What does a) The Sixth Sense, b) The X-Files and c) Downton Abbey all have to do with the triad of cable crime/drama series described below?
By Kimberly Gadette (doddleNEWS)
Not to keep any viewers in unnecessary suspense, the answers to the above are: a) the hero “sees dead people” in River; b) prior X-Files lead Gillian Anderson stars as another kind of detective in The Fall; and c) two Downton Abbey actors — one reviled, one beloved — are major characters in Happy Valley.
The following series serve to underscore the fact that U.S. broadcast television is continuing to take a backseat to the burgeoning creativity of both domestic cable and overseas programming. Though River, The Fall and Happy Valley were all created initially for the UK, the BBC awarded Netflix the exclusive streaming rights for North America. (Note: Happy Valley is advertised in the U.S. as a “Netflix Original,” but it’s not; rather, the designation nods to Netflix’ exclusive rights to air the program.)
Back to the shows, which are far from the usual cold-blooded whodunits. Character driven, the dramas swirl around highly flawed protagonists who find themselves obsessively driven to hunting down the villains. As the respective plots ramp up, each of the three central characters struggle to maintain their humanity, their sanity, and some semblance of professional detachment.
In no particular order:
- River (Netflix. Stand-alone miniseries, 6 episodes total.) Created by screenwriter Abi Morgan (Suffragette, Shame, The Iron Lady, The Hour), starring Stellan Skarsgård, Nicola Walker, Lesley Manville, Eddie Marsan.
As her first foray into a police drama, creator Abi Morgan triumphs with her unusual take on a police procedural mixed with hallucinatory psychodrama. Does the eponymous John River (Stellan Skarsgård), a once exceptional detective, actually see dead murder victims who seem as corporeal to him as flesh-and-blood humans? Or are these sightings merely a manifestation of his growing mental instability? River is unhurried and deliberate, its slower rhythms atypical from the norm. But as the story unfurls, and the essence of the characters emerge, the weighted silence between the lines is captivating. Skarsgård is a master at conveying interior pain with just the slightest flicker of expression. But no matter how slight that flicker may be, we see it … just like we see River’s ghosts. The supporting players are marvelously unique: Standouts include River’s partner Jackie (Nicola Walker), sporting an infectious smile and a permanent twinkle in her eye, and Eddie Marsan, playing the Lambeth Poisoner (a real-life serial killer of the mid-19th century). He’s a gleeful maniac, popping up like a freaky Jack-in-the-Box whenever he gets the urge to torture his good old pal River. Precisely tailored to fit into a mere six episodes, River delivers a perfectly realized narrative.
- The Fall (Netflix. All released episodes available; Season 1 = 5 episodes, Season 2 = 6 episodes. Season 3 debuts later this year, date TBA.) Created by Allan Cubitt, starring Gillian Anderson, Jamie Dornan, Archie Panjabi.
Cubitt offers up a strangely symbiotic tale between the self-possessed, take-no-prisoners homicide detective Stella Gibson (Gillian Anderson) and the chillingly purposeful serial killer Paul Spector (Jamie Dornan). The scenes are often cleverly interwoven between the two leads, a twisted yin yang of sorts. Such as in the opening scene: Stella stares at her face in the mirror as she stands in her bathroom; minutes later, Paul is doing the same … except he’s standing in the bathroom of his next victim. As the pursuer and the pursued dance closer to each other, the characters develop, becoming as riveting as the hunt itself. The fact that the audience is privy to all of Paul’s actions, while Stella can only piece the facts together bit by bit, creates extreme suspense … and makes it difficult for viewers to keep themselves from screaming at the screen. Anderson is spellbinding, and Dornan is a powerful presence, easily matching her intensity with his own. Warning: Breathless binge-watching may occur.
- Happy Valley (Netflix. All released episodes available; Season 1 = 6 episodes, Season 2 = 6 episodes. Season 3, if it goes forward, won’t be released until 2018.) Created by Sally Wainwright, starring Sarah Lancashire, Siobhan Finneran, James Norton and, in Season 2, Kevin Doyle (Downton Abbey‘s kind, insecure second footman, Joseph Molesley).
This valley is anything but happy. Set in the small shire of Calder Valley, West Yorkshire, the series focuses on the outspoken, fiercely protective police sergeant Catherine Cahill (Sarah Lancashire) who wrestles with difficult family issues, the suicide of her daughter Becky, and newly-released criminal Tommy Lee Royce (James Norton). Eight years ago, Royce had brutally raped Becky, which in turn caused her to take her own life. The series examines its sharply drawn characters who, for all of their woes, are determined to find the occasional spark of humor. (Look for Siobhan Finneran’s lovingly supportive ex-addict sister Clare, barely recognizable from her earlier turn as the vicious lady’s maid in Downton Abbey.) The violent scenes with the murderous Royce play out against Catherine’s fractured home life, as her distinct and often discordant family members never cease trying to bond, no matter how great the challenge. While the second season continues with the menace of Royce, other characters and situations are introduced that bring added energy to the series.
Though Happy Valley won’t deliver much joy, it’s still great viewing.
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Having to choose which shows to watch? Simply put, it’s murder …
About Kimberly Gadette
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