From Darkness

[The80sweregreat]

Can't see a thread for this which started last night on BBC one , 9pm. I haven't seen the actress who plays Claire Church, the ex detective before, but she was in the Virgin Queen and Shameless. Set in Manchester and West coast of Scotland.
I thought it was based on a book ( possibly Nicci French or an author like that) but its not. Slow start, but the detective leading the investigations now was quite handsome and there is history between the two of them. The scenery for the west coast of Scotland was stunning.
Trouble is, I just felt it was cobbled together from other thrillers.

[dillite]

I wanted to like it, but I really didn't. I also felt that it was cobbled together, like there were several cut scenes that should have been there, but weren't. Hopefully next episode will be better.

[The80sweregreat]

privatepike, yes, the water gushing around, how slowly she does things too. I said to Dh straight away ' there is history with the detective and her' I think I do read too many similar books. He never picks up on the lingering looks or any other subtle signs in these dramas.
I don't know Scotland that well, but her view was awesome. Go back to Manchester? I don't think I would!

[deadwitchproject]

I found it very familiar to other detective dramas but I watched it mainly for Anne Marie Duff as I think she's a great actor. I liked the twist at the end although I predicted it. Hope ep 2 will be better.

[Liomsa]

I turned it on by accident and kept watching for A-M D, whom I always rate. Apart from her and the views on the island, it was a bit nondescript, I thought. Yes, heavy-handed use of flashbacks and clunky dialogue, and I hope the writers are going to do something with the prissy there-for-cheap-laughs baby detective. (Apart from anything else, why would someone fairly senior select someone so young, so terribly sensitive, prim, easily scared etc etc to work on the murder squad?)

[Liomsa]

Oh, and did anyone else think they were trying to shoot Ann-Marie Duff to look as haggard as possible initially, so she looked believably 16 years younger in the flashbacks? She's only my age!

[The80sweregreat]

The actress is 45 now, so would have been 29 16 years ago. I thought she was younger that that. She is also married to James McEvoy, lucky thing!!
She is attractive but not in a really obvious way , if that makes sense. not seen her in anything before as never watched shameless or virgin queen etc.
I hope its not the lorry driver doing the nasty deeds, they get a bad enough press already! I already suspect her partner, Norrie. probably wrong. Or a butcher because of the 'trussing'. the geeky sidekick is annoying.

[deadwitchproject]

I think the truck driver is a red herring. Anne Marie Duff always looks so vulnerable even when she's playing kick ass characters. I agree she looked better in the present day. I think the ineffectual younger detective will end up solving the crime or get killed

[The80sweregreat]

This is my hunch ( was thinking about it in ASDA today) and solely based on other thrillers, books I have read.
She was attacked by the man herself 16 years ago, or she couldn't save one of the old victims for some reason. She mentioned to detective that they were in bed when one of the girls was killed, but there is more to it than that I think especially now the new victim had that number in her hand. agree with above, the lorry driver is a red herring, too obvious for episode one and they like to throw in something like that to put us off the scent. Could even be a woman doing it? oh well, I am always wrong so will have to tune in again.

[IndridCold]

I had been looking forward to it too, and was also disappointed. It was confusing and derivative. It looked like three of four previous cop show/thrillers had been put in a blender and this was what was spewed out.

[IndridCold]

Wasn't that location where they filmed Three Hundred Acres of Sky, with Paul Kaye and Michelle Collins?

[2rebecca]

It was supposed to be Canna but they filmed it on the mainland near Lochgilphead.
I found it frustratingly slow. The same producer (?or director) did The Paradise so I thought it would be punchier. It was trying too hard to be arty and be a slow motion version of the Scandinavian crime dramas.
I got bored of AMD looking angst ridden and wanted them to get on with the fecking story.

[Blondeshavemorefun]

havnt read replies incase of plot

on planner , will try and watch tonight/tomorrow

[DonkeysDontRideBicycles]

I too thought there was a bit of Scandinavian detective thriller moodiness going on. Haven't looked him up yet but trying to remember what the actor playing John has been in? Shall try second episode.

[The80sweregreat]

John was in This is England according to my TV guide this week. I haven't seen him in anything before.
Read a few reviews on line today, most of the critics say the same, too moody, bit slow, stunning scenery. still, at least its drama and not another reality show ( which I also watch nevertheless!)
row going on( on another forum) about how women are always the victims in these sorts of thrillers/ dramas. I read books very similar to this story and it is true, although on paper its much more graphic too. on occasion they get their own back, but women as victims is the norm.

[Blondeshavemorefun]

AMD is a fab actress but always looks down trodden. She did in shameless

What was the Lorry driver ??dont rem that bit

Good twist at end - but why if you were the killer would you bring the detective back in 15yrs later - can't be a copy cat

Also not sure why she has such trouble reading the files with flashbacks - is it just guilt that she was in bed with her boss instead of meeting the prositute she arranged to meet .......

Plus looks much better with short blonde hair in the flashbacks - in this and shameless her hair is straggly

[NadiaWadia]

Anne-Marie Duff is 45? Blimey. It doesn't seem that long ago since she was playing Fiona in Shameless, who was supposed to be early 20s, I think.
I like her, and think she is a good actress, but from what you are all saying about this show, it's not that good, is that right?

Missed it on Sunday, and thought I might catch up on Iplayer, but maybe I won't bother then, if it is just another dreary murder mystery. There are so many of those (The Fall, etc.) , and I find it disturbing that the victims are usually female (even if this may be the case in real life). I feel that dramas shouldn't dwell on it all the time, iyswim, as it is sort of normalising it, and it seeps into popular culture.

[NadiaWadia]

Oh, I see The80s has already mentioned that (about women always being the victims, etc.) I should have RTFT properly.

[2rebecca]

I was disappointed that it seemed to be yet another serial killer, trafficking and prostitutes story, just told very slowly with nice scenery.

[The80sweregreat]

it might take another turn, even the writer must be aware that this type of drama has been done before. I feel for people in real life whose family members have been murdered - it usually all gets wrapped up in dramas and the person who did it gets caught or killed, but in real life, of course, its much more messy or they are never found. horrible world we live in, I know people who wont watch things like this and I can see their point.
I heard somewhere that Prime suspect may make a come back.

[wowfudge]

I watched this again this evening (kept nodding off as too tired first time around) as I'd missed loads of detail - like 'what lorry driver?'

I think she was undercover and out of her depth when she was investigating/writing her report in 98. Agree with the80s about Claire's past.

Have to say that I think the lorry driver is involved, possibly as an accomplice. 16 year gap between murders; where has he been and who has he met in that time?

Plus the girl found murdered at the end - although I assumed she was in the UK all the way through, maybe she wasn't.

[Blondeshavemorefun]

I also missed the Lorry driver

What was it?

[deadwitchproject]

This is on at the same time as Homeland Homeland wins hands down but I'll have to record both of them as toddlers are being troublesome at the moment. Will come back once I've seen it.

Blondes the lorry driver (or rather his right arm on the steering wheel of his white lorry) was seen at the beginning and in a few flashbacks. It seemed to suggest that he was involved somehow but I'm not so sure.

[LizzieMacQueen]

Did the young girl ever call Anne Marie Duff mum at any point? I wonder if she is the step mum.

Maybe she is the killer - with a copy cat killer on the loose now.