Virdee - new BBC crime series - binge watch thread ie spoilers

[IwantToRetire]

This started last night (Monday 10 Jan 2025) on BBC 1
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0027vxj

Just wondered if anyone else is watching this via iPlayer.

I've watched first 2 episodes and had not idea what is was going to be about.

Not quite sure what I think, but it does have slightly different themes than many of the usual 9pm slot fillers.

Although maybe the police procedural part is not that different from most other series!

There were so many strands to this story it was almost over burdened.

I think they could have cut all the gothic horror, endless kidnaps, and frightening ware houses.

There was enough in the story line, and the interesting back story of the two families to have easily filled the time.

Thought clearly they are hoping for a second series, given the ending!

I’ve just watched the whole series and yes - definitely written to set up S2.

I’ve seen worse. Most of the actors went at it with gusto - though the scene between the two grandfathers was either exceptionally badly directed, or frustratingly badly acted. And surely an AI wrote the dialogue.

While there were some aspects that seemed relatively original I agree about the gothic horror, endless kidnaps, and frightening warehouses - they did veer towards cartoon horror. Although the grimy backstreets of Bradford were a nice corrective after the 14 seasons of Vera I recently binged!

I think there were more than enough story lines to maybe go into in more depth, both policing and family, and the primary back story of why the 2 men's lives are so intertwined, that could have kept in more based in daily reality.

But the really warped killer element just got in the way.

Trying to be too cleaver by half.

But still think it was worth a watch because of it being set in Bradford and featuring members of the Asian community without presenting them as being all the same.

I loved it, action packed and Virdee is so good looking

Jeezo, I’ve had a few palpitations watching this and I’m only 15 mins into episode 2.

I had to avoid looking at the tv at several points.

Id love to know how closely related to the books it is. If they do another series and it’s this gory I’m not sure I’ll watch.

Just finished the series. It definitely got better through the episodes. I think the first episode being all dark scary warehouses was off putting though. I still don't get why the beautician /drug dealer girl was murdered though. I just don't think Pawa would have known about her seeing as she was rather junior and he'd been away for so long.

From what I've read this series is based on the 3rd novel so maybe it all seemed a bit much because we didn't have knowledge of the earlier story lines.

And even though they kept going back to is I still cant get the story right from the time when the NF thug broke into the family shop.

Which is a bit hopeless of me as it is a crucial part of the ongoing relationship between the 2 men.

But thought the opening sequence of the chase etc., were good but just got put off by the whole gothic horror violence.

And even though they kept going back to is I still cant get the story right from the time when the NF thug broke into the family shop.

Have you watched the whole series OP? They revisit that time several times. Happy to fill you in if you have though!

Yes please do.

I have watched the whole series.

I think partly for me is I cant really associate the younger actors to the older.

So get confused as to which young person is meant to be which older person.

(Just to say I often struggle in dramas as I find faces hard to remember and often rely on haircuts / styles to recognise a character. A bit sad I know.)

So my understanding is this : When they were younger, Paul King, the NF teenager, broke into the Hyatt family shop, knocking Riaz's mum out. During the fracas, Riaz picks up a pair of scissors to defend himself but is physically inept and doesn't use them. Harry gets involved and unintentionally kills Paul King.

Riaz doesn't want to look like a weakling who was unable to defend his mother so he and Harry agree that Riaz will take the rap for the manslaughter because he'd rather that than be seen as a whimp.

Whilst in prison for the manslaughter, Riaz shares a cell with Pawa and lets on what the truth is.

Once out of prison, Riaz works for /with Pawa until he shops him to the police (Harry) in a bid to take over Pawa's drugs ring, which he does. But Pawa knows Harry is the killer of Paul King.

Thanks - that makes it much clearer and will try and remember.

But am sort of surprised that it would be about not wanting to be seen as a wimp! I thought it must have been something else.

Although also got side tracked because young Harry seems to have been some sort of nerdy young lad, and yet has grown into an action man.

But what a hugely life changing decision to have taken.

I wonder if it would have created the bond they seem to have, rather then tension and worry about how long they could keep the secret.

Finished it this weekend, was good in parts but overall I'd say 6/10. I think the prevalence of spiders and insects was too much for me

Great to see fairly accurate Asian representation (including the authentic Punjabi spoken by the 1st gen) and delighted to see Kulvinder Ghir back! I will say biracial half-Malayali Staz struggles to pass as Punjabi but appreciate he was a replacement for Sacha Dhawan (who would have slayed this role!)

I'm not sure about this still and I agree, she was too small a player. There was a mention of her recruiting lots of other girls as dealers, but, I had thought it was because she'd swapped 'crews' for her supply and her allegiance. The way she was murdered was Pawa's method though and symbolism with the wasps behind the eyes 'parasite' message. That was absolutely horrible.

I also had trouble in my own mind fixing that Harry and Riaz were brothers in law and not brothers. I kept thinking Harry should have a brother and when I looked, the second book has a brother who's called Ron. I guess if they make more, that character won't feature, because when his father was asked about his children, he only acknowledged a daughter.