A more satisfying second episode as we near the final part
© ITV/Hartswood Films
As the investigation into the death of Callum begins to draw the threads together, DCI Brand must juggle this responsibility with her own family turmoil, as it’s revealed her son may have developmental issues.
Particularly effective, in this episode, is the detective discussion of the alibis for each suspect, with the detectives asking questions that we, the viewer, find ourselves asking… why did it take so long…? what was she doing when…? So many clues and ideas are thrown at us that it really does feel that, after a rather stilted Episode 1, the story is being thoroughly fleshed out.
Snatches of interviews reveal what the other members of the Reid family, their friends and associates were up to, whilst the finger is pointed in the direction of Jason Byrne and, by association, Nina.
Nina, the nanny and girlfriend of the much maligned Byrne, is revealed to have had a mental collapse and has been secreted away in a hospital in Germany. Whilst her mother may disagree, Nina agrees to talk and this is where the bulk of the story is really revealed.
Byrne is shown to be a manipulative boyfriend, luring Nina into stealing from her wealthy employers. She defends Byrne, but there are holes in her story, as she’s clearly still besotted with her lover. Before too much is revealed, Black tells Nina to call her if she remembers anything before heading off. Thankfully, Nina catches up just in time to reveal a fact about Callum’s wellies.
A list of key suspects is drawn up featuring: a creepy old man who maintained the garden when Callum’s body was found; Jason Byrne, who is revealed to have committed suicide after his transcript was leaked to the press; and Callum’s father, Daniel, who has an alibi that, whilst not shocking, is pretty definitive.
Tamsin Greig is on form with her confident, calculated performance as DCI Black, whilst the rest of the cast are understated, to say the least. Aside from Katherine Kelly‘s Claire Reid, there’s very little overblown emotion in this episode and, what there is, is hardly unfettered sobs!
The second episode of The Guilty was much more satisfying than the first, with a faster paced, though never overwhelming, explosion of detail and rich performances. The denouement of this episode casts a shadow over the original investigation and gives Theo Barklem-Biggs, as Jason, a chance to show true, destructive emotion, whilst another name is thrown into the fray as the murderer.
