D.I. Ray - General Discussion

[howiveaddict]

5 hours ago, magdalene said:

Isn't this show made by the same creative that made Richard Madden's The Bodyguard ? Based on that pedigree I am going to state that sweet lover boy is a goner.

Oh no!  I like him. And he has a young son who's mother is a breast cancer survivor. Poor kid.  At least he has a gran to care for him when his mum invariable succombs also.

So did the ultrasound picture belong to Trixie, the boyfriend's sister? If so, her partner is dead also.

 

[proserpina65]

On 7/25/2023 at 10:04 PM, howiveaddict said:

So did the ultrasound picture belong to Trixie, the boyfriend's sister? If so, her partner is dead also.

The only ultrasound I remember belonged to the girlfriend of the truck driver.  It was in his mother's kitchen.  That's how they found him - he went to the hospital for his girlfriend's next scan.

[Daff]

On 7/25/2023 at 10:04 PM, howiveaddict said:

Oh no!  I like him. And he has a young son who's mother is a breast cancer survivor. Poor kid.  At least he has a gran to care for him when his mum invariable succombs also.

So did the ultrasound picture belong to Trixie, the boyfriend's sister? If so, her partner is dead also.

 

I think that restaurant scene was a one-off, meet the sister. They just gave her a cameo. 

[Dowel Jones]

Well, that's that, I guess.

[alias1]

Well, there is a second season, filming now, I think.  So she's still coming back as DI Ray.  That ending really was kind of a downer.  Although there was nothing very pleasant in the entire first season.  The dancing in the pub was the closest they came to an enjoyable moment.       

[statsgirl]

At least the tape of Martyn was 5 - 10 years old and he wasn't cheating on Rachita with a minor.

Why did the boss (Superintendent?) kick Rachita off the team at the end of the episode? Maybe she was a token hire but she did solve the case. That was just stupid and uncalled for.

The Bhangra dancing in the pub was the best part of the show.

I hope that season 2 is better.

[ShelleySue]

6 minutes ago, statsgirl said:

Why did the boss (Superintendent?) kick Rachita off the team at the end of the episode? Maybe she was a token hire but she did solve the case. That was just stupid and uncalled for.

I kept going back to see if I missed something. I wonder if that was edited by PBS and the original British version had an explanation. If I had to guess I'd say it was because she had a relationship with Tony. She was his direct superior officer and there must be a rule against that. It would have been obvious once they looked at her doorbell video footage and say then kissing. But that's only a guess.

 

[howiveaddict]

7 hours ago, statsgirl said:

At least the tape of Martyn was 5 - 10 years old and he wasn't cheating on Rachita with a minor.

Why did the boss (Superintendent?) kick Rachita off the team at the end of the episode? Maybe she was a token hire but she did solve the case. That was just stupid and uncalled for.

The Bhangra dancing in the pub was the best part of the show.

I hope that season 2 is better.

Edited August 1, 2023 by howiveaddict
because

[magdalene]

It's unfortunate that they killed off the one character who added some much needed warmth to this compelling but rather cold and bleak drama.

I am betting Ray will come through her suspension as the show is getting a second series with more episodes than the first.

Ultimately this didn't live up to the pedigree of Bodyguard (well worth a watch if you have never seen it) but I will watch the second series.

[Daff]

Yes, seems like her experience was bleak and joyless except for Tony.

[ShelleySue]

19 hours ago, ShelleySue said:

I kept going back to see if I missed something. I wonder if that was edited by PBS and the original British version had an explanation. If I had to guess I'd say it was because she had a relationship with Tony. She was his direct superior officer and there must be a rule against that. It would have been obvious once they looked at her doorbell video footage and say then kissing. But that's only a guess.

 

I've been thinking about this and wonder if the investigation is because of her relationship with Martyn. The issue may be when she found out he was a crooked cop (ie it could have been years ago and she didn't tell anyone) or if she was involved in any "crookedness." I read a mystery novel series in which the protagonist was tainted because her late husband had been taking bribes. She didn't know about it, but a lot of people were still suspicious.

[magdalene]

1 hour ago, ShelleySue said:

I've been thinking about this and wonder if the investigation is because of her relationship with Martyn. The issue may be when she found out he was a crooked cop (ie it could have been years ago and she didn't tell anyone) or if she was involved in any "crookedness." I read a mystery novel series in which the protagonist was tainted because her late husband had been taking bribes. She didn't know about it, but a lot of people were still suspicious.

That's exactly it. She kept her engagement to him secret. Of course they would suspend and investigate her.

[sempervivum]

Why on earth was the actual REASON for her suspension not spelled out? 'You weren't ready' wouldn't withstand a lawsuit she might bring against the department for discrimination. 

Also, maybe some reader who is a UK native can fill me in, but a quick google search suggests East Asians have been on various UK police forces for at least 50 years- why would they be putting up 'Be the Change' posters suggesting this is a new issue?

[statsgirl]

I think that I heard the Superintendent saying that she would have to be checked out since she was so close to Martyn and he is a dirty cop so they needed to suspend her while they investigated her.

What makes no sense to me is that they took her off the murder team when she was the one who figured it all out.

[12catcrazy]

So this was it ?  I'm confused- did they ever catch the actual Big Bad (the traffickers and who was blackmailing Rachita's fiance) - or will that be season 2?

