Without Sin

STAR RATING: ***** Brilliant **** Very Good *** Okay ** Poor * Awful

Stella (Vicky McClure) gets by driving a night cab, but carries a dark burden. A few years ago, her daughter was found dead by her at home, with the suspect, Charles (Johnny Harris) fleeing. Now in jail for her daughter's murder, Charles has reached out to Stella, asking to speak with her via a Restorative Justice meeting. Persuaded to go along by an intermediary, Stella is shocked when Charles begs his innocence, shouting out a name that he says will prove this. It all leads to a devastating showdown with a local crime family, but the truth may be more disturbing than either of them could have imagined.

In a time where terrestrial TV struggles to compete with the vast array of streaming services dominating the market, it's good to know there's still plenty of homegrown dramas put out by the mainstream channels, capable of competing with the endless stream of content offered by those. Without Sin, from writer Frances Poletti and director AI Mackay, proves to be one such example, an assured, capable four part production that has a rewarding pay off.

The dark subject matter is given a suitably bleak presentation, with Mackay shooting his project in a fittingly saturated, blurry style throughout. This is matched by the lead performances, with McClure leading the show, shining brightly as a woman who's had the life and soul beaten out of her, exploding in certain scenes, most notably in a scene over a motorway bridge. Harris is always perfect in these dark, sinister roles, and here he carries it away as a seeming monster, who may not be all he seems. It all pays off with a genuinely unexpected, shock twist that you're diverted from guessing.

There's little in the way of laughs, so anyone wanting humour and light may look elsewhere, but as a firm, solid thriller, it does all the right things and pays off quite fine. ****

Gotta say that was fantastic and gripping from the start to finish. I won't put spoilers as I hate that happening. But it's definitely worth a watch. I was only watching one episode ended up till 2am watched all four of them. The actors and acting was exceptional as always with some of the people in it. I honestly don't think Vicky McClure as ever been in anything bad. She becomes the person she is playing so well and she is just one of the best actresses ever. A few actors from this us England is always good to see. Looking for my next series now for my my next Saturday off work. Watch it guys you will not regret it.

Interesting story. The usual. Wrong guy. Predators. People playing detective. Plot twists. Plot holes. Revenge. Misguided loyalties. Retribution. Struck by an ornament. Justice. Blah. Etc. Etc. But all I saw was that WIG. And that hat. Very distracting. Why couldn't she have had short hair. The short hair she had when her life was ok. Does a blonde bob equal a success hottie and a mousey shoulder length wig equals a depressed stoner... Doesn't make sense and adds nothing to the programme apart from a very distracting wig and beanies. Have I mentioned the wig?

But, seriously though, I can't get past that awful wig, it's so bad she has to spend the entire series wearing a hat to cover up the join, apart from when she has sex, oh and sits on a sofa, oh and loses it at the end, (they must've used gorilla glue for that part.) I think they must've got the wig off Ebay or maybe from Shein... Not sure but it ruined it for me. And it's so obviously a wig. I found the wig very distracting. If you watched it and didn't notice or get annoyed by the wig then you should be more wig aware. Oh and the ending is very Midsummer Murders!!!

Three years on from the murder of her daughter Maisy, Stella Tomlinson receives a visitor request from her miller Charles Stone. The meeting is intended to help Stella grieve, but Stone makes a shocking admission.

Worth noting that this series was co produced by it's lead stars, Vicky McClure and Johnny Harris, neither disappoint, both in terms of acting and input.

Without Sin is a great series, without a doubt this is one of the best crime dramas for some time, let's be honest there's nothing particularly new or original, but what is done, is done very, very well.

It is very well paced, gritty and often uncomfortable viewing, Stella's search for the truth is enthralling, you will spend the whole time wondering if Charles is lying or not, did he really do it, is he playing her along, you're made to wait.

Terrific acting, not just McClure and Harris, but Dorothy Atkinson, Callum Fuller and Con O'Neill. The only character I wasn't keen on, was that wig.

Well worth your time.

9/10.

This was an excellent Twixtmas binge-watch. ITV seems to have created a distinct genre of regionally filmed and located drama, and this one does not disappoint. The action slowly reveals the circumstances that led to a girl's death and then equally carefully strips away piece by piece all the certainties surrounding it. Cleverly, none of the characters from the grieving parents, to an exploited teenager appear particularly likeable, nor are they written to elicit the audience's sympathy. The drama also explores the grim reality of life in areas that are run by drug gangs and the pervasive grip of fear that such gangs can exert.