Deeply haunting, with a justified 8.9 rating as of this moment. Four gripping main arcs (see below) with fine casts, some state-of-the-art and humane team police-work, vivid locations, and a certain social value, though left murky is where the inadequate "system" should go from here.
There is also quite a loose-ends count, caused primarily by muchos time assigned to extraneous issues of Cassie, her father and son, and Sunny, all tangential to this investigation, which could have been moved to less-packed episodes. Some actors and their personas really were owed more detailed resolutions, more happy landings than we saw.
(1) Sara, a Moslem victim: Hauntingly played by a stoic Badria Timimi (her agent should please upload a good photo and full bio to the Pro area here) in the least resolved outcome, with an excellent Hassan Mahmoud as kind husband, plus three kids, an errant father, a Moslem community and a school-board committee. Given that her teenage history leaks out: How did she off the guy in the drifting sailing boat? Does her ticked off son come full circle? She had been exploited by some others than Walker: do they walk? What of the new steady-state of the middle eastern community? Does she get a better women's space in the mosque? And top unresolved plot points: Is she ever told that she is no longer under threat? And does she get the new headmistress job or doesn't she - continue her vital work?
(2) Colin, a lawyer (public defender?) and ex financial wizard by a fine Mark Bonnar, a non-gay who struck a nice one for gays: What happened to his blackmailers? How was the "suicide" hanging in a forest achieved? Did he and the boyfriend get to keep the attractive little adoptee or foster child? Was everyone at his former employers put right about a trumped up rape charge? Did he keep his law license? And top unresolved plot point: Is he ever told that he is no longer under threat? But big pluses: of the gang of three, he was the one that explained most vividly to Cassie what the three (and by extension tens of thousands of others) had had to live through. And he could probably stick to his vital work.
(3) Marion, a cancer nurse, by a compelling Rosie Cavaliero: What was the final state of her husband, her supervisor, and her enabler mother? Why a suitcase and no attempt at faking a suicide? How did she get him into it and transport it? Why a shallow river? And top unresolved plot point: Is she ever told that she is no longer under threat? But big pluses: her pet patient might perhaps live, and the scorching u-turn of her sister (wow) when the revelations finally hit home. And she could probably stick to her vital work.
(4) Walker's ex wife and enabler by a steely Lorraine Ashbourne. Did she get to keep her police job? Get away with her enabling? Get her son (Will Brown) back, after putting him through a 180? She seemed to get off too lightly, though her excuse that the 80s were a free-for-all on easy victims was a minor plus.
I've seen Nicola Walker play a similar type on Broadway; in smart lead-from-behind and empathy, she has carved out an impressive niche. Sanjeev Bhaskar makes a likeable and loyal #2. Caroline Main, Lewis Reeves, and Jordan Long (is he funny or what?!) are shrewed supporting investigators. Andy Wilson is a talented, fast-paced director. And Chris Lang is maybe the best script-writer on humanity & crime; he goes the extra mile on modern investigation methods, but might watch the pesky loose ends. :-)
There is also quite a loose-ends count, caused primarily by muchos time assigned to extraneous issues of Cassie, her father and son, and Sunny, all tangential to this investigation, which could have been moved to less-packed episodes. Some actors and their personas really were owed more detailed resolutions, more happy landings than we saw.
(1) Sara, a Moslem victim: Hauntingly played by a stoic Badria Timimi (her agent should please upload a good photo and full bio to the Pro area here) in the least resolved outcome, with an excellent Hassan Mahmoud as kind husband, plus three kids, an errant father, a Moslem community and a school-board committee. Given that her teenage history leaks out: How did she off the guy in the drifting sailing boat? Does her ticked off son come full circle? She had been exploited by some others than Walker: do they walk? What of the new steady-state of the middle eastern community? Does she get a better women's space in the mosque? And top unresolved plot points: Is she ever told that she is no longer under threat? And does she get the new headmistress job or doesn't she - continue her vital work?
(2) Colin, a lawyer (public defender?) and ex financial wizard by a fine Mark Bonnar, a non-gay who struck a nice one for gays: What happened to his blackmailers? How was the "suicide" hanging in a forest achieved? Did he and the boyfriend get to keep the attractive little adoptee or foster child? Was everyone at his former employers put right about a trumped up rape charge? Did he keep his law license? And top unresolved plot point: Is he ever told that he is no longer under threat? But big pluses: of the gang of three, he was the one that explained most vividly to Cassie what the three (and by extension tens of thousands of others) had had to live through. And he could probably stick to his vital work.
(3) Marion, a cancer nurse, by a compelling Rosie Cavaliero: What was the final state of her husband, her supervisor, and her enabler mother? Why a suitcase and no attempt at faking a suicide? How did she get him into it and transport it? Why a shallow river? And top unresolved plot point: Is she ever told that she is no longer under threat? But big pluses: her pet patient might perhaps live, and the scorching u-turn of her sister (wow) when the revelations finally hit home. And she could probably stick to her vital work.
(4) Walker's ex wife and enabler by a steely Lorraine Ashbourne. Did she get to keep her police job? Get away with her enabling? Get her son (Will Brown) back, after putting him through a 180? She seemed to get off too lightly, though her excuse that the 80s were a free-for-all on easy victims was a minor plus.
I've seen Nicola Walker play a similar type on Broadway; in smart lead-from-behind and empathy, she has carved out an impressive niche. Sanjeev Bhaskar makes a likeable and loyal #2. Caroline Main, Lewis Reeves, and Jordan Long (is he funny or what?!) are shrewed supporting investigators. Andy Wilson is a talented, fast-paced director. And Chris Lang is maybe the best script-writer on humanity & crime; he goes the extra mile on modern investigation methods, but might watch the pesky loose ends. :-)
