User Reviews

As an Aberdonian I was interested to see this but as much as it was nice seeing a series being filmed in Aberdeen, some of the acting in this was truly awful. A few good roles in it but some of the supporting roles were poor. The music used at times was amateurish as well. Could have been so much better - just hope it doesn't put off people from making more shows in the area. Storyline was also pretty weak to be honest. No major twists. A poor man's line of duty at best. I severely doubt there will be a 2nd series. They'd need to really improve the peripheral acting. Cinematography at times was also a let down.

Seldom have I seen such a contrived plot, leaden script and wooden acting. It has the feel of a pilot for yet another formulaic crime series. It feels like an inverted " Death In Paradise " where the quirky Caribbean detective comes to Britain to teach the inept Scots how to do their jobs. The characters are as unbelievable as they are predictable. The conflicts between the characters are straight out of the DIY, Distance Learning writing manual : lesson one.

This is clearly a low budget affair but to its credit, it has given employment opportunities to a mix of apprentice actors. No second series PLEASE!

Fairly contrived and sadly indicative off the "inclusive" BBC of recent times but there is enough to watch if you get past the box ticking casting etc.

Tha acting on the whole is pretty pedestrian and the lead character is more contrived than necessary. A better development of his back story would have made the story stronger but as this looks for all the world like a work in progress there is plenty of time for that in series 2?!

If, like me you are a fan of detective/ police series it's watchable but far from great. A couple of the actors make it a hard watch at some points but I think there is potential if the BBC up the budget and look at the cast for any further series.

Give it a go if there's nothing else to watch if only for the Scottish scenery. OK.

What a disappointment. It has the performances, script and look of a daytime TV show, but this is supposed to be prime BBC crime drama. Lovely views, though. So if it was a tourist PR video, then job done. But as it is a crime drama, it's seriously, seriously lacking. The plot is not as good as those found in episodes of Silent Witness or Vera. The characters are incredibly poor. The casting is all a bit off. Police who don't look or act like police. Generally, it fails to entertain or intrigue and thus, it fails. But if you want to see beautiful Aberdeen, then it's about as enjoyable as staring at a postcard for 3 hours.

We really wanted to like this.

We're always rooting for mystery shows to be good, but this one had some of our biggest pet peeves.

One of the biggest being unlikable main characters. We liked the main character okay, but the rest were non-stop annoying. Especially DI Mallick. The police were so bad, we started hoping they were getting everything completely wrong and would be proved idiots at the end. The supposed requirement that the cops be snarky really has to go.

Despite all that, we appreciated that the script went classy rather than crass with the vocabulary and the visuals. Cinematography was great.

Would love to see an attempt at a second season maybe with more stories that are shorter. 90 minute mysteries are perfect.

DC Davis Lindo arrives in Aberdeen with the hope of becoming a Detective, he is instantly caught up in the murder of a businessman.

This was a major disappointment, I was looking forward to this quite a lot, but ten minutes into episode one, its major flaws were exposed.

It reminded me of The Sister Boniface Mysteries, a cop arrives in town from The Caribbean, and had to adjust to life in The UK, it also felt like a cosy afternoon drama, offering zero grit. Unfortunately whereas most afternoon shows offer light entertaining, and a little humour, this lacked any charm, it was impossible to engage.

The story is wafer thin, by episode two, my focus had gone, and I was struggling to associate who, what and why, it was just so dull.

Worst of all, the acting, despite some experienced, capable names, the acting was shocking. The characters were like cardboard cutouts, none of them, not even Gary Lewis offered anything. The chip on Mallick's shoulder can be seen from Bolivia.

A major disappointment, they got this badly wrong, 3/10.

Edit as of 2024.

Series 2, a total game changer, I stand by my 3/10 review for the first series, and I don't think it would be right for me to change it, but the second series is worlds apart, it's an 8/10 in my book, superior acting, writing, tense and exciting, it just goes to show that sometimes shows need time to develop.

In the ever-evolving landscape of television crime dramas, there are some series that emerge as trendsetters, benchmarks, if you will. Series like "Happy Valley" and "Vera", with their rich tapestries of intricate character developments and compelling storylines, have undoubtedly set the bar high. One could also pay homage to the captivating and atmospheric "Shetland". These series not only present thrilling mysteries but also make optimal use of their setting, weaving the environment into the narrative so seamlessly that it becomes a character in its own right.

Enter "Granite Harbour", a mini-series that promised to offer viewers an engaging blend of drama against the backdrop of scenic Scotland. Alas, it feels like a missed shot. The series is an ensemble of performances that range from outstanding to outright subpar. One can't help but wonder how the veteran actors, some of whom have gained significant acclaim in previous projects, felt about sharing the screen with co-stars whose performances were less than stellar. The glaring disparity in acting abilities detracts from the viewing experience, often pulling the viewer out of the story's immersive world.

The blame does not lie solely on the cast. The casting director's choices appear puzzling, and one might dare say, detrimental to the series' potential. With a project of this magnitude and in such a competitive genre, casting missteps can prove costly.

