If you have Netflix and enjoy really good British cop dramas, check out Shetland by BBC Scotland.

It stars Douglas Henshall. Henshall won the British Academy of Film and Television Arts best television actor award in 2016 for his work in the series and the show won the best television drama.

Basic story is he's from Fair Isle, the most remote island in the UK. Population, about 70 people, 22,929,234 sheep.

After the death of his wife he takes a posting in the Shetlands with the Scottish National Police.

In the course of the series so far, they've about depopulated several smaller islands in the Shetlands. Its all murder and mayhem.

There is one jarring thing about the series, and Game of Thrones. The Scottish actor James Cosmo is my father's identical twin. Not that they are related as far as I know, but my patronymic was MacLaurin before King George II tried my ancestor for treason for fighting on the side of the Jacobites at Culloden. He was transported to America and started over.

I just wrapped up watching it this evening. Now I'm on to Hinterlands. If nothing else, the scenery is awesome.

Preferred Shetland but Hinterland is good, too.

Geez.....Hinterlands is pretty grim. LOL

North Wales lovely but bleak.It's where the SAS and your Special Forces go to train.

Also Series 1 of Shetland they talk about 'The Shetland Bus'...David Howarth wrote a book about his time on 'The Shetland Bus'. Those sailors were brave Bar Stewards.

Well, I was referring to the mood of the show. Everyone (except maybe that bespectacled detective) seems to be one bad day from opening their wrists. LOL

Amongst my many retirement ideas, one is to simply wander. Shetland and Hinterlands have added some places to the list. As much as I abhor cold, I can certainly deal with it long enough to visit. LOL

I'll watch everything I can find in this vein. I enjoyed Hinterland (yes, it's bleak) & have watched the first two episodes of Shetland, thanks to the thread here.

I started hinterland but didn't continue. I am on "the tunnel" now and really enjoying it.

Other good ones I think discussed here are "river", "Marcella", and "paranoid". Also enjoyed "spotless" and "the Kettering Incident". Slow but it's Tasmania all right for the people and isolation. Spent a month in Tas in 2004.

Check out "Happy Valley" - it does take a while to understand, but I found it interesting.

Once you hear the "man down" beep on their radios, you'll never forget it.

quote:

Originally posted by Augen:
I am on "the tunnel" now and really enjoying it.

The conclusion is a wild ride. Clémence Poésy is hot in a quirky kind of way.

quote:

Originally posted by AllenInWV:
Geez.....Hinterlands is pretty grim. LOL

I'll try Shetland next. I also tried Hinterlands but only the first episode - it really is dark. I really liked the Jack Taylor series and the BBC version of Wallander. I thought they were all well done.

I may look into getting rid of cable tv. There's very little I watch on "regular" tv.

quote:

Originally posted by scot818:

quote:

Originally posted by AllenInWV:
Geez.....Hinterlands is pretty grim. LOL

I'll try Shetland next. I also tried Hinterlands but only the first episode - it really is dark. I really liked the Jack Taylor series and the BBC version of Wallander. I thought they were all well done.

I may look into getting rid of cable tv. There's very little I watch on "regular" tv.

wallander was very well done, I missed most of the last season (all of maybe 3 episodes, but long episodes by UK standards)

My wife and I both love Shetland and watched on PBS and now Netflix. I enjoyed the Tunnel my wife not so much.

Just finished watching season 4 of Shetland on Amazon Prime. My wife and I really enjoyed the series.

SEASON 5 is out!!!

quote:

Originally posted by Day_late:
Just finished watching season 4 of Shetland on Amazon Prime. My wife and I really enjoyed the series.

How did you watch S4 without adding Britbox to your Prime membership? The previous 3 seasons were included with Prime but that's changed.

Just curious.

quote:

Originally posted by RogB:

quote:

Originally posted by Day_late:
Just finished watching season 4 of Shetland on Amazon Prime. My wife and I really enjoyed the series.

How did you watch S4 without adding Britbox to your Prime membership? The previous 3 seasons were included with Prime but that's changed.

Just curious.

Never saw the first three seasons on Prime - we watched them on Netflix. I think we added Britbox just to see season 4, but we're getting our money's worth with other Brit mystery series.

Adding Britbox was a great deal. Agree about the quality of shows. Broadchurch was also good but I don't think it's being renewed.

We enjoyed Shetland.

Check out Retribution as well. Shares some of the actors.

What is this Britbox you speak of?

quote:

Originally posted by Black92LX:
We enjoyed Shetland.

Check out Retribution as well. Shares some of the actors.

What is this Britbox you speak of?

Britbox is a pay channel on Amazon Prime. It offers a lot of British tv shows, costs $7/month. I think I stumbled on it while searching for Shetland after reading this thread.