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Annika is the character portrayed by Nicola Walker from The Last Train, and as a newly-promoted Detective Inspector, the body found in the Clyde will certainly challenge Annika…
What’s odd, initially, is how she breaks the fourth wall by talking to the camera, as well as giving us some Moby Dick spoilers, in case you haven’t read that (like me). Plus, with a name like Annika Strandhed, they’re clearly going for the Nordic Noir vibe, even though no-one talks with such an accent.
Found under the sea, but not living with The Little Mermaid, is the body of Arthur Hendry, with an unfortunate harpoon in his head. Alas, the new DI is clearly not quite on top of her brief, since she couldn’t be bothered to attend her leadership course.
When it comes to interviews suspects and relatives of the victim, it doesn’t feel particularly fresh. In fact, add in other deaths/murders etc, and it all feels like a path we’ve trodden before, many times. Will they get their criminal? Will you care?
As for Annika’s monologues, she’s mostly just wittering random thoughts from time to time, so it’s a bit like hearing what her Twitter account would sound like.
Oddly, they all work in a very big, flash office, although their crime room is almost completely devoid of computers for the staff. How does that work?!
And for another worn-out cliché in drama, her job crowds out her home life with her daughter, Morgan (Silvie Furneaux).
Still, it’s good to see her colleagues cast include both Katie Leung (The Peripheral) and Kate Dickie (Undergods).
There’s also reference to REM’s Everybody Hurts getting to No.1 in 1993, but it only made No.7 in the UK, and No.29 in the US. However, in 2010 it was re-released for charity, Helping Haiti, when it DID make the top slot. But still, 2010 is not 1993… Then again, given the rest of the writing in this rubbish…
Perhaps by the end of the series, Nicola Walker from The Last Train will finally find Ark?
Either way, the series was originally broadcast on Alibi, and is spawned from the Radio 4 series, Annika Stranded. Yes, a slight play on her character’s surname.
Annika begins on BBC1 tomorrow night at 9.15pm, and the whole series will then be available on the BBC iPlayer. The series is not yet available to pre-order on Blu-ray or DVD.
Series Directors: Philip John, Fiona Walton, Annie Griffin
Producer: Kieran Parker
Music: Dot Allison, Anton Newcombe
Creator: Nick Walker
Writers: Nick Walker, Frances Poet
Cast:
DI Annika Strandhed: Nicola Walker
DS Michael McAndrews: Jamie Sives
DC Blair Ferguson: Katie Leung
DS Tyrone Clarke: Ukweli Roach
Morgan Strandhed: Silvie Furneaux
DC Harper Weston: Varada Sethu
DCI Diane Oban: Kate Dickie
Jake Strathearn: Paul McGann
Magnus Strandhed: Sven Henriksen
Adie McAndrews: Andy Clark
Alex Carrigan: Rebecca Root
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.