, an ITV crime series airing in the US on PBS, is how satisfyingly methodical it is. Created and written by Chris Lang, each season explores one “historical” crime over six episodes, with our beloved detectives doggedly working the case. With those detective’s personal lives only briefly touched upon, the seasons—with their long breaks in between—feel more like installments in an anthology.
“Well-plotted” may seem like damning with faint praise, but its importance really can’t be overstated, especially regarding a crime drama. Each hour is satisfying, ending with a cliffhanger, and it all wraps up with a complete picture of what happened by the finale . One of the other interesting facets of the series is that because the crimes took place so long ago, most of the characters are older, even elderly.
Season 4, once again cozily directed by Andy Wilson, starts with this same basic conceit: A body is found in a freezer when items are being moved in a junk yard, but though the corpse is shockingly well-preserved, the discovery is particularly gruesome because it’s missing its head and hands. Cassie and Sunny are quickly able to link the body to a missing person from 1990, and intriguingly, to a car full of then-newly-minted police officers who were the last people to see him alive.
Much of Season 4 revolves around the corrupting influence of anger, both from those involved with the crime and Cassie herself, who is grieving her father’s sudden re-marriage and increasing hostility / memory issues. Compounding that,leans into the “one last job” trope as Cassie is desperate to retire but is just three months shy of her 30-year pension. She returns to her team tired and battered down, but mostly angry about everything.
The series will also be getting on with it for another season beyond this one, despite a big change that comes in the final episode. It’s the only time I’ve truly questioned’s pace and decision-making, as that twist threatens to seriously undermine the season and so much of what the show is about. But for now,mostly retains the core of its excellence: its storytelling, its compelling characters, its fascinating cases. It’s not flashy and it’s not out to change the world.