Hidden Depths

A teenager, Luke Armstrong, has been murdered in his home. Soon after this a young teacher, Lily Marsh, is murdered. On both cases is Detective Chief Inspector Vera Stanhope and Detective Sergeant Joe Ashworth. DCI Stanhope believes the cases are linked.

A good start to the series. Quite intriguing and the perpetrator is far from obvious, making for a good mystery. Decent engagement too as we meet Vera and her team plus all the people the murders affect.

Far from perfect though. The plot is a bit clumsy at times and certain things seem to be there for style over substance. Once the murderer is known, some aspects of the plot don't make that much sense, though were intriguing when they appeared.

Coming off of "Midsomer Murders" then more recently "Lewis" this was certainly a jarring contrast. No beautiful homes, architecture or rubbing elbows with the upper crust. No bevy of beautiful glamorous starlet actresses.

I was only going to watch this episode and bolt up until The 3/4 mark of the episode. The wall to wall gloominess then kicked in to a fairly decent final 1/4. It will be interesting if future episodes are less depressing. The ending topped off a very creepy plot theme.

Brenda Blethyn and David Leon are quite good together. But, in general the episode lacked personality and went very heavy on police work and gloom. I'll give at least one more episode a try and go from there if I continue with the series. I usually like my detectives to have more of a zest for life.

How does series get through 9 seasons is beyond me. bad writing, bad acting, bad characters. so pathetic, is not even worth an actual review. where is inspecor morse when you need one.

How is it her subordinate, Joe Ashworth - and later DS Aden Healey, are able to cheek her? Everyone else in the office has to kowtow to her or fear her wrath!! But both of these young men are able to practically tell her off. I'm sure in a real room full of cops, if this kind of thing went on there would be complaints of discrimination!!!

This first episode introduces Brenda Blethyn's Vera as a curmudgeonly but determined detective inspector in the sparse north east landscape. She is muddling on after the recent death of her father whom she might not had always got on with.

Gina McKee plays a distraught mother whose son is found drowned just a few months after his friend was also found drowned. When a woman teacher is found dead, Vera thinks that the deaths are somehow linked especially by the way the bodies are laid out surrounded by flowers

Vera is assisted by her younger partner Sergeant Joe Ashworth (David Leon) both think a group of bird watching friends might hold a clue to the deaths.

An interesting starter with a few guest stars such as Murray Head playing a philandering professor. Maybe the episode tried too hard to disguise the actual culprit.