Above Suspicion

Typically busy, far-fetched crime drama from the well-worn pen of Lynda LapLante, played out as usual over three nights on prime-time ITV. Like its channel-mate "Trial and Retribution", it attempts to follow the successful trail of the Helen Mirren-starring "Prime Suspect" in laudably centring the sleuthing on a female character, in this case Kelly Reilly. However, whereas in "Prime Suspect", there was an undercurrent of down-to-earth realism, particularly in the lead character's portrayal, here you have to suspend all disbelief as Miss Reilly has to fend off almost everything in trousers, including the again almost cartoonishly over-the-top Ciaran Hinds as the tough-as-nails, bring-me-a-sandwich DCI to whom she reports.This she courts by permanently wearing a short skirt and high heels even when on muddy crime-scene locations together with pancaked make up and a pout that would put Victoria Beckham to shame.

Better to sidestep all this Betty Boop stuff, very possibly deliberate genre-subversion by LaPlante and concentrate on the story itself, which while lacking some originality as a heavyweight drug-dealer attempts to flood the UK with a deadly addictive drug and gets into complications with his ex-wife, her sister, his brother and a Columbian cartel hot on his trail, nevertheless by turns winds and rattles along to a big finish. Said drug-baron, to escape pursuit, pulls the old "Face-Off" transplant, before escaping the chasing Reilly and Hinds in a car versus plane set-piece, which I first remember seeing years ago, in "Charley Varrick".

At least the bad guy got away, reducing the perceived omnipotence of Reilly who seems blessed with the unfortunate gift of delayed-reaction photographic recall, which sees her periodically divine impossible clues just too late to help solve the actual case.

There's no doubt there'll be another entry in the series, if only to play out the hackneyed affair which has been beckoning for some time between the two leads. I'll watch it because I quite like high production TV crime procedurals, which this certainly is, but I won't kid myself that it's anything more than contrived pulp fiction at the end of the day.

Laura LaPlante has written many excellent scripts for British television, notably Prime Suspect and one of my favorites, the 1992 version of "Framed." Here she gives us "Above Suspicion," starring Kelly Reilly and Ciaran Hinds. The story arcs are done in a series of episodes -- the first story, about a serial killer, guest-starred Jason Durr in a fantastic performance, and the second story concerned someone who was copying the Black Dahlia murders. It was so interesting to me that the British detectives had never heard of the Black Dahlia, which in America is a famous case.

These episodes are pretty graphic. Kelly Reilly, as a woman in a man's world has a lethargic way about her, giving the impression that she can't do her job. I think this is an acting choice. - quiet, obedient, but resourceful and smart. It's not a particularly well-written role. Reilly is gorgeous, with striking coloring and a beautiful figure, and very intense eyes that seem to bore into the various characters. The script seems to depend a lot on the camera work, with her in closeup. The role definitely could be stronger.

Ciaran Hinds plays the somewhat unpleasant boss. He does a good job, almost too good because I really don't care for him.

Good enough that I would watch another episode if one came out on Netflix.

Another run-out for Ciaran Hinds, Kelly Reilly and the team, this time on the trail of the murderer of a promiscuous, drug taking young actress. As usual with La Plante, there are suspects a-plenty, sometimes there you fell just to flesh the story out and a major sub-plot with Hinds on the look-out for whoever's loose-lips cost him a coveted promotion. The convoluted plot, interspersed with a series of flash-backs, is brought, on thus occasion, I felt, to a less than riveting conclusion by the final scene, with the murderer in fact turning himself in by that point.

As for the acting, Hinds is good, perhaps helped by his more developed character, now less chauvinistic and shouty than before. Kelly Reilly as the ambitious, intuitive maverick in the pack still looks more befuddled than brainy in he part. There's some good acting in support, especially amongst the murdered girl's junkie so-called friends.

LaPlante no doubt felt at home portraying the acting world as scabrously as she does here and her dialogue for the most part rings true, but I felt an hour could have easily been lopped off the running-time and a few less unnecessary red-herrings dropped along the way which would have made the production correspondingly tighter and more compelling.

As a fan of mystery/detective dramas, 'Above Suspicion' is yet to grip me. It is not a terrible series and does have its good points, but has several big flaws. So far "Deadly Intent" is the weakest of the three seasons seen so far (have yet to see the fourth).

Sure, it is filmed stylishly and atmospherically and the locations are used well. No drabness or choppy editing in sight. The story never makes you want to look at your watch or do something else, though it is never completely gripping. The villain has some menace to him.

On the other hand, there are still a lot wrong with "Deadly Intent". Kelly Reilly gives her worst performance of the series yet, her expression is so limited, her line delivery has little expression and she is incredibly wooden. You can never shake off the feeling that she is implausibly young either. Even Ciaran Hinds, who actually was pretty good in the first two series, is not enough to save "Deadly Intent". Again Langton is too much of a sleaze and is too cartoonish, and while Hinds is more commanding and involved than Reilly he chews the scenery here to uncomfortable and misplaced effect.

The characters fail to be interesting, instead riddled with badly written and explored clichés. The relationship between the two characters continues to be contrived. The sound continues to sometimes be sloppy and out of sync, the dialogue never sounds natural and while it has its moments the story is convoluted in places and throughout lacks tension or suspense. The ending doesn't ring true at all either.

In conclusion, didn't do much for me and manages to be weaker than the average at best previous two series. 4/10 Bethany Cox

This reviewer neither loves or hates 'Above Suspicion'. In every series/season it has its good points, but also an equal number and in the case of the third season even more problems (with at least two of them quite big).

"Silent Scream" is an improvement over "Deadly Intent", and of the four series of 'Above Suspicion' is perhaps second best to the first series, which as aforementioned is also heavily problematic. Starting with the positives, it's well made visually. It is filmed stylishly, tautly and atmospherically, it's moodily lit without being drab, the editing is never choppy or stiff and the locations are well utilised.

It's capably directed and scored ominously, and the portrayal of the acting world is convincing though shocking (scabrous is a good way to describe it too). Generally, apart from some stiffness here and there and major reservations still about the lead actress, "Silent Scream" contains the best acting of all four series. Ciaran Hinds is authoritative and also pleasingly much more subtle than before, effort is also made to develop Langton and here he is surprisingly much easier to relate to thanks to more balanced character writing.

Kelly Reilly however from the very start has been one of 'Above Suspicion's' biggest flaws, and it's the same here sadly. Other than that she looks implausibly young and sexy for the position her character is in the police force, Reilly is still very wooden with a limited range, a pallid presence and flat delivery of lines. The script has a little more intrigue, but is still riddled with clichés, lack of natural flow and triteness.

Despite Langton being more sympathetically written, the relationship between the two characters still doesn't convince with not enough time spent on it. The characters are very cardboard, sketchy in the case of most of the supporting characters, with only Langton getting any development. The story doesn't make one look at the watch or want to do something else, but it is not edge-of-your-seat compelling enough and it's sometimes convoluted. Tighter pacing, more development and a few parts trimmed would have helped things. Use of flashbacks are a mixed bag, some are interesting, others clumsily inserted. The anaemic, rather underdeveloped and incomplete-feeling ending underwhelms as well.

Overall, some good, some not so good, while the second best series of the whole show it's not much of an improvement over what proceeded it. 5/10 Bethany Cox