The Silence

I found the ensemble cast inspired when I decided to stream this British drama...so many familiar faces :). The storyline was intriguing and fresh, which is what got me to watch it in the first place. Going through the episodes, I found a lot to love, even the circuitous route the plot was taking. However, once you get into the final episode, you are left with the decided impression you have been set up, and not in a good way.

I appreciate good storytelling, in fact I prefer it to insipid and cliché meanderings that are rampant and clog up the tele on both sides of the pond. I do not however, appreciate the multitude of hanging threads that are in dire need of snipping in the end. Whether this was the intent, laziness, or simply a segway to inspire a further episodic endeavor (never to ultimately materialize), the end, which is not an end, leaves you with something of a bitter taste and feeling a bit betrayed. I guess there are suckers born every minute and this serves as a rather unsubtle reminder. It ruins what could otherwise make it a great series, hence my 7 rating.

There are a multitude of twists and interesting plot points throughout, hinting at the serpentine conspiracy to cover up corruption and murder. So many guilty parties outside the primary two that sit at its heart...but each tantalizing tidbit that hints at other key players is sadly left to dangle. I am fabulous at whodunits....but just because I can see the angles and conspirators, doesn't mean they shouldn't be explored...in fact the story demands it. DI Edwards is awash in a sea of conspirators in his own department, in superiors, in the drug squad...but the writers never take the time to fully develop them. There is a great story here dying to be spun out...a conspiracy of corruption so serpentine it aches to be explored...but it seems the interest was not there or it wouldn't have been quashed at four episodes. What a waste, a sad, sad waste of a talented cast and potential at great drama.

This was a very intriguing suspenseful show; however, the ending was terrible. There should have been at least one more episode to tie up all the loose ends. The last episode also had very poor picture quality: the storyline was, however, fabulous.

I liked the show but was challenged with the uncle, the police investigator's behaviour towards his children and the niece - what a right ass. Why is she lying, why accuse her, yell at her and treat her badly? He being a witness was all about him. Otherwise was suspenseful.

I enjoy Douglas Henshall in Shetland so I thought I'd give The Silence a go. Although the characters were hard to be empathetic for, especially the whiny pip-squeak older son, I gradually got into the storyline of the 4 episodes about a young deaf girl that witnesses a woman getting killed by 2 corrupt cops and her Uncle, Henshall, trying to bring them to justice. BUT then I had to endure one of the worst and most poorly written endings of a multi episode show that I've seen in a long time. A middle schooler in creative writing class could have written a better, more complete and satisfying ending than the writers of The Silence. If you start, know what you're getting yourselves in for!

4 stars for 4 episodes. Wish I had come here and read the reviews about the show first I would've never started it. I absolutely hate shows that do this leave all these loose ends hanging with an ending where you're supposed to try to figure out what "you think" happens. This show was really good- tense, interesting unusual story line, some great acting. I was enjoying watching it and then I pause it for a minute during the last episode to see that there was only four minutes left and knew immediately this is going to be one of "those shows". A show with no real ending. I am really angry right now.