Despite the excellent cast (James Fox and Jemma Redgrave in addition to such excellent regulars as Sue Johnstone) the overall impression was of excessive, gratuitous violence and Boyd, played by Trevor Eve so over-the top as to be unbelievable (I hope). As usual, performances by secondary characters were excellent. Tara Fitzgerald seems less convincing than her predecessors as the 'scientific expert'.
It was nevertheless an exciting and enjoyable episode, rather better than some recent ones. It stands up well to US competitors like CSI, not least because the lead character is so unsympathetic. He seems to lack some of the redeeming qualities of 'Vic' in the Shield. But the 2-episode produces an unnatural peak halfway through - it would seem very unbalanced if the two episodes were combines into a single play.
It was nevertheless an exciting and enjoyable episode, rather better than some recent ones. It stands up well to US competitors like CSI, not least because the lead character is so unsympathetic. He seems to lack some of the redeeming qualities of 'Vic' in the Shield. But the 2-episode produces an unnatural peak halfway through - it would seem very unbalanced if the two episodes were combines into a single play.