Thought I’d preview some of the shows in my TBW pile and sneak preview those whose release I’m looking forward to soon. Hopefully, you see something you like here as well. I’d also love to hear your recommendations.

Scott and Bailey s#4

Waiting On: Scott and Bailey season #4. The girls are both after the same promotion!

Justified s#6

Waiting On: Ralen-Cool and Silver-Tongue Crowder: I just watched Justified series #5, which was brilliant, and now I’m hanging out for series #6, which I believe will be the last. I’ll be reviewing #5 soon, but suffice to say it was riveting, and kind of sad as Ralen inevitably becomes as hardened and dysfunctional as his father.

Braquo s#3

Watching: I’m watching this right now and it’s good to see Eddie Caplan, Roxanne, and Walter again. Theo lies critically ill in hospital and his friends are out for revenge. Braquo puts the grit in gritty.

Engrenages s#5

Waiting On: I haven’t been able to find out anything about the new series other than it was filmed in 2013. It should be due to hit the shelves soon. I’m a huge Gregory Fitoussi fan, but I think I really watch this show for Caroline Proust’s character Laure Berthaud.

Line of Duty s#2

TBW: Keeley Hawes is in s2, and I’m keen to see how she plays out against Vicky McClure, the passionate and intense Internal Affairs cop.

Prisoners of War s#1

TBW: The Israeli series that Homeland is based on. I’ve really been looking forward to watching this one.

Among a plethora of great contemporary TV shows Scott and Bailey is one of the best. A brilliant, brilliant, BRILLIANT cop show about two female detectives and their female boss.

As I mentioned in a previous post, some criticism has been levelled at the show for portraying the male characters as either useless or devious. Although I can see why some viewers might react that way, it seems to me that all the characters are shown to be flawed and that female leads are no exception. We just sped more time getting to know them. Rachel (Suranne Jones) is prickly and defensive and inclined to be self-destructive with booze. Janet (Lesley Sharp) is compassionate and reasonable but bored with her husband who she takes for granted and ultimately cheats on. Jill (Amelia Bullemore) is a tough, unsympathetic, no-nonsense but brilliant detective. The three women experience their highs and lows together and have their true selves exposed in moments of great weakness. What makes them appealing and compelling is the strength of their friendships and their ability to forgive and support each other. In Scott and Bailey, a spade is most definitely called a spade.

The Daily Telegraph describes the show as “a beautifully engineered programme: it’s both pleasingly sudsy and deliciously grisly but manages to transcend both the soap and detective genres.”

I’ve found it so much more realistic, funny, interesting and engaging than many of the shallow, formulaic cop shows being churned out. We’re still waiting for series 3 here in Australia, and I’ve had to join the Scott and Bailey Twitter fans to keep up with the news – @S&BTV

The theme music is the bomb! Check it out below.