User reviews

A nice way to spend an evening. The main character, DCI Ellis doesn't suffer fools gladly, but she can also be empathetic; she's also enigmatic and has some past baggage that is slowly revealed while she solves mysteries around the country. Since every episode takes place in a new town, the audience gets to meet a fresh cast and setting - usually one where the motivations or competence of the local force are in question. The mysteries are intriguing and I like the cinematography, it really draws you in.

It's funny that other commentators are upset by literally 2 minutes of an hour and half show - but one that's actually nuanced and balanced.

DCI Ellis is teamed up with DS Harper to investigate failing Police operations, after a frosty introduction, the pair discover a common ground, and prove to be a formidable force.

We all know what Channel Five dramas can be like, from the torture of Anne Boleyn, to the high quality of Dalgliesh, so you can be forgiven for having moderate expectations. This is one of the channel's best offerings.

Will we ever get shows as good as Endeavour, Morse, Vera, Foyle's War etc, the hunt goes on, Ellis isn't on those levels, but it's still a quality drama. I can see this running for some time.

Sharon D Clarke is excellent as the title character, she possesses a lot of presence and charisma, I adore her delivery. Harper grew on me as time went on, the pair work so well together.

Channel Five, just one suggestion, move it to a Sunday night, as this is perfect Sunday evening viewing.

8/10.

I'm surprised over the many negative reviews and comments about the "angry black woman," but I can forgive the reviewers, because this is exactly how I felt when I first watched Vera. She was a grumpy old woman, always yelling at her staff. Now, after many years, I'm addicted. If you like detectives in the style of Vera, Van der Valk, a super grumpy smart detectives with lots of quirks and sly humor, you'll like this show.... it has a lot of similarities. Give it a chance, I think it will grow on us.

Every season I worry that Vera will be canceled. She is in every scene, and given her age this could be challenging. Wish they would look to Slow Horses and give all the very interesting, smart, secondary characters more screen time.

My husband and I enjoy this series very much. We hope to see more. We finished the third episode and very disappointed that there's no more to watch So many shows that we watch have ended and may never have any more episodes to watch.

It's not predictable. The show has subject manner that you don't see in other shows. We like the challenge of trying to guess who the killer is. There's usually some unexpected twist and turns that are surprising.

We make sure that we watch this show together. It's the type of show I'd watch a second time.

It is my hope that there will be more episodes of this show to watch in the near future.

This wonderful actress has a mystical aura about her. She captures so many different and relatable emotions throughout each episode. I also greatly appreciate the different story lines. A bit different from other crime series (which I so love BRIT series and binge on often).

The two primary actors have also created a lovely balance of experience and yearning for more experience. She shows what a great mentor should look like and be like in many ways, yet open to her own journey of amassing knowledge. LOVE it. Then the various locations offer a glimpse into UK life and the scenery is so enjoyable as well. A series should make you want to go there for yourself.

This series has the potential to rival my all-time favorite British detective DCI Morse.

Like Morse, DCI Ellis is glum yet somehow likeable, probably because she is dedicated to her work and has sympathy for those whom she encounters during the course of her investigations.

Unlike Morse, Ellis doesn't seem to be snobbish though she is aloof and keeps her personal life separate from her work. At least so far in 3 episodes. I hope they don't change this too soon.

Both Morse and Ellis are aided by a dutiful Detective Sergeant. While we know a lot about DS Lewis, we don't yet know much about DS Harper. And that's ok, since probably his character will continue to be more fleshed out.

While the crimes are not very unique or all that interesting - there's nothing new under the sun - at least I wish the writers would put in more effect to have more interesting cases for the duo to solve.

After all, the conceit here is that DCI Ellis gets sent around the UK to handle difficult cases. So let's see them.

