Across the Pond: Brooding Detection

I could have done a retrospective of recent to-dos in the ecclesiastical world, but detailing the recent gatherings of the Southern Baptist Convention, the Anglican Church in North America, and the Presbyterian Church in America would cause a plank of wood to curl up. And that's with the ACNA provincial gathering being quality stuff (#gettingmynewbookofcommonprayersoon). 

One item of note has been that throughout late 2018 into 2019, the Davis family has been enjoying the addition of Britbox to our television experience. The Brits have always gone head and shoulders above almost all of American production in writing quality episodes and developing believable characters. I've watched the lion's share or all of seven key series that I think deserve viewing. Technically, that number is nine, but I'm not going to review Newzoids or Rovers. The first show up for props is one of the better mysteries out there.

Shetland is based on Ann Cleeves' Shetland Island mysteries and the gumshoe gambits of Inspector Jimmy Perez. I know what you're thinking...what's a Spanish name doing in the remote islands beyond the Scottish Highlands? Turns out one of the inspector's ancestors was a shipwrecked member of the Spanish Armada who turned up on the shore of Fair Isle and the genealogical remainder is history. Douglas Henshall plays Perez's character, bring laser-like focus to the role that requires a hardy soul weathered by the Shetland geography and culture.

In spite of the remote location, the Shetlands turn out to be quite the bloody center of activity. The first two series track fairly well with Cleeves' novels [first series of two episodes; second series of three two-episode mysteries] before expanding to six-episode series that track singular murders all the way to completion of justice. Perez has to contend with islanders who engage in underhanded business on the mainland of Scotland, savage murders, and the disappearance of a young man on a ferry crossing, just to name several vexing encounters. DS Allison 'Tosh' Macintosh and DC Sandy Wilson provide assistance to Perez (and you'll come to appreciate the positioning of CCTV cameras throughout the British Isles; a libertarian like me did, as well!). 

Perez is not a sulky detective who wiles away his off-hours with cigarettes, coffee, and beer. He is a widower, a devoted and loving single father to daughter Cassie, who is 18 going on 30. Managing a complex friendship with Cassie's biological father Duncan brings the kind of conflicted respect that only hard-nosed friends can have.

Moreso, the viewer falls in love with the Shetlands, a place that is hard to love, a locale where people carve out a difficult living of sorts, where natives are suspect of others nosing in and yet want justice and clarity. Often, to get that justice, Perez has to nose in more deeply than the residents might want.

But five series are already in the books with a sixth in the offing for 2020, I hope. Murder and evil can strike on rugged and remote terrain, and Perez is just the sort of steely angel of justice to bring a modicum of hope.