Moreover, the script seems lacklustre when juxtaposed with its peers. Crime dramas, especially those set in locations as picturesque and atmospheric as Scotland, have the dual task of not only providing a gripping narrative but also integrating the locale into the storyline. This is where series like "Happy Valley" and "Vera" shine. Their narratives are so deeply intertwined with their settings that one cannot imagine the story playing out anywhere else. "Granite Harbour" sadly misses this mark, leaving its viewers with a narrative that feels disconnected from its environment.

In conclusion, while there have been numerous successful TV series shot across the UK - from the rugged coasts of Scotland and Ireland to the bustling streets of England - "Granite Harbour" seems to have bypassed the key elements that make these series resonate with audiences. The show lacks the authenticity, atmospheric setting, and compelling performances that are paramount to its genre. For enthusiasts of crime dramas, especially those acquainted with the standards set by the aforementioned classics, "Granite Harbour" may prove to be a disappointment.

Contrary to some of the later reviews, this is a decent mystery. Yes, we have a rookie whose instincts put him at odds with his superiors but he actually has 10 years experience in the Royal Military Police. Yes, he has Daddy issues but they don't paralyze him. It may not be absolutely unique, or groundbreaking, and I cannot judge just how regionally accurate the accents are (apparently nobody from elsewhere moves to Aberdeen), but the mystery is good and there are plenty of red herrings. The lead is appealing and the police, while not ready to follow his instincts, are not shown to be evil or incompetent. Enjoy!

I'll be honest I gave up after 40 mins of episode one I so wanted this to be a hit , showing off Aberdeen, it's citizens and police force to a uk audience What I got was some good acting, some bad acting and some frankly woeful scriptwriting !

What could've been an interesting subject (outsider starts new job in a new city and a new country) moves on to a by the book tv cop show with the standard 1 in a million chance that the main character sees the murder victim threatened to be killed by someone then argue with his own brother all in a quiet city centre street (how lucky was that ?) where for some reason they were announcing a merger by two major companies to a crowd of about 50 extras who waved placards and politely clapped !

I may give it another go, but only if I'm really bored

The drone footage was good though, at least it had that going for it !

I binged this entertaining three-part show in one day. The bad reviews appear to be a concerted, organized campaign to hurt the show because it doesn't have enough old white men in it. Thank goodness for that. I liked the talented cast and found the writing to be clever. It's refreshing to watch shows that feature diverse casts. I lived through a time where there were ZERO shows like this. So let the immature dinosaurs write their bad reviews. Hopefully, it'll occupy their time and keep them out of trouble. Meanwhile, I enjoyed the Aberdeen/Glasgow setting and hope there will be a second season.

Like many Scots I had high hopes of Granite Harbour, only to have my expectations dashed within the first few minutes. To say the script is creaky is an understatement - it is a prime example of how a lack of continuous re-writing at the pre-production stage results in a disaster. This is certainly not helped by a narrative which is wholly unoriginal, and a bunch of lead actors who are clearly out of their depth. It takes an old pro like Dawn Steel (Monarch of the Glen) to show that you can indeed polish the odd t**d if you are experienced enough. Most of the cast here are not, and therefore cannot wring any conviction out of dud dialogue. It was like watching painting by numbers. On the plus side it was pleasant enough to see Aberdeen, shot both on the ground and from the air. But good technicals are not going to save this car crash. In rating it 4 out of 10 I'm being generous; it could have been so much better.

Well, where do I begin?

The acting: awful Story: awful

Forced doric accents by actors from every part of Scotland apart from Aberdeen. The cliché storyline was awful and predictable.

I will take a punt that it was written by an American with lines like "homicide" and "first degree murder".

The story is slow and dragged out which is a shame, it could have been good. I feel really sorry for Romario Simpso who plays the main character, he was definitely sold a lemon with this 'drama'.

By all means watch if you want to be sent to sleep or comatose for days then crack on, it is mind numbingly boring.

The other reviews are just negative for the portrayal of Aberdeen and the comparison to Shetland (series) I've heard of neither so this is purely based on the show.

Three episodes and a simple whodunnit case.

Very easy watch and I genuinely didn't guess the end when i usually do at shows like this.

My only issue is lack of character background, I think one more episode would have been better so they could have added backstory throughout the series.

Romario Simpson is also another good reason to watch, extremely easy on the eye.

Fingers crossed for a series two, preferably a little darker ✌🏾

It was nice to have a crime drama set in Aberdeen and in Scotland, but this isn't a Shetland or Taggart or Vera or across the pond, a Bosch. It doesn't have the quality that starts with the script which wasn't good, the plot and dialog were poor. Simpson was poorly cast as the lead, the two best actors were Gary Lewis and Ross Anderson, the rest of the cast was mediocre.

I watched all three episodes thinking it would eventually improve, but it never did. The plot of a "rebel detective" who solves the crime is so cliched. The last thing that a police service wants is a rebel, someone they can't control who ends up costing them in lawsuits. It's not reality.

I was enthralled with this new series. I just binged the 3 episodes and really hope it's renewed for a second series. It was a great choice to set it in Aberdeen- yet wasn't full of the North East cliches you often get when something's set in Aberdeen.

