''The Guilty'' is a three-part television drama, broadcast on ITV from 5 to 19 September 2013. The drama stars

Tamsin Greig Tamsin Margaret Mary Greig (; born 12 July 1966) is an English actress, narrator and comedian. She played Fran Katzenjammer in the Channel 4 sitcom '' Black Books'', Dr Caroline Todd in the Channel 4 sitcom '' Green Wing'', Beverly Lincoln in ...

Darren Boyd Darren John Boyd (born 30 January 1971) is a British actor who starred in the Sky 1 series ''Spy'', for which he won a BAFTA Award. His work in television and film spans comedy and drama. Early life Boyd began acting at age 17 in amateur thea ...

and Katherine Kelly, and involves the police investigation into the disappearance of young boy, Callum Reid. In 2008, DCI Maggie Brand (Greig) is tasked with finding the missing boy, while dealing with her own personal problems – but he remains missing. Five years on, Callum's body is recovered and Maggie is determined to discover what happened. The series was subsequently released on DVD in the

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

in 2014, but as of 2016, remains unreleased in the UK.

Critical reception

Mark Lawson of ''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers '' The Observer'' and '' The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the ...

'' said of the opening episode: "This maternal parallel brings a fresh depth to the by now standard scenes in which a detective breaks bad news and O'Malley's scripts cleverly lengthen the shadow by making DCI Brand's relationship with her own young son complex and a source of concern and regret to her: it becomes increasingly clear that the title ''The Guilty'' may apply to more people than merely the killer of Callum. Director Ed Bazalgette also achieves unusual smoothness in the shifts between now and then. The flashback is a problematic device in crime fiction because it is often used – most grievously in

Agatha Christie Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie, Lady Mallowan, (; 15 September 1890 – 12 January 1976) was an English writer known for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections, particularly those revolving around fiction ...

dramatisations – to convey events that, it turns out later, never happened, but were simply the lying version of a suspect. This always feels a cheat to me: if Dr Arbuthnot never in fact did catch the 7.50 to Didcot, then how were viewers able to see it so vividly as he described his actions to

David Suchet Sir David Courtney Suchet''England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1916–2007'' ( ; born 2 May 1946) is an English actor known for his work on British stage and television. He portrayed Edward Teller in the television serial '' Oppen ...

? In ''The Guilty'', though, the two past and present strains of narrative seem to be reliable and exist simultaneously – without any of the visual or musical clues that sometimes signal flashbacks – as they must surely do in the minds of bereaved parents.

also succeeds in bringing much to a path deeply pitted by the heels of distinguished Equity members. Greig is rather similar to

Olivia Colman Sarah Caroline Sinclair ( Colman; born 30 January 1974), known professionally as Olivia Colman, is an English actress. Known for her comedic and dramatic roles in film and television, she has received various accolades, including an Academy A ...

in having suddenly moved to a new rank of recognition as an actor after years of work in TV comedy. Among her particular qualities are an acerbic edge in the voice and the capacity to suggest deep disappointment and hurt. In ''The Guilty'', the latter aspect underlines the mother-mother storyline, while the former brings an unease to the routine police scenes through the suggestion that soft-voiced compassion or encouragement of colleagues is something at which DCI Brand has to work. It would be almost impossible to create an original police series, but ''The Guilty'' impressively manages to leave some new fingerprints on a much-handled form."

Cast

as DCI Maggie Brand *

Arsher Ali Arsher Ali (born 9 April 1984) is an English actor. He has played various TV and film roles, and is a regular lead performer at the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-upon-Avon. Personal life Ali is of Pakistani descent. He is a graduate ...

as DS Vinesh Roy * Tom Beard as DSI Alan Reece *

as Daniel Reid *

Ruta Gedmintas Ruta Gedmintas ( lt, Rūta Gedmintas; ) is a British actress known for her work on television, primarily in ''The Strain'', '' Spooks: Code 9'', '' The Borgias'', ''The Tudors'', ''Lip Service'' and ''His Dark Materials''. Early life Gedmintas ...

as Teresa Morgan * Katherine Kelly as Claire Reid * Linda Marlowe as Lynn Brand * Jade Ogugua as DC Lenny Jackson * David Pusey as DC Max Cauldwell *

Pooky Quesnel Joanna Gabrielle "Pooky" Quesnel (born 30 April 1966) is an English actress, screenwriter and singer. Early life Quesnel was born and raised in Eccles, Lancashire, along with her five siblings. Her father was born in Trinidad. She read English ...

as Ruth Hide * Jay Simspon as DS Ron Singer * Alan Williams as Frank Lawson *

Nicola Thorp Nicola Thorp, also known as Nicola Sian, (born 30 September 1988) is an English actress, columnist and activist. She is perhaps best known for her portrayal of Nicola Rubinstein in ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street''. Early life Thorp was bo ...

as Miss Brenner * Daniel Runacres-Grundstrom as Callum Reid * Tommy Potten as Sam Colman * Jude Foley as Older Luke Reid * Teddy Fitzpatrick as Young Luke Reid

Episodes

Worldwide release

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Guilty (TV series), The 2013 British television series debuts 2013 British television series endings 2010s British crime drama television series 2010s British mystery television series 2010s British television miniseries Detective television series English-language television shows ITV crime dramas ITV miniseries Television series by Hartswood Films Television shows set in Manchester