And am blown away! A cracking good yarn and strong female lead, the first episode left me wanting more. Reminds me a bit of Vera; both leads have traits in common but are enough different to be interesting. Ellis brings to the role a robustness, a kind of bold but gentle grace and dignity lacking in most police procedural leads out there, a combination I was looking for but one which is sadly rare. The development of her character both at the professional and personal will be interesting. I hope her supporting actors prove worthy and equally strong and intelligent in future episodes. I rate this a solid 9 and if follow up episodes meet this standard a 10!

Its kind of pathetic that people will take a couple of small instances of something they don't appreciate (no handshaking) after one single broadcast episode, and exaggerate and extrapolate that into an entirely false persona. Early reviewers were just cribbing each other's words to beat the drum of "wooden," "wooden," "dull," "dull." So lame! The acting for the Ellis character is just fine, as is much of the other acting in this production, though not all.

The main character is black and middle-aged, is serious, direct and plain-spoken, is practical, asks for exactly what is called for, is very capable, and it seems like maybe the first two characteristics might be the main problem for some individuals... is she supposed to be deferential, congenial, giggly and tap-dancing? She's thoughtful and compassionate in her interviews, jokes around in a very low-key manner with her colleagues, smiles when significant progress is made in the investigation, and expresses gratitude. Is the problem that she's not a total suck-up?

At first, she has an overly needy colleague who is petulant, and a bit desperate for social connection. I don't think the main character is the issue, here. Some people aren't interested in fluffy getting-to-know-you stuff, and it certainly doesn't influence the outcome of an investigation, nor does pointless over-sharing of every thought, as if everything needs to be a collaboration. This relationship evens out to be more functionally cooperative.

The main boss-dude on home turf is overly defensive, territorial, jealous, and he's both sexist and racist, while under-performing at his job. It hardly seems unusual, and looks to be a fairly realistic portrayal. The main character wastes no time at all trying to get him on side, or bothering to aim to correct his wrongheadedness. What would be the point? He's totally shut down and thoroughly unfriendly, and depicted as spending too much of his time being undermining, gossipy, and angry, while taking sloppy shortcuts.

In Ep 2, the out-of-town boss and his toadie are even more off-putting! Much of the episode shines a harsh light on the injustices women suffer both in the workplace and as community members affected by crimes. The investigation is intriguing, if a bit sloppily presented.

In the 2nd Ep, Ellis' tone has somewhat changed, and not for the better. Although, the reasons are pretty clear: being accused of something one isn't guilty of, being treated with smarmy insincerity and false cooperation, being manipulated, lied to, and obstructed. There's no reason to be 'friendly' under the above circumstances.

Still solidly average and watchable.

We are used to many police shows but this one is quite different. From the first episode, this series shows how issues in the police force (racism, sexism and bullying etc) plays out. I find it very telling by some of the other reviews but as a POC I believe this series has great potential. Yes it is not overly acted and could need a bit more in terms of drama but I was glued to my screen ( laptop and then finished it off now ). The first episode does have some twists but nothing overly major. People's discomfort with racism in the episode is quite funny because such things whiles they happen regularly, make others uncomfortable. I find it touched many subjects and subsequent episodes will hopefully look at other issues. I'm extremely excited about episode 2 and fingers crossed it gets better.

A fantastic actress and an excellent actor who give life to two memorable characters, with an interesting chemistry together.

Ellis has an instinctive knack for placing empathy in the right places as well as glaring disdainfully at awful people (before it is clear they are). She is sent as a parachute saviour to lead back to the right track procedural investigations going downhill. Each episode, a different case in a different police station. Sometimes, they have to deal with corrupt officers or detectives. Sometimes, she encourages just inefficient people.

Characterisation is remarkable. Both Ellis and the DS are well recreated as nuanced, credible people. Direction is fine. But the scripts are, probably, the poorest side.

If they got better writers and the cases themselves were less circumvoluted or far-fetched, this show could grow into a long-lasting success. Just improve the writing side and I foresee a new Vera.

I'd like to say this is the original good cop/bad cop series, but it's not. On initial viewing, I didn't find this series particularly attention grabbing. With further viewing, Ellis did began to grow on me. Ellis and Harper do make a good team. Ellis seems a bit too hard-nosed, but eventually warms up to become much more likable. Harper, played by the ever quirky Andrew Gower, definitely makes this a show worth watching. Since first seeing him on Murdoch Mysteries, playing Sherlock Holmes in the oddest way possible, his talent has never ceased to amaze. Give this series a chance. You will enjoy.

Ellis has strong lead characters and complicated mysteries. I have seen every murder mystery I can get my hands on and I know the formula, and Ellis refreshingly does not follow a formula. I didn't guess the endings, and it didn't have the exact same usual suspects who turn up on every series. It has already been great watching Ellis and Harper's characters develop over just three episodes. Hopefully the first three will lead to another season.

Sharon D. Clarke's work is new to me, as I'm not British or a theater fan, but I'm looking through her filmography to find episodes of other shows she's been on.

...there's a chance you'll like Ellis, as it has many of the hallmarks of the aforementioned series, namely, a dark/brooding countryside atmosphere, a crusty female lead cop character of "a certain age," and a case-of-the-week/episodic (rather than serialized) way of storytelling. The actress who plays Ellis is well-cast, she has a magnetic onscreen presence that's somehow never overbearing. The writers try to humanize her by giving her an estranged daughter she's secretly longing to reconnect with, and no personal life to explain why she's a bit of a curmudgeon. But while Vera had her own demons and was similarly "difficult," she also had her "warmer" moments - you could tell she was invested in the lives of the victims/perps/subordinates/cases, etc. In a way that made her sympathetic and likeable. Not so much for Ellis. She's a bit cold and one note, in spite of the brief moment of character growth we see at the end of season 1 ep 3. Perhaps we'll see more emotional arc'ing if the series is picked up for more seasons. Also unsure I'm completely on board with the narrative engine of the show, Ellis swooping in on cases in different parts of the country ostensibly because of police corruption and/or case mishandling. This means the show will always have to devote time to "police force issues" each episode, kinda boring and takes away from the world/characters of the murder-of-the-week. The writing itself is serviceable, but nothing spectacular (mind, this is a review of season 1 only).

Is there ever going to be another police drama with a male lead? I'm so tired of all these police dramas full of all women detectives whose roles are totally unbelievable. Men are always portrayed as simpletons and this show is no exception. The police officer helping Ellis comes off as mentally lacking and the other male lead is pictured as a bully. I'm sure I'm not the only woman who would like to see some strong masculine leads. Being a normal male is somehow toxic these days and needs to stop. Men are often played as misogynistic or plain stupid and only the smart female can save the day. Enter the 120lb female subduing the 200lb man in a fight. Men and women are both intelligent and can be featured making good choices working together. Women can be made to look smart and competent without making men look dumb. I didn't care for the personality of the lead actress's character, she's certainly not a very likeable.

DCI Ellis is cold as steel and doles out her sympathies very sparingly. Her partner Harper, although fumbling at times, is no baffoon like we see many times in detective shows. I like Ellis and her quiet, no-nonsense demeanor, as she solves cases wearing her long dark coat, dreadlocks and almost complete lack of facial expression. Occasionally, she'll give a mean side-eye to injustice, or a knowing glance to her partner, and it feels like we've been let in on something.

These are the detectives I love to watch on British shows. Intelligent characters with depth and a past that may or may not be revealed, like DCI Ray, Van der Valk, and older ones like George Gently and Morse. Aside from Grantchester, "cozy" mysteries hold no interest for me. I am three episodes in, and I'm sure Ellis will be one at the top of my list.

I'm just a little confused about the constant phone cords, although those will probably be explained in time, unless I missed something. I also wonder how and why this duo of detectives are sent throughout the country assisting other police departments. Perhaps that is how it is done in England. And who is the gray-haired woman we see briefly on Ellis's phone or tablet screen giving orders to them? There is a slight James Bond feel there. It's all very intriguing to me. Can't wait for more episodes.

