What Remains

The Brits have made and are making so many good (mini-)series that, for the sake of novelty, one should find a distinctive feature from time to time. In the one in question, the events happen in a tenement house mostly, and their origins bring us back to the time years ago. The occupants of the house are different and seem happy, but soon it appears that nothing is so good as it seems...

The tensions are maintained, the flashbacks are clarifying (not annoying and enhancing length as sometimes), and the cast measures up to their characters - without someone who is evidently "better", i.e. more interesting than others. Well, David Threlfall as DI Len Harper spent most time on screen and depicted his odd character very well, but as it is my first conscious perusal with his talent, he was just "good among the goodies". But I have certainly fixed him in my memory.

The ending / final solutions could have been less trivial, with a twist or something, but, luckily there were no supernatural forces included. And last but not least - the title! With a sophisticated and versatile meaning.

Somehow missed this first time around but have recently watched on catch-up. Truly excellent acting and gripping story. An absolute delight to watch. This shows what the BBC could do when it had a well funded drama budget. Please watch as I guarantee very few can watch this and not be impressed and frightened. Psycho definitely comes to mind.

I've watched the first 3 episodes (out of 4 I think) and am really enjoying this, as is my husband.

It is an intriguing mystery about a young woman found dead in an attic many months after her death, and a cop's attempts to find out who did it and why nobody noticed she was missing for so long.

For a TV drama, I'm finding this particularly gripping. It is very well directed and acted, particularly from the victim and the 17 year old son of the journalist. And its nice to see Russell Tovey's and Stephen Mackintosh's darker side - they are both very good too.

I can't think what else to write in this tenth line other that to recommend that you give it a go on catch up or catch it next time.

DCI Len Harper, is due to retire, his last case, the death of Melissa Young, who has laid dead for two years in the too flat in a curious house.

I would suggest it feels very Ruth Rendell, this could easily have been one of her books. It's quite a bleak story, with an incredibly dark conclusion.

Not a House in would want to live in, all the residents are liars and monsters. Literally each room contains a cheat, liar or bully.

David Threlfall is terrific throughout, very strong performances from Russell Tovey, Indira Varma and David Bamber.

It deals with love, loathing, domestic abuse, and many other human ills.

A true house of horrors, it's very, very good, 9/10.

I agree with a few other reviewers about the especially-twisting last segment. Stressful, laid it on a bit thick, but that did not diminish my enjoyment of the show. My strongest reaction to that was, we humans sure can miss a lesson (I think I can write this without being a spoiler): the new mix of tenants toward the end actually does what the first mix was so bummed about - not looking out for their neighbors.

I liked the acting, the characterization, the story. I happen to be reading about observation skills the last few weeks... working on perception bias (is what you first thought really a clear read on the situation), and this show ended up being a great lesson on that! Almost every scenario is at least a bit different than you would think on the outside. So, bravo on that.

I recommend a viewing for those who like the twisty mystery without excessive violence or ugliness!