November 11, 2023: The Crime Binge continues!

Annika (2021 – ) Season 2

Witty, enigmatic DI Annika Strandhed heads up the Marine Homicide Unit, tasked with solving murders in and around the Scottish waters.

My thoughts: I continue to enjoy the series on the strength of its sharp humor and strong performance by Nicola Walker.  I just wish the mysteries were better crafted.

3.5/5

#CrimeBinge Happy Valley (2014-2023) Season 3

Drama set in Yorkshire about a troubled police sergeant coming face to face with her past.

My thoughts: Speaking of terrific performances, this series has them in spades highlighted by Sarah Lancashire.  The strong yet complex family dynamics continue in a third season that, while not as strong as its predecessor, does a great job of wrapping things up all the same.

4/5

The Capture (2019 – ) Season 1

When a British soldier is charged with a crime, the tenacious young detective handling his case begins to uncover a conspiracy.

My thoughts: A fantastic premise but ultimately altogether disappointing in that it cheats the viewer through narrative trickery, nonsensical time shifts, and flashbacks that never really happened.

3/5

Blue Lights (2023 – ) Season 1

Follows rookie police officers working in Belfast, a city in which being a frontline response cop comes with unique pressures and dangers.

My thoughts: A show that treads a lot of the same ground as its North American counterparts but with the intriguing background and socio-political ramifications of its Northern Ireland setting.

3.5/5

The Therapy/Sebastian Fitzek’s Therapy (2023 – ) Season 1

A psychiatrist deals with loss of his daughter, who has been missing for years.

My thoughts: I was honestly apprehensive going into this one because my friend, Alexander M. Ruemelin, is the showrunner and he is well aware of my very tough critique of the shows I’ve watched to date for this Crime Binge.  “Don’t watch it,”he said.  “Please, I beg of you.”  But I went ahead and watched – and was pleasantly surprised with this dark and haunting psycho-thriller about the pain of loss and the mind’s ability to cope.

4/5

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