here. The story is intriguing, and the conclusion is surprisingly satisfying - not at all the outcome I was expecting.

Acting is strong once again. Dunbar is excellent throughout, and I'll admit I even enjoyed his singing this time. It sounded noticeably more polished - I suspect this one may have taken a quick detour through a recording studio.

I do have a couple of gripes: two storylines were woefully underdeveloped. Darren's need for money leads absolutely nowhere, making his subplot feel pointless. And the Annie and Harry situation - all that build-up around the pin - fizzles out with little payoff.

Will the show return? Hard to say. With Line of Duty apparently returning to sort out the long-abandoned H plot, I'm beginning to have my doubts.

8/10.

Tara Dunning vanishes from the family farm, leaving a concerned husband and a few unanswered questions. Local Celia Machin is eager to cast suspicion, and an obvious target, with a history, soon emerges. Ridley reluctantly steps back from the bar just when Annie needs him.

I've been fairly critical of this second series, but credit where it's due - it's concluding in style.

This first instalment is great. All the strong elements I loved from the first series are present: a compelling story, well-drawn characters, and genuine tension. It feels story-driven, which is a relief, because too often this series has leaned on politics and soap-style distractions that didn't quite land. Here, aside from a brief Darren subplot, it's all about Tara's disappearance.

We finally get more insight into Harry and what makes him tick. The excellent John Michie has been largely silent this series, a shame, but I suspect the next episode will give him his moment.

Acting is strong across the board. Maggie Steed, as ever, is a delight to watch and delivers a quietly very good here.

I may be wrong, but this felt like an episode of Vera with Ridley inserted - cold, gritty, Northern drama. That opening sequence definitely had a Vera vibe.

8.5/10.