''Without Motive'' is a British

crime drama Crime films, in the broadest sense, is a film genre inspired by and analogous to the crime fiction literary genre. Films of this genre generally involve various aspects of crime and its detection. Stylistically, the genre may overlap and combine ...

series broadcast on

ITV ITV or iTV may refer to: ITV *Independent Television (ITV), a British television network, consisting of: ** ITV (TV network), a free-to-air national commercial television network covering the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islan ...

, starring

Ross Kemp Ross James Kemp (born 21 July 1964) is an English actor, author, and television presenter. He rose to prominence in the role of Grant Mitchell in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders''. He is also known for his other roles as Graham Lodsworth in ' ...

as the main protagonist, Detective Constable Jack Mowbray, a born and bred

Bristol Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. Bristol is the most populous city in ...

detective whose world is turned upside down when he is assigned to a major murder enquiry involving a serial killer, who is randomly attacking young women, apparently without motive. Two series of the programme were produced. The first was produced by HTV, and the second by

Meridian Broadcasting ITV Meridian (previously Meridian Broadcasting) is the holder of the ITV franchise for the South and South East of England. The station was launched at 12:00 am on 1 January 1993, replacing previous broadcaster Television South, and is owned ...

. Both series aired consecutively between 2 October 2000 and 1 November 2001. Both series were issued on DVD on 11 October 2011, exclusively in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

Acorn Media RLJE International Ltd, d/b/a Acorn DVD, a British company that publishes and distributes DVDs, as well as selling home-video products and streaming videos with a particular focus on British television. History Launched in 1997, Acorn Media U. ...

Plot

Detective Constable Jack Mowbray (

) investigates when the brutal murder of a young woman in Bristol sets off a chain of events, which unbeknown to him, threaten to tear his family apart and change the course of his live forever. When the Bristol murder is linked to a series of recent killings, known as the 'M4 Murders', the investigating team grows to more than a dozen detectives, and just as many petty jealousies and full-blown rivalries. Mowbray’s boss, Detective Chief Superintendent Derek Henderson (

Kenneth Cranham Kenneth Cranham (born 12 December 1944) is a Scottish film, television, radio and stage actor. Early life Cranham was born in Dunfermline, Fife, the son of Lochgelly-born Margaret McKay Cranham (née Ferguson) and Ronald Cranham, a London-born ...

), keeps the pressure on as it becomes clear that the latest killing will not be the last. With little clue or pattern to suggest the identity of the killer, the team are forced to a race against time to find the predator before he strikes again — without apparent motive. Mowbray's main sidekick is DC Jim Boulter (

Jamie Foreman Jamie Foreman (born 25 May 1958) is an English actor best known for his roles as Duke in ''Layer Cake'' (2004) and Bill Sikes in Roman Polanski's ''Oliver Twist'' (2005). Career Foreman played opposite Ray Winstone and Kathy Burke in Gary Oldm ...

), a no-nonsense detective who is prepared to stop at nothing to get to the truth. He often comes close to crossing the line when interrogating suspects, often forcing Mowbray or his other fellow colleagues to intervene. Other officers on the enquiry include DI Monty Fowler ( Sean Murray), a long-time close friend of Derek Henderson, who is drafted in to lead up one side of the enquiry at Henderson's request. The other senior investigating detective, DI Keith Champan ( John Telfer) was specially selected by Assistant Chief Commissioner Ronald Stocks (

Ian Bartholomew Ian Bartholomew (born 23 August 1954) is a British actor and musician from Portsmouth, England who has worked widely in both theatre and television. In March 2018, Bartholomew joined the cast of ITV soap opera, ''Coronation Street'', as Geoff ...

), who has overall control of the investigation. Chapman's team also consists of WPC Margaret Walkinshaw (

Jane Hazlegrove Sarah Jane Hazlegrove (born 17 July 1968) is an English actress, known for portraying the role of Kathleen "Dixie" Dixon in the BBC medical drama ''Casualty''. She has also appeared as Rosie in ''Making Out'', Rosemary Mason in ''Silent Witness ...

), a rookie officer barely out of her probation period, and DCs Mickey Lloyd ( David Kennedy) and Phil Leighton (William Bateman). Fowler's team also consists of DC Linda Harris ( Lou Gish) and DC Trevor Richard (Howard Saddler). Henderson's main adversary, Detective Chief Superintendent Huw Owen ( Robert Blythe), is the initial investigating officer on the case. When Owen comes close to blowing the investigation, Stocks decides to replace him with Henderson. However, Henderson later comes close to being sidelined himself, until the team identify Robert Jackson ( Karl Johnson) as the prime suspect for the murders. Although Jackson is initially arrested by Mowbray, Henderson makes the shock decision to release him without charge. When two further attacks occur, one of which results in a further murder, Jackson is re-arrested and eventually charged. In the beginning of the second series, Jackson is convicted of the murders, but when a subsequent attack takes place, with exactly the same modus operandi, the team suspect a copycat killer - although Fowler and Mowbray suspect that Jackson may not have been their man after all. When a civil case is brought against Mowbray and Henderson for misconduct, Mowbray discovers that vital evidence against Jackson was not discovered during the course of the initial investigation.

Cast

as DC Jack Mowbray *

as DCS Derek Henderson *

as DC Jim Boulter * Lou Gish as DC/DS Linda Harris * Sean Murray as DI Monty Fowler * Howard Saddler as DC Trevor Richard * Karl Johnson as Robert Jackson * Hazel Ellerby as Sally Mowbray * Claire Huckle as Paula Mowbray * Buster Reece as Stuart Mowbray *

as WPC/DC Margaret Walkinshaw (1.1 — 2.4) * John Telfer as DI Keith Chapman (1.1 — 2.2) * David Kennedy as DC Mickey Lloyd (1.1 — 1.6) * William Bateman as DC Phil Leighton (1.1 — 1.6) * Simon Bowen as DC Collins (1.1 — 1.6) * Robert Blythe as DCS Huw Owen (1.1 — 1.6, 2.5) *

as ACC Ronnie Stocks (1.1 — 2.4) * William Armstrong as ACC David Ashdown (2.4 — 2.6) *

Tony Melody Tony may refer to: People and fictional characters * Tony (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters * Gregory Tony (born 1978), American law enforcement officer * Motu Tony (born 1981), New Zealand international rugby leagu ...

as Robert Jackson Snr. (2.2 — 2.6)

Episode list

Series 1 (2000)

Series 2 (2001)

References

External links

* {{IMDb title, id=0247055, title=Without Motive 2000 British television series debuts 2001 British television series endings 2000s British crime drama television series ITV television dramas English-language television shows Television series by ITV Studios Television series produced at Pinewood Studios Television shows set in Bristol Television shows produced by Harlech Television (HTV) Television shows produced by Meridian Broadcasting