Thursday 5 January 2017

Unforgotten - series 2 - ITV review


I'll be featuring a Forgotten Book tomorrow as usual. But first - it's Unforgotten time! Yes, the ITV drama that keep millions engrossed just over a year ago is back with a new cold case mystery. It aired this evening, and the first episode suggests that the key elements of the narrative structure will resemble those which worked so well the first time around.

This means a return for the detective duo played by Nicola Walker and Sanjeev Bhaskar, who make a very good combination. There is contrast between their characters and lives, but their relationship is not as edgy as that of so many cop pairings, and that's something I find rather refreshing.

Workmen engaged on dredging a river discover a suitcase, and when they open it up, they find inside the remains of a body. There's no obvious clue to the person's identity, but two significant items are found: a man' s watch, and a pager. Having establish that the deceased was stabbed, the first question for the police is: who was he? I'm hoping there's a very plausible reason why the killer left the watch and pager in the suitcase.

It turns out that the crime dates back just over a quarter of a century. We're introduced to a number of suspects, including a barrister who, despite his apparent urbanity, reacts furiously to provocation. A clue? Or is it too obvious? There's a teacher in the mix, and also a nurse. And what of the dead man's wife - who is herself a cop? Chris Lang's script kept me engrossed, and I'll definitely be watching this one take its course..

2 comments:

Nan said...

I was hoping you would write about this!! I just finished watching via Tunnelbear and I really liked it - maybe even more than the first one. They do make a great team. That Nicola W is the busiest actress I know. Amazing work she does. And I so enjoy Sanjeev B whenever I see him. One of my fave roles was in Lewis.

Martin Edwards said...

Always good to hear from you, Nan. One other point I might have mentioned is the excellent variety in locations.