Murder in Shetland - Season 1 - DVD

Content: For a long time, Detective Inspector Jimmy Perez (Douglas Henshall) has been away from his homeland. But after the death of his wife, he returns to Shetland with his stepdaughter Cassie (Erin Armstrong). Here he wants to find the peace for a new beginning. But soon it becomes clear that the rough idyll on the North Atlantic archipelago is a very deceptive. For not only does he have to deal with prejudice from a sworn island community, he also has to solve brutal and complicated murder cases here. With the help of his new colleagues Alison "Tosh" McIntosh (Alison O`Donnell) and Sandy Wilson (Steve Robertson), Perez at least manages to get used to the peculiarities of the islanders more quickly. But the past he had hoped to escape here, unfortunately, can not be shaken off so easily.

Based on the Shetland crime novels of Ann Cleeves, who has already written the template for the crime series Vera - A Special Case, Murder in Shetland offers first-class crime entertainment set against a fascinating backdrop. The landscape of the Scottish Shetland Islands is rough and as a viewer you always have the feeling that the cold wind is blowing through your living room. Here already visually a very special atmosphere unfolds, in which the crime story can unfold perfectly.

The stories are grippingly constructed, even if the wheel is not reinvented here. But the creators succeed very well, not only the investigators, but also the viewers again and again on a false trail to lure, whereby the tension is always kept at a high level. This is important in that the leisurely pace of the production almost sets a counterpoint to that. If you're expecting action, you're absolutely wrong here. There's a calm narrative flow that prevails here, but it never even comes close to anything that could be described as boredom.

Besides the fascinating landscapes and gripping stories, however, it's also the acting of the cast that makes Murder on Shetland first-rate crime entertainment. Especially lead actor Douglas Henshall, known from the fantasy series Primeval - Return of the Primeval Monsters, delivers a great performance. The different facets of his character make DI Perez a really interesting character with rough edges. But also Henshall's co-stars and the good guest stars make to series acting absolutely successful.

If you appreciate classy crime fare from the UK and value atmosphere over pace and action, this first DVD set is a must buy. Absolutely worth seeing!

Image + Sound: The series thrives on the atmosphere created by the rugged landscape. This is captured in atmospheric images, which are shown off to good effect on the DVD thanks to a successful colour scheme and decent overall sharpness. The sound is rather restrained, with the powerfully mixed dialogue being repeatedly supported by well-used ambient sounds. Good.

Extras: Unfortunately, the DVD set has no bonus material to offer.

Conclusion: Murder on Shetland is an exciting crime series that thrives primarily on its atmospheric production. Despite the very restrained pace, the stories of the first season are absolutely gripping and excitingly told. The DVD presents the four feature-length episodes in good picture and sound quality. Only on bonus material interested viewers have to do without. The bottom line is for all fans of British crime fare a clear: Absolutely recommended!

An article by Frankfurt-Tipp