I really like this serie, it's wel acted and not overly dramatic. It's so nice to be in suspense, and it's really hard to figure out. Ellis is wel played and her character is mysterious. I love that. Can't wait to see episode 4. The pace of the episodes are not rushed at all. That is something that is missing in today's series. It really takes its time to unveil the secrets that are hidden and not just solving the clues. It has got more time to get in deeply in every character who comes into the story. Only that makes it more interesting and exciting to watch. That is precisely what makes this outstanding from the rest that's out there.

It's a new detective series filmed in Northern Ireland, but apparently set in northern England. We're thrown into the series when DCI Ellis appears at a local police station and we find out that she's been sent to take over a murder case. We don't know if she's been sent by the National Crime Agency, the Metropolitan Police Force or brought in by a regional police force. The writers didn't think it was necessary for us to know.

In episodes 1 and 2 Ellis encounters conflict with the resident male DCIs who don't like Ellis being brought in over their heads, in reality Ellis should have been placed at a new location, but writers love conflict so they stir the pot. In episode 3 the resident DCI is a female and there is no conflict, seems like stereotyping saying senior male cops are control freaks.

I like Sharon D Clarke, she's been good in other series, but I don't care for her character in this series. Andrew Gower is good as Harper, but we don't know where he goes in between Ellis' investigations. Does he return to the police station where he told his DCI to f-off? The writers don't think it's important. The writing isn't that good, but I expect it will get renewed for another season.

It was my mistake not to know Sharon D Clarke till starting to watch this TV series. What I saw was outstanding acting. She creates a real character. Also, Andrew Gower's performance impressed me. Yes, it is a criminal TV series but the way of depicting the story is very different than many typical criminal series. Instead of trying to keep the audience's attention with shocking scenes or facts, it prefers to deepen ordinary people's motives to commit crimes and understand how they became part of the crime. Some people may find that the stories develop slowly but the real taste of the series is exactly there. Every minute in the series deserves to be watched.

When I saw investment for this series, I was really looking forward to another good British police drama. And in many ways Inspector Ellis is that. When we meet DCI Ellis she has been called in to take over a murder and disappearance case in a police station that needs a shake up. Where she comes from and what her role is is quite unclear for quite a while and then she hooks up with a DS who becomes her sidekick. The plots are quite interesting and novel. Episode one I found to be complicated and complex and there were times when it was hard to see what the relationships and connections were between the various parties. The other episodes were well plotted. The scripts are well done with some very interesting dialogue. But everyone constantlycalling each other by their work titles was a bit obsessive. There was some very interesting camera work at various stages particularly long shots panning around the subject. What I found hard to get into with the main character. Though she has a black woman DCI can be easily accepted. But her stern demeanour and stoic personality don't seem to be fitting the role. I was always hoping to see some emotion in her face. Moreover, her appearance does not do the role justice with the odd hairstyle, the long frumpy coat and the clunky boots. Overall, the acting by all the characters is very good, especially her sidekick DS. In fact, though, I was ready to turn the program off in episode one because I had so much trouble getting into the lead character, I really enjoyed watching her sidekick DS.

It's for these reasons that I gave the show only a seven. With a few changes it would've deserved a much higher rating.

That's pretty much on par with calling any woman who stands up for herself and/or can control a situation a Bi---

The last thing Ellis is is angry. No she doesn't suffer fools lightly. But she mostly lets that be known through her facial expressions and her silence until they are finished making complete fools of themselves. Then she gets back to business.

She's there to find (usually) a killer or a missing person. Not to make friends. If that makes her angry, so be it.

She almost never raises her voice and is in fact very calming and reassuring. (Sharon D. Clark has an amazing voice.)

