This Procedural Series on Streaming Flips the Detective Drama on its Head

It’s no secret that, when it comes to TV, the Brits have mastered the police procedural genre. Shows like Happy Valley, Broadchurch and Line of Duty have become known for their complex characters, their compelling mysteries and their rainy backdrops, giving these shows a very specific atmosphere. The BBC series Vigil, however, introduces major twists to the traditional detective series that completely flips the genre on its head.

The series, which is streaming on Peacock in the U.S., follows DCI Amy Silva (Suranne Jones) who works for the Scotland police force. While other British detective dramas find their characters policing and solving grizzly crimes in the towns and cities they live in, DCI Silva is forced to solve crimes in isolating and high-stakes settings that are completely outside of her comfort zone. While Vigil still has the hallmarks of a great British detective series, the heightened tension of DCI Silva’s mission gives the show a unique and fresh take on the procedural genre.

What Is ‘Vigil’ About?

Season 1 of Vigil finds DCI Amy Silva aboard the HMS Vigil, a nuclear-powered submarine, to investigate the suspicious death of crew member Craig Burke (Martin Compston). Once onboard, DCI Silva begins to uncover a web of lies, unable to sense who she can trust in the crew. The evidence she finds leads her to believe that Burke was murdered, which is an unwelcoming revelation, especially from Commander Neil Newsome (Paterson Joseph), the Captain of the sub struggling to keep his crew in check. On land, Silva’s colleague DS Kirsten Longacre (Rose Leslie) is also gathering evidence to help solve the mystery, which uncovers deep political implications that perfectly intertwine with the tensions on the sub. Together, the two discover the truth, which leads to a twisty and shocking finale.

In Season 2, DCI Silva and DS Longacre are investigating the tragic deaths of soldiers when a combat drone becomes compromised during a demonstration in Scotland. The investigation pulls the two apart once again, sending Silva to the fictional Al-Shawka Air Base in the Middle East country of Wudyan. Although this season is not as contained, DCI Silva finds herself in unfamiliar and unwelcoming territory, as both she and Longacre are put in increasing danger as they get closer to the truth.

While the mysteries in both seasons are rich and compelling, the personal story of Amy Silva beautifully ties everything together. She’s grappling with a tragic event in her past while she tries to stay focused on her job. Her relationship with Kirsten is layered and complex and goes well beyond colleagues, which is more new territory for Amy as shown in a series of flashbacks in Season 1. The flashbacks never feel forced and are actually refreshing, building on her character while giving audiences other visuals away from the cold, gray submarine. Suranne Jones is great in everything she does, but especially shines in Vigil, bringing a vulnerability and intensity to the role of Amy Silva.

How ‘Vigil’ Stands Out From Other Great Detective Dramas

What sets Vigil apart from other detective shows is the environment that DCI Silva is forced to do her job in. In both seasons, each location is truly unsettling and dangerous, and not only because there is a murderer on the loose. Silva must follow the military’s orders as an outsider trying to solve a murder, which could only have been committed by someone confined in the same space she’s investigating. Like any great mystery show, there are a lot of people hiding something, adding a layer of dangerous tension to every interaction. Each episode reveals a different clue to the mysteries, ultimately leading to shocking conclusions.

Vigil also does a great job of blending police procedural elements with more personal storylines. In Season 1, it’s revealed that Amy Silva lost the man she was going to marry in a tragic car accident, completely derailing her life. The claustrophobic nature of the submarine is a perfect mirror to the accident, causing her to become physically and emotionally overwhelmed at times when she’s trying to do her job. While it’s not new that fictional detectives are forced to deal with their traumatic past while solving their cases, Vigil personifies the drama in a unique way. Survival is already a difficult task in these environments, which raises the stakes.

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‘Vigil’ Trailer Reveals a New Crime Drama Series Starring Rose Leslie and Suranne Jones

The BBC series makes its way to Peacock later this month.

Season 1 also has a different narrative style that pulls viewers out of the confinement of the submarine and into the past, showing Silva in happier times before the accident, and what life has been like for her since. When audiences first see Silva and DS Longacre together, it’s clear they have a history, but as the season goes on, more and more is revealed about the two women. Eventually, we see how they grew close and eventually fell in love, though Silva had a harder time admitting to her feelings after all she had been through. The evolution of their romance is, in many ways, the beating heart of Vigil.

Suranne Jones and Rose Leslie Have Electric Chemistry in ‘Vigil’

The on-screen relationship between DCI Amy Silva and DS Kirsten Longacre is easily the best part of Vigil. Suranne Jones and Rose Leslie have a dynamic chemistry through their characters, balancing their professional partnership with their love for each other. They also contrast each other perfectly, as Jones’s portrayal of Silva is guarded and stoic, while Leslie’s Longacre is passionate and warm. Their scenes together are electric, whether they’re talking about the future of their relationship or the details of a case.

Silva and Longacre’s love and care for each other are palpable as they navigate the complexities of their relationship and the ever-evolving cases they’re working on together. Their bond feels authentic and layered, adding a whole different intensity when the characters find themselves in increasingly dangerous situations. After reconciling in Season 1, which ends with one of the most emotionally resonating scenes in the whole show, the couple decide to have a baby together in Season 2. This leads to a whole new set of problems, as Longacre is hellbent on staying in the field while pregnant and Silva is crime-solving from a distance in the Middle East.

While it’s great for most shows to have a pair of detectives working in a purely platonic relationship, the romantic partnership of Longacre and Silva only adds to Vigil‘s story. The great on-screen chemistry between Jones and Leslie, coupled with high stakes and layered mysteries, makes Vigil the perfect show for any detective show fan. Its unique storytelling approach elevates the show beyond a standard detective drama, creating a refreshing take on the ever-popular genre.

Both seasons of Vigil are available to stream on Peacock in the U.S.

Vigil

The mysterious disappearance of a Scottish fishing trawler and a death onboard a Trident nuclear submarine bring the police into conflict with the Navy and British security services.

Release Date

December 23, 2021

Cast

Suranne Jones , Rose Leslie , Gary Lewis , Orla Russell , Shaun Evans , Romola Garai , Paterson Joseph , Adam James

Main Genre

Crime

Seasons

2

Creator(s)

Tom Edge

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WATCH ON PEACOCK