Series 1:
This was an utterly gripping series. The central character, an investigative journalist who has previously investigated a politician for (finally unproven) corruption charges in the past finds that a gutted body washed up on the riverbank where she canoes each day is just the starting point of a large, national-boundary-crossing conspiracy. The plotting is complicated in the first episodes as there are many strands to establish but as the story unfolds the connections and links are smartly made apparent. The personal and political are, as ever, much intertwined and each aspect gains from the connections and involvement with the other. The main politician featured takes an interesting character growth development as the plot unfolds, from being an apparently scheming and self-centred Machiavel to something rather more nuanced and sympathetic. This was a great strength of the series - that there were no lazy character tropes involved in the character’s depiction -although the Jacki Weaver character was approaching that I felt. but as she is a very commanding actress her performance somehow managed to avoid this danger too emphatically. She is also nicely set up for the follow-on series.
Great fun then and much recommended. It recalled Washington Behind Closed Doors (that dates me!) as well as, of course, House of Cards.
Series 2: