You kind of know what you’re getting with Shetland, but enough people out there (certainly readers of this site) are having a proper pop at it, which is something I never thought I’d see. Their main problem? Ashley Jensen’s Ruth Calder character.
I get that the character is different from Jimmy Perez (she was bound to be and, actually, thank goodness she was), but I actually quite like her and her dynamic with Tosh. I might be in the minority there.
As for this series, the fact that I’m finding it merely average has nothing to do with Calder. It’s to do with the story itself, and halfway through, I still don’t really see it improving.
But press on we shall, because this show still has more than enough credit in the bank. At the end of the last episode, Euan Rossi revealed that Annie Bett was, in fact, a spy. The fact that Rossi, a handler of sorts, was willing to freely admit this to a local copper was a bit… well. But Annie Bett was a spy nonetheless, so Calder and Tosh’s investigation picked up some pace. The Danish family were interviewed again, Bergen’s character was also called into question… was he also undercover investigating the Jakobsons? And what is going on with the Harris family?
There was more drama with the old fella who was living in the motorhome. He had been watching the marine research centre one night from his high perch when he noticed something. So he headed down into the centre, where he heard strange noises. He soon went missing.
Now the focus was on the research centre, what its work might be and what Angus might have seen and/interrupted.
Paul Hirons
READ MORE: OUR EPISODE ONE REVIEW
READ MORE: OUR EPISODE TWO REVIEW
Shetland is broadcast in the UK on BBC One and iPlayer
