General Chat

Are there any followers of the Shetland series? With Jimmy Perez gone and a female replacement, what do any watchers think?

Personally after watching the 1st episode of the new series, I was taken aback by the amount of "foul language" and violence all within 20 minutes. A bit of bad language is nearly always included in these crime dramas but if "Vera" had sworn as much as the actors in Shetland did last week, I think they would have been rather shocked.

The series along with Vera is written by the same author Ann Cleaves.

I shall watch episode 2 tonight and see how that fares.

Florence in the hebrides

I don't watch it but there are several letters in next week's Radio Times on the same subject.

It's my favourite programme, I only discovered it when series 7 was on, but have watched all of them now on iPlayer. As Jimmy Perez resigned I thought that would be the end of it so I was surprised to see a new series.

I watched last week and still enjoyed it, but it wasn't the same without Douglas He shall. I'll keep watching though, I'll watch tonight's episode shortly. Hopefully this series will see Tosh promoted permanently.

I watched all the ones with Perez in, and am watching the new series.
Have to admit the new series has a different 'vibe', but it's still good.

I also have to admit, I watch it for the scenery, and to see the changes since I lived there. :-D

Yes I am watching , loved the series with Jimmy Perez but not sure yet about this new series. Don't like it when the foul language is a lot.

Going off at a tangent as I do, I saw another series recently - on Netflix I think - set in Spain, where Douglas Henshall was cast as one of the central characters. He was actually cast as a ruthless head of a bunch of gangsters, but most of the time it was just like watching Jimmy Perez, it seemed really odd when he produced a gun and threatened somebody who had crossed his path. I wanted to shout at the telly "Jimmy put your gun away, you'll get in trouble"

I still watch it, but agree it's not the same without Perez and his slow, gentle approach.

It's become more of a generic crime series, which could be set almost anywhere, and has lost much of the original Shetland-specific vibe and depth of characterisation.

It seems less about the personalities of the characters and their interplay, and more about superficial crime action.

The best episode ever was Series 3, episode 5, which dealt so well with the aftermath of Tosh's rape - especially Jimmy's quiet, caring attitude towards Tosh, despite his deep anger at what had happened.

I think I read something that said the stories are not being written by Ann Cleaves anymore, which may explain why the storylines etc are not the same.

The new detective that replaced Jimmy, doesn't live on the island and so isn't part of the community. She hasn't smiled once! It's lost Jimmy's brother in law, the community nurse etc. The only bit of Shetland we kept seeing was a shot of the long main road from a distance.

Where is Tosh's child and partner?

I shall watch it next week and see if it draws me in but right now, it's not making me not want to miss it.

AG, yes that episode was dealt with very well.

I think so far, the personalities have been abandoned and replaced with hardened criminals waving guns about.....on Shetland? Er no.

Island life whether that be Shetland, Orkney or any of the islands in the Outer Hebrides has it's own fair share of crime involving drug smuggling, illegal fishing, a few burglaries and the usual drink/drug driving, no insurance etc. There are also salesman that travel up that have been caught selling stolen/fake goods etc.

Fair share of drunken fights, broken shop windows. Some people smuggling through fishing boats. But gangsters from the mainland waving firearms and shooting people at point blank range is all rather far fetched and does not represent island life.

I wonder why Ann Cleaves isn't writing the storylines anymore?

Duncan, it's quite hard to see Douglas Henshaw play the baddie after all this time of playing the good cop isnt it. I can't picture him as a gangster!

Florence in the hebrides

Florence -

Ann Cleeves on why she stopped writing the Shetland books:

https://www.edp24.co.uk/things-to-do/20797856.shetland-author-ann-cleeves-say-goodbye-jimmy-perez/

I've watched the 2nd episode now and will continue to record it and watch when I have nothing else to watch .

Florence I wondered where Tosh's family were. I think it was a gentler series with Perez than it will be with the new one.

Thanks for the link AG interesting read.

Thanks AG, I have just read the link etc and was very interesting.

My motto," quit while you are ahead "springs to mind and if I were the writer, I think I would have just ended the series full stop without someone else carrying on writing new stories.

However, that's just my opinion.

Florence in the hebrides

I noticed that the opening credits mentioned being based on the book by Ann Cleeves, but named somebody else (can't remember who) as writing it.

I noticed the same as you, Florence, that Tosh's family have been forgotten about, and no sign of any personal relationships for any of them - Jimmy Perez had all his family involved in the programme, plus his friend Duncan, all little personal touches that made the programme better. I'll keep watching but I think it's gone downhill.

So I watched episode 3 last night and have warmed a bit to the new series. Less fruity language ,we saw Tosh's wee child & partner and a bit more of Lerwick.

But did anyone notice a familiar house or was it just me!

The lad Tom Knox lived in this house with a porch/conservatory and I'm sure in the very last episode with Jimmy Perez, this house was used by the chap on the run who was an artist. Jimmy didn't report him and so let him get away and that was why he resigned.

Am I correct in thinking, the same house has been reused for this series?

I wont comment on the storyline for this week yet as maybe some of you haven't seen it yet and I don't want to spoil it but suddenly the storyline has become very interesting!

Florence in the hebrides

I'll have to have another look, Florence!

Here's a picture of the house in the last series - or at least of its conservatory:

https://www.thesun.co.uk/tv/19688776/shetland-viewers-distracted-by-odd-american-accent/

Hmmm the one in the old series looks more modern compared to the run down one in this series. But at first glance, I thought it was in the same area. Maybe it is the same building but they have made some changes to make it look older perhaps?

Well I watched it until the last episode and thought it was better than the first! There was a twist i didn't see coming near the end.

I wont say what happened as some of you may not have watched the full series but i think another series will be ok but it will never be the same without Jimmy!

Florence in the hebrides

I have just watched the last episode, I hope there will be another series even without Jimmy. Maybe retirement won't suit him and he'll come back!

Having watched it over several weeks - more or less how it was broadcast - it is so long since the first episode that I can't remember who is related to who. So the twist you refer to Florence, was that incest or just hanky-panky? I can't remember if they were brother and sister or not.

Yes they were brother and sister!