The Red King

After exposing two corrupt colleagues, Detective Grace Narayan is banished to a remote Welsh Islands. No sooner tbab she arrives, she hears of the disappearance of young Cai Pridaux, a year ago, Grace is keen to learn why the case was ignored.

Writer Toby Whithouse certainly has a degree of pedigree, and this series is another shining example of his talent.

Think Midsomer Murders meets The Wicker Man, it's very much a murder mystery, with a group of very strange locals. It held my attention from start to finish.

There are some excellent performances, Anjli Mohindra puts in a first class performance, she does a first rate job. Credit also to Mark Lewis Jones and Adjoa Andoh, the pair are excellent.

Part of me wishes it had actually been filmed in Wales, just to add that little bit of authenticity, although the location filming is tremendous.

Why was this not on one of the 'main' channels, makes no sense.

8/10.

Thoroughly enjoyed this show, you will get the wicker man vibes mixed with Hot Fuzz. Basically police sergeant forced out of her division due to whistle blowing on two other officers gets a new posting on a fictional Welsh island but the island has a secret. Coming to terms with a clearly weird populus she has to figure out the disappearance of a local child but uncovers much more. It will keep you guessing till the final episode and split your moral stance on what would you do in that situation. This had my wife and I gripped and we both thoroughly enjoyed it. The only thing that confused me is her last posting is in Newcastle and she's posted to St Jory a fictional island off the cost of Wales (shot in Cranstan, Alnwick Northumberland) which is reinforced with Jill Halfpenny turning up help with forensic investigation. Yet it seems Newcastle police have influence over this Welsh island and not say local Swansea police.

"The Red King" emerges as a genre-defying series that intricately weaves elements of traditional police procedural with the eerie undertones of cult classics like "The Wicker Man." Set against the backdrop of a secluded Welsh island, the narrative follows Sergeant Grace, portrayed with compelling depth by Anjli Mohindra. Her character, a whistleblower ostracized from her previous post, finds herself grappling with the island's insular and mystifying ethos.

The series expertly employs a slow-burn narrative approach, reminiscent of "Midsomer Murders," yet infused with a palpable tension akin to "Hot Fuzz." This pacing allows the mysterious and slightly grotesque local customs to unfold with a rhythm that entices the viewer into its increasingly opaque world. The cinematography reinforces this mood, capturing the stark beauty of the Welsh landscape while accentuating the isolation that envelops Grace.

Supporting performances, particularly by James Bamford as Constable Owen, offer a nuanced counterbalance to Mohindra's intensity, enriching the dynamic between the outsider law enforcement and the wary local populace. The plot thickens around the disappearance of a local boy, unraveling over episodes peppered with subtle hints of gore and ritual, culminating in a finale that challenges the viewer's moral compass.

"The Red King" also deftly incorporates thematic elements of folklore and myth, portraying the local population's adherence to a cryptic cult. This motif is visualized through the use of symbolic and unsettling mask imagery, which serves as a constant reminder of the community's arcane secrets. The narrative complexity is further enhanced by the script's sharp dialogue and the characters' ambiguous moral alignments, creating a tapestry rich with thematic depth.

In sum, "The Red King" stands out as a meticulously crafted series that blends crime-solving with psychological horror, offering a fresh take on the detective genre. Its ability to maintain suspense while slowly peeling back layers of character and plot invites comparisons to the slow, menacing unravel of a classic Hitchcock thriller. For aficionados of finely tuned suspense and folklore-infused narratives, "The Red King" promises a uniquely haunting viewing experience.

Grace, Anjli Mohindra, is a police sergeant transfered, as a punishment, to replace Guffud,Mark Lewis Jones, the recently retired sergeant on a remote island off the Welsh coast. She is in charge of the entire island force. That is her and a constable, Owen, played by James Bamford.

This series has obvious similarities to the classic film 'the Wicker Man' with a solitary outsider police officer and a local population unwelcoming to incomers, although in this case Grace does slowly get Owen on side in the investigation of a local boy who went missing a year previously. She conducts a search of the island and inevitably finds a body and challenges Guffud on his inept handling of the investigation when he was in charge.

Trying to get the truth from a population that all seem to be members of a weird cult and spend much of their time wearing strange masks. Full marks to Grace for taking up the challenge.

I enjoyed this series and found Anjili Mohindra a very engaging character and definitely wanted her to suceed.

Although this series is basically a police drama with a case to solve the whole weird cult thing and the slightly creepy locals make this a bit different to the normal formula.

I'm not sure the welsh tourist board will be to enthralled with the idea that it has places where the locals are members of a religious cult and seem to be a few brain cells short of an amoeba.

Some class A hammy acting add to the fun and creepiness with the odd piece of gore to satisfy the horror lovers.

It isn't the fast paced sort of drama you get with modern police series, more a Midsommer Murders meets wicker man vibe.

All in all a decent binge watch and hopefully a second series will materialise.