The only time she gets angry (maybe) and raises her voice is to people who are hindering or damaging the investigating. And everything else she as tried has been ignored.

She understands that her job causes anger and frustrations in others because she is sent to various locations and take over investigations. So she puts up with a lot. But it never keeps her from doing her job.

It's a typical, modern, British Police procedural. Direct but not too gory or too touchy feelly (ala Vera and Luther.) We know almost nothing about Ellis and that's okay. We know that she'll get the job done. That keeps us rooting for her.

I really enjoyed the character and the series. Each episode runs a full 90 mins so there's not a lot of filler to make them drag on.

I hope it continues.

Acorn TV's latest detective show doubles down on the "angry black woman boss" trope; but three-time Olivier award winner Sharon D. Clarke lets her face take center stage, revealing meaningful moments as the insular Inspector fighting the clock, a hostile colleague, and laissez-faire racism.

It's the small gestures that let us know DCI Ellis is all too human, whether she's struggling with her wonky mobile phone or painfully upset at missing contact with a significant person in her life. And it's refreshing to see a strong black woman ruffling the feathers of white male entitlement! I'm looking forward to the rest of the season, and hope they'll be a second one.🌟

Ok, she's sent in to solve cases at troubled stations. Why does she have to be so adversarial? All (male) bosses are dumb, corrupt and bigoted. She is never wrong, has a chip on her shoulder for some undisclosed reason. Her assistant is goofy, but useful, and she is often giving him side eyes for whatever reason. She is no Vera. Vera may be prickly, but she give compliments to her staff, is compassionate to victims, admits when she's wrong, even if reluctantly. Ellis just grumps her way through 90 minutes and says: look you stupid locals I've solve the crime, I'm out of here. It gets tiresome after a while.

This is the third series I've enjoyed Sharon and her cast members work in. She's so talented and clever, I had to find out what else she's been in, I hadn't seen yet. Always fun to discover new artists & explore their works. Everyone from the editors and writers, to the set dressers, costumes and makeup, film and sound crews, musicians, special effects and casting, producing and directing, have come together to create a fantastic journey for audiences of all ages to enjoy.

Where's the next episode please? Another series? DEFINITELY a must! I came away from the third episode wondering should I leave this in my watchlist? When's the next episode coming out...better check IMDb to see if these hard working entertainers might be taking a well deserved break before beginning the grueling work of filming season 2...fingers crossed!

This is a very classy series, similar to Brenda's "VERA" and Craig's "Doc Martin". I admire this series boatloads and decided to leave it in my watchlist so when Sharon & her fellow cast and crew members have the next show ready for their admirers to watch, it will pop up at the beginning of my list.

Check out the first 10 minutes & see for yourself how easy it is to get drawn into a mysterious journey from the comfort of your favorite place to sit and relax. ENJOY!

Only just discovered this series, and so very glad I did... One of the best new detective series I think I've ever seen... It has 3 episodes so far , took a little while to get used to the characters, but when you do it's well worth the wait... Great story lines , very complex and great to try and figure out who the killer is... Not managed that so far...😁 The two lead characters are just great, very good Actors for sure , a good combination having the two of them working together.... Nice individual episodes of two hours each is really good... Well done to the writer of this new series , definitely one of the best new detective series around..... Hope there will be more coming next year.... Fingers crossed...... Highly recommend viewing.....👍

Binge watched all 3 episodes while I chose Christmas cards on Moonpig and I this show was the only reason I didn't lose my temper and give in. Great series, great lead and supporting characters, interesting crimes and aside from the cheesy laughs at the end of episode one and two, I would have said it's the best new detective show I've watched all year.

Why is their a flipping word requirement on a review, I don't wanna write an essay! Erm, I managed to sort my Christmas cards out. Always have trouble what to write in them, yknow the generic 'hope your Christmas is filled with joy' stuff? I feel like sending them on Moonpig means you need to personalise the message, but how do you personalise a message to someone you don't see?