Movies

Anne-Marie Duff’s returning crime drama Suspect isn’t as good as its cast

BBG News

As a huge fan of the gripping and tense crime drama “Suspect,” I was thrilled when season two was announced. The first season kept me hooked until the very end with its intriguing mystery surrounding the murder of detective Danny’s daughter, Christina. I couldn’t wait to see where the story would go next.

I found season one of Suspect to be an absolutely thrilling whodunit that kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. The murder of Detective Danny’s (James Nesbitt) daughter Christina (Imogen King) was the central mystery, and as the episodes unfolded, I couldn’t help but feel that there were still hidden depths to this tragic case waiting to be discovered. The tantalizing hints dropped throughout the season left me eagerly anticipating what lay ahead in the story.

In the second season, there was more of this element, but unfortunately, the continuation didn’t live up to the expectation and felt like an unnecessary expansion of the story.

In the second season, Danny’s wife and therapist Susannah Newman, portrayed by Anne-Marie Duff, continues the investigation. This comes about when one of Susannan’s clients, Jon (Dominic Cooper), reveals disturbing information under hypnosis.

Jon reveals to her that he has been assigned the grim responsibility of taking the lives of young women, and he intends to carry out another murder tonight if prevented from doing so.

In the storyline, Susannah must undertake a dangerous quest to rescue someone else, having been unable to do so for her own child.

As a seasoned television viewer and avid fan of complex character developments, I find the premise of Susannah’s strained relationship with her daughter and her potential quest for absolution through a new venture intriguing. Having seen numerous shows explore similar themes, I hold high expectations for this storyline.

The storyline comes across as overly complex and implausible. Despite its grounding in reality, certain unfolding occurrences seem highly unlikely and hinge on convenient coincidences.

As a passionate gamer, I can’t help but notice how Danny’s actions in season one of “Suspect” propelled the story forward in unexpected ways. Despite finding myself in seemingly impossible situations, his discoveries kept me hooked and made the unfathomable seem plausible for even the most skeptical viewers like myself.

Danny wasn’t an ordinary man; he was a detective, and his curious disposition combined with his mourning could lead him down a dangerous path.

In other words, it’s possible that his desperation could make him grasp at anything that seemed like a solution, no matter how weak or insignificant, until he found something substantial enough to pursue further and reveal the hidden, disturbing story that captivated us.

Susannah, unlike her husband, may mimic his detective work with great intelligence, but she lacks the police education and actual experience in tense scenarios. In the second season of “Suspect,” however, this gap is filled with implausible investigative successes for her character.

The show effectively utilizes her character as a psychotherapist, enabling deep connections with interrogatees to elicit information. However, considering the significant consequences, not everyone is willing to openly share what they know.

Although Christina suggested otherwise, “Suspect” seemed more suitable as a miniseries. The compact narrative, filled with suspense and exceptional acting, made for an engaging viewing experience.

In season two, the acting remains excellent with a talented ensemble featuring Eddie Marsan and Ben Miller from “Death in Paradise.” Duff delivers an engrossing performance in her intense, desperate mourning. Miller’s character, Richard Groves, continues to challenge and fascinate as a detective superintendent. The bond between Celine Buckens’ Sapphire and Susannah develops rapidly yet remains intricately complex, uneasy, and exposed.

Their connection may seem shallow and likely to fade since they each bring personal issues with them, which they pass on to one another – but that’s what adds intrigue.

That said, even the performances can’t lift the story above its middling status.

Suspect season 2 airs Wednesday 9pm on Channel 4 and is available to watch as a boxset on All4.

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2024-07-18 00:49

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