Vera

"Smart writing! Always a twist you don’t see coming! "

"She is awesome and so is this show "

"Gritty, dark, and suspenseful. I enjoy Ann Cleeves and her depiction of Vera and the supporting characters is artful "

"I've completely fallen in love in love with this very grumpy detective. I love how she calls everyone "love" and "pet". Plus, it showcases some amazing storylines that keep you guessing until the end. It's now officially my new favourite mystery/crime series. "

"Such a great sense of humor.. loved it!"

"I want another season!"

"Mystery, episodic"

"The 10 seasons (so far - it remains in production) are divided across different platforms in the U.S. but you may find a deal streaming them on BritBox. I've seen most seasons now and this has held up since my first reviews. This detective murder mystery series, set in the picturesque-yet-often-gloomy Northumberland coastal region of England, consistently ends up telling a tale that, in the big reveal, is utterly tragic and sad. Yes, murder is by nature tragic. Somehow the back stories that unfold seem doubly or trebly tragic by the time DCI Vera Stanhope (Brenda Blethyn) parses them out. Vera has her own back story that gradually unfolds over the 10 seasons (4 90-minute episodes each) in its own tragic fashion. The frumpy detective is reminiscent of Peter Falk's Columbo - down to the signature drab raincoat - except she calls everyone "pet" and "love" to aid in their underestimation of her cunning and bravery that rates well to, say, Idris Elba's Luther. She also has a crack team surrounding her, dedicated resources I suspect real life DCI's would - erm - kill for. Often we are less interested in seeing the killer come to justice than we are keen on seeing othee bad actors get their comeuppance for loathsome behavior - as the real bad actors are not necessarily the ones guilty of the murders that drive the storylines. Vera is not nearly as flawed or plagued by dark demons as many British detectives but that doesn't mean she's saccaharine or one dimensional. If you enjoy British detective shows, Vera will not disappoint and you may find its proclivity for unveiling tragedies sadder than death to be its signature trait that sets it apart from most others."

"One of the best examples of the crime detective TV show genre. Fantastic series."

"#vera "