Departing from the tried and tested formula of detective drama’s, Unforgotten follows team lead by DI Cassie Stewart and DI Sunny Khan who head up a specialist Metropolitan Police unit tasked with solving historic crimes.

Each of the three season’s unpick crimes which have varying layers of complexity due to length of time since committed, advancements in science and technology, age of suspects and a lack of appetite from superiors to investigate. The show excels in laying breadcrumbs of hints as to who the criminal is, most of which only become apparent after the ‘grand reveal’ whereby you find yourself asking “how did I miss that?”

The on screen chemistry of Nicola Walker and Sanjeev Bhaskar help drag their co-stars performances up a notch and the first season in particular features a hard-hitting, breath-taking piece of acting from Tom Courtenay.

The writers employ an effective storytelling device by introducing a plethora of characters with no apparent connection and some of them turn out to bare no importance to the central plotline. This is done to discombobulate viewers but is actually a great way to make us feel like we’re part of an actual police investigation. In the era of chain-watching, I actually felt like watching the next episode was of paramount importance to find the wrongdoer!

It continues the BBC’s recent strong form in original drama and sits quite rightly on a shelf next to Line of Duty as a highlight of their stable.

Rating: 8/10

Viewed: January 2021