I've got to say that this was a really bleak and dreary show.  I'll probably be stuck watching season 2  as my other half loves these PBS airing British crime shows.  I stopped watching Chicago PD and that cop show that featured J Lo and Ray Liotta because they were too bleak and depressing - I'm beginning to think that those shows were almost  light and cheery compared to these British crime shows.   More Father Brown and less of this - please! 

[proserpina65]

On 8/1/2023 at 5:20 PM, 12catcrazy said:

So this was it ?  I'm confused- did they ever catch the actual Big Bad (the traffickers and who was blackmailing Rachita's fiance) - or will that be season 2?

I've got to say that this was a really bleak and dreary show.  I'll probably be stuck watching season 2  as my other half loves these PBS airing British crime shows.  I stopped watching Chicago PD and that cop show that featured J Lo and Ray Liotta because they were too bleak and depressing - I'm beginning to think that those shows were almost  light and cheery compared to these British crime shows.   More Father Brown and less of this - please! 

I prefer a mix of both.  I just wish this one had been more compelling.  I appreciated the main character, even if she wasn't particularly sympathetic, but the mystery was both too convoluted and wrapped up too easily, if that makes any sense.

I'd vote for less Father Brown since I don't care for that show, but I also believe there should be variety in the British mysteries PBS shows, so having some of each type works.

[Dr.OO7]

Jamie Bamber confirmed that he filmed  scenes for Series 2, though I don't think he'll be appearing full time. Perhaps Rachita's going to visit Martyn in prison.

[DanaK]

My Baltimore PBS station (MPT) guide for June is indicating they will be showing Season 2 starting Sunday June 16 at 10pm ET

[EtheltoTillie]

Yes I did not realize this. I will watch on PBS Passport. They have dropped all the episodes. 

[possibilities]

I thought the conversation between Rachita and her mother in S2 E4 was interesting. 

She thinks her mother didn't care about her because mom, evidently, left daughter alone unsupervised while mom worked. It sounded like mom didn't have money for carers, so what was she supposed to do? And why wouldn't Rachita understand this as an adult? There must be more to the story. 

It's also interesting that mom thinks it's hopeless to fight for justice, and warns Rachita off doing it. 

This is a classic conflict between people who have decided the only way to survive is to keep your head down, go along to get along, and not make waves, and people who have decided the only way is to fight. 

But it makes Rachita look really bratty that she doesn't understand her mother's point of view. 

I notice that both this show and Professor T have female characters (both detectives, in fact) who are being played as sullen and depressed, rarely smiling. I don't know if it's a fashion now, or just luck, but it's not something I'm used to seeing female characters being shown to be. Some males, yes-- the emo dude we're supposed to be sympathetic to because of his manpain (I almost always hate those characters). I don't really find it interesting. Just being subdued is not interesting to watfch. More is needed.

I'm sympathetic to Rachita's struggles. Just finding the portrayal to be a slog. I suppose they want it to feel like a slog, because she herself feels drained by her circumstances.

[alias1]

@possibilities  I'm glad you commented because we have no episode 4 thread.  I agree with everything.  I also sympathize with her, but I wish her portrayal of the character would be a little more likeable.  I find her consistently dour expression kind of off putting. Maybe it's the way this character is written.  I have not seen her in anything else so I can't tell if that's her normal demeanor.

[EtheltoTillie]

I liked the parallel between the little girl in the closet and then we found out that rachita had been hidden in a closet. 

[Driad]

"IC1 male" is an example of an IC code used by British police to describe someone's apparent ethnicity. (I'm not British so I looked it up.)

[alias1]

For whatever reason I found her more likeable in this episode.  I'm glad she's hanging tough.  It's really hard to function when your superiors are the bad guys.  I hope this ends with a good resolution for her. 

[possibilities]

I was holding my breath when she confided with the visiting investigator in the restaurant. I am still not sure who he is or if he can be trusted, but she had to trust someone, and he came across honest.

I also was interested in the conversation with her houseguest. He still grosses me out-- showing up at her door drunk like that?? But he did seem sincere. Either he's a stellar faker or she now has a crew to back her up.

The other two (who were watching the cameras and then went out together later) also seem to be on her side.

I actually like that they are not making her a superhero who can solve every systemic ill with her solo powers. In reality, people need a team and it's too much to ask of most people that they go it alone uphill against the tide. They've continued to make her strong and a leader, so it hasn't diminished her by making her into a damsel who gets rescued. 

I did think that pulling a gun on her in front of the uilding was a bit too bold. Why not do it where there are less likely to be witnesses and cameras? There's shameless and arrogant, and there's reckless and stupid. I don't want her to win because they over play their hands. I want her to win because she's smart and brave and resourceful.

Edited July 15 by possibilities

[Js Nana]

Just finished watching S2Ep6, and I have to ask, am I right to be suspicious of D.S. Bottomley?

[DanaK]

I finally got around to finishing Season 1 last week and I found I really enjoyed it. Ray has a good mind but she sometimes made mistakes so it was interesting all around

[LisaM]

I posted my impressions of Season 2 in the last episode thread but the main gist is that, of all of the British crime dramas that I watch, the character of Rachita Ray is the one who never smiles, is always sad and gives off an air of general depression. When she laughed with her mother in the final scene of this season, I was literally shocked. We had never seen her smile before. 

I like the cast and have liked Nagra in other roles. This protagonist is just hard to root for because she is so dour and is endlessly sad. I admire her for pushing through all of the hurdles but it is hard to watch.