Inspired by watching an increased amount of content from the UK channel 'Alibi' and the arrival of the delayed second season of "Traces", I decided that now would be a good time to watch the first, six-part season.
Emma Hedges (Molly Windsor) returns to Dundee, where she was born, to join a Scientific team that operate out of the university but are linked to the Police force as part of the forensics unit. Emma has not been in Dundee since the murder of her mother, decades earlier. The university are launching an online course, which Emma is encouraged to take by Professor Sarah Gordon (Laura Fraser) but when aspects of the course are too close to her mothers' case, she begins a line of questioning that reopens some old wounds.
Inspired by Crime Writer Val McDermid, but actually written by actress Amelia Bullmore, the series was, for me, watchable if slightly off centre. Though I'm sure that the Police do deal with specialists outside of the actual force, it does feel a bit unusual that this department effectively act like the police but aren't. They seemingly get involved in all aspects of the investigation and not just the technical aspects. There are two cases in this season, the coldcase murder of Emma's mum and a deliberately set fire at a nightclub that has killed several people. The cases do eventually interact with each other in quite a clever way that helps to progress both investigations.
Though there are some elements of the story that I think stretched credulity a bit, such as the speed of the romance between Emma and Martin Compstons character, who appears to be several years older than her. I also think that the performances were occasionally a bit wooden, especially from Molly Windsor, which is unfortunate as she's is generally the lead. I also thought that the background music wasn't well chosen.
These issues didn't totally undermine the series though, and I'm eager to move on to see the second season.
Emma Hedges (Molly Windsor) returns to Dundee, where she was born, to join a Scientific team that operate out of the university but are linked to the Police force as part of the forensics unit. Emma has not been in Dundee since the murder of her mother, decades earlier. The university are launching an online course, which Emma is encouraged to take by Professor Sarah Gordon (Laura Fraser) but when aspects of the course are too close to her mothers' case, she begins a line of questioning that reopens some old wounds.
Inspired by Crime Writer Val McDermid, but actually written by actress Amelia Bullmore, the series was, for me, watchable if slightly off centre. Though I'm sure that the Police do deal with specialists outside of the actual force, it does feel a bit unusual that this department effectively act like the police but aren't. They seemingly get involved in all aspects of the investigation and not just the technical aspects. There are two cases in this season, the coldcase murder of Emma's mum and a deliberately set fire at a nightclub that has killed several people. The cases do eventually interact with each other in quite a clever way that helps to progress both investigations.
Though there are some elements of the story that I think stretched credulity a bit, such as the speed of the romance between Emma and Martin Compstons character, who appears to be several years older than her. I also think that the performances were occasionally a bit wooden, especially from Molly Windsor, which is unfortunate as she's is generally the lead. I also thought that the background music wasn't well chosen.
These issues didn't totally undermine the series though, and I'm eager to move on to see the second season.
