Shetland

I discovered 'Shetland' while clicking around on the media streamer XBMC late tonight. I became an instant fan. It delivers: plot, intrigue and suspense. There is lots of room for arm chair detective work. So many possibilities to look at. Is it power? Is it money? Is it about an old love or a new love? Is it an old feud that's gone on for generations and finally came to it's breaking point? Or is it simply an accident? One thing is for sure, there is a dead body and a detective who is on the case. He is skilled and insightful.

The Shetland landscape is beautiful, peaceful, isolated and full of history. It is as important to the story as any of the people. I look forward to the 2014 season.

I appreciate this type of crime story so much. For me the British deliver the best treatment of a murder mystery. This is the way to tell this type of story. The touch of Sherlock Holmes' creative mind and a land where intrigue and power struggles have been the way things were done since Merlin was learning magic. It grips my imagination, allows the me to be right there with the detective, looking right over his shoulder. Hurrah for the advent of media streaming. Now I really can always find something good to watch.

Shetland is just a ferry away from Aberdeen, where I had worked briefly for a period of time which is partly why I adore this television series. However, on it's own Shetland has had some incredibly complicated plots and the central characters to the plot are the ones you can identify with and care for as they try to bring a logical end to every case with good old school police work. I am a fan of Douglas Henshall as he plays DI Perez so convincingly and with an amazing depth that does at times compare with the best characters I have ever seen on TV or Film. Frankly, I cannot remember a single bad episode of Shetland unlike so many other TV series which are not quite as good throughout. Highly recommended for attentive TV viewing.

10 stars for the seasons with Douglas Henshall.

I loved the first 7 seasons of this show. It had everything just right, characters, cast, setting, stories, love & intrigue.

I've enjoyed it a lot, watched it 2x even.

I just finished the 8th season without Douglas Henshall and I really had to make myself stick with it and watch the last couple episodes.

To be honest, I feel the show would've been better without the new woman, Ashley Jensen. Why not let Tosh and Sandy carry it? They could do that. Flesh out their characters, promote Tosh, and simply get a new lower ranking officer in to provide a bit of newness. That would've worked better.

I understand it isn't easy to replace Douglas as he is such a strong actor and has such a powerful aura. That's going to take time for the audience as well as the cast, but for some reason I didn't like the story either. I got bored with it, which is why after watching 4 episodes it took quite some time for me to get back to watching the last two.

It made me wonder if there was more going on outside the main storyline in the previous episodes.

Things will probably get a bit easier with the next season, if there is going to be one.

I'm thinking that maybe it'd be best to simply call it quits. It'd be a shame not to have more of the Shetlands, but it's also better to end it on a high and not let it go down the drain.

In essence I don't like this new character.

The 6 episode second season is a gripping, complex tale with not just the one murder that starts it, but eventually a handful. Characters and plot are introduced and revealed bit by bit, in a way that keeps you wanting more.

It is like three or four different onions that are peeled back one at a time, you just are never sure which one is being peeled, and whether it is a good one or a bad one. Eventually they start to come together, but never in quite the way you might have guessed. The ultimate denouement is action packed - right up to the last 10 minutes of the series.

Then the whole plot is revealed in a highly improbable manner in a monologue by a single character, with even a key fact being announced when the character could have had no knowledge of it. So disappointing after such a riveting series. I was ready to rate the series a 10 until the last 10 minutes. But don't let this deter you from watching it - other than that the show is really good.

One of thee best detective series ever. Reflects true life as it really is. Some people obviously prefer the flippant unrealistic mystery shows shown on cable TV. Shetland is wonderful, stories, scenery and acting all superb. More please. It is so sad when viewers look at a series like this and criticize it as being dismal and depressing, it's about murder and I'm thinking that is pretty depressing at the best of times. The scenery and lifestyle of the Shetlands is totally unique and while it isn't for everyone learning about this amazing culture is well worth the effort. I can't say enough bout the acting it is superb and the accents are definitely toned down so we can understand them. All in all a job well done by all concerned which definitely does credit to Ann Cleve's amazing writing. Thank you and please keep them coming.