User Reviews

I agree that they appeared too lax handling evil man Paul Spector, but UK procedures with perps may be just that, a bit on the lax side. Who knows? Doesn't really take away from this high quality series. Gillian is very good as lead detective. Recommend this series.

So we finally have an ending - we see Paul was more evil than thought right up to the end. But, was his amnesia real? I doubt it, but who really cares? He cheats the courts, but ends up where most of us think he should have.

Hated the contrived scenarios, as did many others, but because we 'hate' Gibsons character, I suggest it was good acting. Wish her supervisor - Jim - could have got more of a comeuppance. Thank God there won't be a season 4!

The consensus appears to be that this third season was too slow and dull compared to the first two seasons. It was interesting for me to watch it with this in mind though, because I actually found parallels with the first season. This is not to say that is a good thing, because I also found the first season to be very cold, deliberate, and focused very tightly on the procedural detail – although in the first season this was related to the crimes rather than the prosecution thereof.

The criticisms of this third and final season are pretty valid though. I approached it with caution because of my reservations over how the previous season had ended. This season starts with a medical drama which to be fair is at least intense and emotionally charged. After this the pace drops off significantly, and we return to the slow, cold pace of before, although not as engaging in content. The season still has some dramatic moments, and the cast have chances to show their characters well, but all of this happens within a pace that is really slow, and made to feel even slower than it should be due to the detail in which things are played out. Scenes run too long, or are oddly selected in that they deliver information but don't really add much to the characters or narrative. This does improve in the last two episodes, but up till then the amnesia plot is too labored, and too much the 'all' of the narrative.

The final two episodes produce more conflict, drama, and revelation, and it does inject some life into the season. The cast do a good job – in particular Anderson is very good, although too much of her delivery involves low whispering. Dornan is hampered by the amnesia thing for the majority of the season, but is a powerful presence when the show lets him be. Lynch has little to do, but Franciosi has good moments. The overall delivery is cold and restrained, which does work when it has things going on. In the end the season is not as good as I wanted, due to how slow so much of it moves – it does pull it together in the end, but at best it is inconsistent.

This series begins like many crime dramas but becomes so much more. The power-play between men and women brutally examined across all aspects. The crimes themselves, the hierarchy of the police force, Stella's sexual encounters. Every twist and turn is nuanced and filled with ambivalence. Stella's genuine grief at the treatment of Paul's victims and Paul's pseudo remorse in contrast. Every character was deeply examined, their conflicts - the 'good' and the 'bad'. So many stories in the characters- just under the surface, beautifully orchestrated with the mesmerising score.

I felt the end was believable as it is common for psychopathic killers to take the 'easy' way out to avoid the consequences. The fact that Paul was married with a family was again not unusual in serial killers, which makes them even more terrifying.

Like many reviewers, Seasons 1 and 2 were far superior to the last season, and we just wanted this one to come to a conclusion. In isolation, it was an exciting last episode.

The main problem for many with season 3 was pace, but I felt this was appropriate, and helped dredge the depths of the main characters.

However, the season was so replete with implausible situations, right up the the end, that it was just infuriating.

I've worked in secure provision, and can not believe that the situations presented in this episode could possibly happen.

Pity.

Halfway through this episode, and I'm supposed to accept that, after requiring 5 men to subdue him, Spector's handcuffs are removed and he is left to wander about freely.

Officials treating someone who has exhibited extreme violence that was WITNESSED AND TAPED BY THE POLICE so cavalierly is insane. I can't believe that procedures would be this lax. It's completely implausible. I don't have the ability to suspend my belief to this extent in a program without supernatural or sci-fi elements. I'm disappointed that my investment of time was so unrewarding and repaid in such an insulting manner.

I blame no one but myself. I hope the actors and creative team were paid well. I hope the money earned bought something lovely.

I truly wish I could get all the time back I spent watching the third season. Eventually I accepted this entire season was going to be about the court case and ridiculous mental games Spector was playing. That's fine (except that every episode put me to sleep because it was just not engaging at all like the first two seasons). But to end this show with Spector killing hinself? This is such a slap in the face. The world is full of people who don't face punishment for their crimes and to spend this much time watching a show for this to be the ending is just insulting. As another poster mentioned, it was so unbelievable!! There is no damn way they let Spector walk around by himself or not be handcuffed or isolated from others after he just attacked two police officers in an interview!

Up until this point, I was honestly blown away by the level of detail they had in this show for procedure and processes. It was such a reframing part of the show. To throw that by the wayside to give Spector an easy way out is some of the worst writing I've ever seen. I will never watch anything from this writer or director ever again.