Innocent

Ticked all my boxes, a decent script, well directed, good performances from all. From start to finish it kept me hooked, and the story was plausable, unlike some dramas. Well worth viewing, and I liked the four consecutive night scheduling, as waiting for a month to find the truth, is frustrating for some of us.

Well written drama that didn't have the usual plot holes or unbelievable character actions that seem to plague a lot of these series. Well acted and plausible. Maybe the final disclosure was a bit 'hurried' but none the less all the episodes kept your interest. Recommended viewing for a 'two night' binge.

This excellent crime drama has just aired in New Zealand. Each episode keeps moving and new twists to the story introduced. Obviously a tragic situation with a huge impact on the affected family, but the story keeps moving to discover who is the perpetrator. I gave this a 10/10 (which is rare) simply because I was captivated to the end.

Directed by Richard Clark, Innocent is a four-part whodunit that is half by-the-book, paint-by-numbers, nothing-you-haven't-seen-before, and half superbly and realised and expansive family drama. The show begins with David Collins (Lee Ingleby) being acquitted for the murder of his wife, having already spent seven years in jail for the crime. Viewers are never left in any doubt as to Collins's innocence, which does have the unfortunate side-effect of making the characters who are convinced of his guilt seem either naive or antagonistic-by-default. Collins's quest to uncover the truth and learn why people he trusted lied during his trial is never especially gripping, with no real urgency, no major twists, and a decided sense of "is that it?"

Where the show really succeeds, however, is in the depth of Matthew Arlidge and Chris Lang's depiction of the secondary characters whose lives are changed irreparably as the effects of Collins's release ripple outward; his brother Phil (Daniel Ryan), with whom he moves in; his sister-in-law Alice (Hermione Norris), whose testimony that he beat his wife was an important factor in his conviction; her amiable husband Rob (Adrian Rawlins); DCI William Beech (Nigel Lindsay), the original lead investigator, who may (or may not) have suppressed evidence; DI Cathy Hudson (Angel Coulby), the new lead investigator, who also happens to be Beech's girlfriend; Collins's children, Jack (Fionn O'Shea) and Rosie (Eloise Webb), who were adopted by Alice and Rob after the trial; Tom Wilson (Elliot Cowan), Collins's former best friend, whose failure to provide him an alibi led to his conviction; Melissa Wilson (Hannah Britland), Tom's wife, who suspects he knows more than he's letting on; and Louise Wilson (Christine Cole), Tom's ex-wife, who left him after she discovered his affair with Melissa. Each of these characters are given a fair amount of dialogue, screen time, and character development as the show lets the whodunit plot fade somewhat into the background, and it's here where the narrative is at its most enjoyable. It's not going to change your life, but it's worth a look.

The first season of Innocent was released in 2018, four episodes of solid writing and acting. I thought it was canceled as I didn't see a season 2 in 2019. Then lo and behold season 2 shows up in 2021. Not totally unusual, the great Swedish police procedural "Beck" started in 1998 and about every two years or so another few episodes come out.

Season 1 & 2 are separate stories with new actors. Hope there is a season 3 next year.