Watched on Apple+. 1 season, 8 episodes
Rating: 4.5/5
It starts on an unassuming night in London. Detective Chief Inspector Daniel Hegarty moonlighting as a chauffeur, drives a luxury car down the dark streets. Elsewhere in the city, an anonymous, frightened young woman frantically calls Emergency Services from a dark phone booth. Spooked, she quickly tells the operator her boyfriend has been trying to kill her and that he killed an ex-girlfriend years prior, but another man is currently serving a 24-year prison sentence for the crime. Before the operator can get further details, the call drops.
When Detective Sergeant June Lenker arrives at her desk the following day, she’s asked to review the tape of the terrified woman. Though she’s apprehensive at first, she cross-references any prisoners who are serving 24 years for murder. After stumbling upon the name Errol Mathis, June begins following a trail of breadcrumbs, leading her right into the office of DCI Hegarty, who spearheaded Errol’s case more than a decade ago.
What happens next is a thrilling and uncomfortable assessment of racism in the U.K. The series examines detrimental police practices and the lies people tell themselves to justify their bigotry. A towering figure in the East London police force, Hegarty is aloof and above reproach. Annoyed with June for questioning one of his previous cases, he does everything he can to undermine and silence her. Since June is a Black woman in an overwhelmingly white profession, Hegarty uses his influence to ostracize her from her boss and her peers.
Hegarty is played by Peter Capaldi who is aloof and snotty at the same time. He is excellent in this role as is Cush Gumbo as June Lenker. Hegarty and his cronies in the police force seem to be prepared to go to ANY lengths to protect their reputations and control.
This is definitely a great series and worth watching even though it’s very dark and disturbing.
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