These comments are based on the whole first story on just the second episode.
After an introductory story last year 'Shetland' returns for a second series; this time we will be getting three two part stories. This, the first, opens with two girls leaving a party on a beach and heading to the house of a local recluse Magnus Bain. The next day one of the girls is found dead on the beach and suspicion quickly falls on Bain. This isn't the first time the police have taken an interest in him; he was also a suspect when a young girl went missing nineteen years previously. It isn't long before a second suspect emerges; one of dead girl's teachers has been less than honest about his relationship with her. Suspicion swings back to Bain though when the body of a young girl is found in a peat bog. As the second episode continues the discovery of the dead girls school project leads to further suspects and motives and ultimately to a surprising arrest.
This episode proves to be a solid introduction to the second series; the mystery had a suitable number of possible suspects and ultimately a plausible but surprising killer. The regular cast continue to do a fine job but it is guest star Brian Cox who really shines as Magnus Bain. The other main star is of course Shetland itself; the series nicely captures the atmosphere; especially when the fog settles giving a bleak and lonely feeling. I do however feel that the scenes in Lerwick are shot in a way that deliberately makes the Island capital look much smaller than it really is! Overall this was a satisfying story which left me looking forward to the next two instalments.
After an introductory story last year 'Shetland' returns for a second series; this time we will be getting three two part stories. This, the first, opens with two girls leaving a party on a beach and heading to the house of a local recluse Magnus Bain. The next day one of the girls is found dead on the beach and suspicion quickly falls on Bain. This isn't the first time the police have taken an interest in him; he was also a suspect when a young girl went missing nineteen years previously. It isn't long before a second suspect emerges; one of dead girl's teachers has been less than honest about his relationship with her. Suspicion swings back to Bain though when the body of a young girl is found in a peat bog. As the second episode continues the discovery of the dead girls school project leads to further suspects and motives and ultimately to a surprising arrest.
This episode proves to be a solid introduction to the second series; the mystery had a suitable number of possible suspects and ultimately a plausible but surprising killer. The regular cast continue to do a fine job but it is guest star Brian Cox who really shines as Magnus Bain. The other main star is of course Shetland itself; the series nicely captures the atmosphere; especially when the fog settles giving a bleak and lonely feeling. I do however feel that the scenes in Lerwick are shot in a way that deliberately makes the Island capital look much smaller than it really is! Overall this was a satisfying story which left me looking forward to the next two instalments.