I lived down at Aberdeen Harbour for years, and it was great seeing it like I remember it- rather than seeing the gentrification that's already taken place.

It would have been nice to see a replica version of PeepPeeps.

The pub where you wiped your feet on the doormat as you were leaving.

I don't understand the critical reviews-and wonder what sort of shows the critic's actually like.

This has to be the worst detective series ever in the history of Detective series. Terrible acting, terrible plot line. There was no cohesion to the story, the characters were unpleasant and if that's a reflection on Policing it's poor. The way they go about solving this murder is murderous in itself and I cannot imagine any Police Force behaving in this way. It's criminal.

The Actors are well known, but even with that, it doesn't bring it back. The sweeping scenery is reminiscent of Shetland but the bizarre music is odd choice for this arena.

It was a predictable ending, predictable from the start.

An easy watch and quite interesting but it seems to have been written either by or for Americans. Eg nightstand not bedside table. Calling police officers Detective not Inspector or other rank. Talk with not talk to. September 12 not the 12th of September. Three strikes, a reference to an American game called baseball. Officers not the Police. Very odd. The other criticism is that although set in Aberdeen none of the characters have an Aberdonian accent, just the usual mix of various Central Belt accents, oh and Gary Lewis doing the unique Gary Lewis accent. Apart from that it's OK although the frequent establishing shots are bit tedious.

We love everything about this show, the storyline, the characters, the interaction between characters, the twists and turns. Highly recommend this show.

There are many moments of smiling at the conversations and the interaction between characters. It is also a joy to follow the storyline and try to anticipate the actions and results.

All of the actors and actresses are great. They really make the characters believable and are very realistic

We are waiting with baited breath for the next installments. Also, 3 episodes a season is not near enough - give us more. Season 2 can't come soon enough.

I'm from Scotland and met my wife in Aberdeen. We were both looking forward to this mini-drama, eager to reminisce over a familiar backdrop. Although the city of Aberdeen is well represented, it is spoiled by the god-awful music!

The acting is unnatural with dialogue delivered like everyone is simply reading their lines. Why do Scottish actors sound like they are doing an impression of a Scottish person? It's strange to listen to. It sounds like they are exaggerating their Scottishness whilst speaking clearly so that viewers south of the border don't need subtitles.

We switched off towards the end of episode one after the predictable chase scene on foot. It was executed at a jogging pace, yet the police officer still couldn't catch-up! Lucky for him the man he was chasing fell over, although what caused him to fall over is a mystery.

Sadly, this is a clichéd detective show that feels like a student project filmed with decent cameras.

Not sure I watched the same series as the other reviewers but I found the storytelling, performances, cast and mystery-solving an enjoyable watch. No fluff, straightforward story that didn't waste my time stretching it to 5-6 episodes so I appreciated that. It sorta started off a bit comedic but once it settled in, the 2 main characters were likable and had good chemistry. Lindo's backstory is interesting and in further seasons I hope they explore that a bit. Someone said this show ticks all the right boxes, I don't really keep score that way, I watch for the storytelling, interesting ideas and characters, production value, a theme or message delivered without a heavy hand, and an emotional thread woven in that helps to elevate a mystery/crime drama.

I hope series 2 is on the way!

Imagine a Children's Film Foundation production shot by Kubrick with access to drones.

Bad plot, bad script, bad acting, terrible pacing. What were they thinking?

Seriously, even the music is egregious.

It's just a series of events linked together with improbability. I'm guessing it was conceived by someone who loves police pseudo-procedurals and clichés.

I think the producer saw a rough cut and said "cut half the plot and dialogue and replace it with montages of grey buildings" and it was the right decision.

Maybe it gets better, I couldn't get through a whole episode.

To see Aberdeen looking fantastic watch it... just with the sound off.

The optics are sharp, filming nice and smooth, the drone shots really nice, but there's something immature about the whole thing. I'm not hearing any Aberdeen accents, it's like everyone was shipped in from everywhere but Aberdeen to act in this series. The one guy that is claiming be be from one of the less desirable areas of Aberdeen, has an accent that is not Aberdonian.

There's nothing intelligent about this, from the obviously made up name of the police force, to the fake looking police uniforms, bad jokes that are just not funny, to the actual bad acting and non standard protocols like the policeman demanding a press photographers camera by shouting "give me that".

I've watched this for just over 13 mins, I had expected an intelligent murder mystery series based in Aberdeen, it could literally have been filmed anywhere, the acting is terrible and there are no Aberdonians in this, come on guys, be original.

The music is far too upbeat for this too, doesn't seem to fit in.

As mentioned, the filming is nice, that's it, don't bother.

BBC box ticking casting not working again... Mid 20s guy with a thick Jamaican accent is a murder detective in Aberdeen ... please everyone suspend your disbelief for the sake of inclusion and representation.

It wouldn't be so bad if the actor was good at his job of acting, half way through the first episode after getting jumped he runs out into the street and grunts at a car he couldn't stop.

Good to see that the only representation of white men is criminals - , literally a police force full of white women and non white men. Which literally wouldn't be so bad if the actors cast were any good.