I missed the first episode of River, as, from a trailer, it appeared to be the bog standard detective mini-series. It was only on another well-loved, armchair TV critic show, Gogglebox, that its surprising secret and fascination were revealed as episode 1 was critiqued.
That revelation led me to quickly catch up and to become hooked on what must be one of the more unusual detective series to have ever graced our screens.
Quite apart from the plot's twist, the characters are believable and well rounded, and our hero, River, is the kind of gentle cop we thought we'd seen the last of in the 1970s. His sidekick provides the grounded, more robust cop we know today.
Sub-plots examine love and personal relationships, race relations and mental health and all are handled with equal dignity and are thought provoking.
River has become required viewing and I cannot wait to reach the climax of this intriguing story.
That revelation led me to quickly catch up and to become hooked on what must be one of the more unusual detective series to have ever graced our screens.
Quite apart from the plot's twist, the characters are believable and well rounded, and our hero, River, is the kind of gentle cop we thought we'd seen the last of in the 1970s. His sidekick provides the grounded, more robust cop we know today.
Sub-plots examine love and personal relationships, race relations and mental health and all are handled with equal dignity and are thought provoking.
River has become required viewing and I cannot wait to reach the climax of this intriguing story.