“The drama strikes just the right tone, treating the crime seriously but leavening it with shots of humour”

Karen Pirie

Karen Pirie, ITV1

“Based on the superb books by Val McDermid, this returning drama has plots as deep and dark as a coal mine shaft. The characters aren’t merely well drawn — they’re alive, constantly seeking to understand and learn more about each other.”
Christopher. Stevens, Daily Mail

“Usually, I find split timelines annoying, but this successfully switches between the 1980s and the present day without causing confusion. The drama also strikes just the right tone, treating the crime seriously but leavening it with shots of humour. There’s no slack in episode one, with every scene moving the plot along and introducing us to characters who will prove to be significant.”
Anita Singh, The Telegraph

“The storyline refreshingly plays out over three 90-minute episodes instead of dragging it out of six hourly chunks. But the star attraction of Karen Pirie is, well, Karen Pirie. With her almost trademark blonde bob, Lauren Lyle’s detective is relatable, surprisingly normal and engagingly un-hard-bitten for a TV cop. The only surprise is that it took ITV so long to make this sequel to a series that was a hit with both viewers and critics in 2022.”
Gerard Gilbert, The i

“I hope you’re in for the long haul because this cold case plot, about the kidnap of an oil heiress and her toddler son in Scotland in 1984, is, as with the previous series, played out over three episodes, which is six hours and it is very convoluted. Hence, this opener being a little slow, though well written.”
Carol Midgley, The Times

The Narrow Road to the Deep North, BBC1

“The Narrow Road to the Deep North is not an easy prospect, but it is an immensely powerful one, driven by strong performances and a bracing confidence in its ability to tell this story, at its own pace, in its own way.”
Rebecca Nicholson, The Guardian

“This series is terrific and on occasion magnificent. Its ability to tell a sprawling, epic story over three timelines in five shortish episodes (admirable in the era of the 14-parter) and tell us something new about a war is commendable.”
Carol Midgley, The Times

Topics