Season 1-5 Discussion

[christie]

8 hours ago, sugarbaker design said:

The reason Sunny's daughters weren't featured this season is because Sunny isn't living with them.  They weren't germane to the plot.  Just because a character isn't mentioned or seen it doesn't automatically mean they don't exist.

If I'm not mistaken, Sunny had custody of the girls and they were living with him. It was weird not seeing them and, yes, they weren't germane to the plot but they weren't germane to the plot in previous seasons either and we still saw them.

[sinycalone]

Bele was and always will be a liar who blames everything on others, never holding herself accountable.  Her rant at Lady Hume rang totally hollow to me,  Yes, the Tories brought about many of the cuts in spending for the public services sector which caused major issues for the homeless, downtrodden, etc.  However, she caused so many of own problems, the sanctimonious act was a farce.

After blaming Lord Hume for her daughter and grandson's death, she found out that they were indeed accidental death and suicide.  Lord Hume had many things to be ashamed of....just not the specific "crimes" Bele held against him.

I don't for one minute believe that having vodka poured down her throat brought about instant alcoholism.

She will find a way to further destroy Jay's life, too.

 

[MaryHedwig]

5 hours ago, christie said:

If I'm not mistaken, Sunny had custody of the girls and they were living with him. It was weird not seeing them and, yes, they weren't germane to the plot but they weren't germane to the plot in previous seasons either and we still saw them.

To me Sunny's older children were germane to a 'B" plot because I assume their existence was one of the reasons that Sunny was not so keen on having another child ('been there- done that; actually, still doing it.').  Also, I they could have been a further reason for Sunny and Sal's breakup as she was probably not just second is Sunny's life but fourth (1. his deceased partner 2. and 3. his daughters, 4. good old Sal.)  

Note to self: Never say 'yes' to a proposal done in an E.R.

[possibilities]

I started to watch Annika, which is another Nicola Walker show. And now I see that my PBS station is airing season 2 of another of her shows, called "Marriage". They're on season 2, though. I can find Season 1 if I pay for Passport, but I can't find Ep 1 of S 2 anywhere! Frustrating.

[LisaM]

I felt as if the other detectives were used a bit more this season - especially Kaz - which I liked. 

Huge Nicola Walker fan so I really missed Cassie. So far, not thrilled with DCI James although I did perk up when she finally referred to Sunny as "Sunny" instead of DI Khan. 

Hayley Mills was totally not necessary; I kept waiting for her to have a larger part in the resolution of the crime. 

I thought that this season was just a bit too convoluted. Preferred earlier seasons. 

[Roseanna]

On 7/4/2018 at 11:06 PM, Tyro49 said:

What, exactly, was Colin being blackmailed about? I couldn't make out the dialog in that scene. (Was it the supposed "rape", which he now knows never happened?)

 

On 7/4/2018 at 11:26 PM, Brattinella said:

I think Colin was being blackmailed because he is gay.  Homosexuality was illegal in those days.

No. Colin was he was called names by some homophonic man and he got so anry at him that damaged his car. The incident was seen by the boyfriend of the little girl's mother Colin and his partner planned to adopt and he blackmailed Colin to give money or else he would inform to the police - that would probably have prevented adoption.

[Roseanna]

On 7/13/2021 at 3:34 PM, mjc570 said:

Much as I love Nicola Walker and her character Cassie, I kind of feel that her Dad had a point.  She really didn't quite  qualify for her pension, the force recognized the difficulty and tried to accommodate her.  I think the fact she couldn't act rationally by taking a temporary job that did not involve fieldwork, plus how she lost it in the last case (and had to be bailed out by Sonny several times) shows that she is a bit fragile mentally and I question her fitness to serve.  Maybe it shows  a lack on my part, but she was so emotional dealing with the last serial killer I was surprised she had (almost) 30 years of experience.  

I think Cassie's father was really horrible. He spoke as if Cassie had got a sickleave for nothing and showed no empathy towards his daughter who had experienced a mental breakdown, nor respect for her outstanding service to other people of nearly 30 years. Of course his behavior was due his dementia, but it was still horrible.

Regarding "acting rationally" - there is a limit to everyone, as soldiers know. She had to meet evil every day and gave her everything so that the offers could get justice and their loved ones find peace. Sunny who was her nearest in the work respected, admired and loved her.

Like Cassie's boss said, formerly police officers in like situations got pensions for health reasons.  

[Roseanna]

Like others here have said, we don't know enough about Jenny to know about her motives. 

Yet, when she first met Cassie, she didn't behave at all well toward her, and I suspect that that was one strong reason why Cassie began to dislike her.

When Cassie asked if she had children, she answered no and explained that she was too much work-oriented and she thought that a mother should be present. Then she said that we, meaning she and Cassie's dad, didn't mind that Cassie was two hours late because of her work, but what would Cassie's sons have thought about it?

Jenny has no right to criticize Cassie as a mother - it was rude and double so when she knew nothing about the matter. With any sense she should have realized how hard it was to a working widow to raise two sons and respect her for that and for her career.

In this scene Jenny and Cassie's father behaved like two teenagers who couldn't keep their hands off each other. 

[Roseanna]

On 7/20/2021 at 1:45 AM, leighdear said:

I'm annoyed that Cassie can't manage to wear something a little more professional than a plaid flannel shirt  I know she's a DCI and does some grubby field work, but she used to look at lot better, at least wearing a decent shirt and doing something with her hair.  Her "I don't give a crap" attitude is really showing.....

I think it was just the opposite. The British really can get characters clothes tell about their salaries, taste and mood instead of dressing them to look good.   

On 7/21/2021 at 12:30 AM, dalek said:

This was my big issue.  Yes, the writers had kind of written themselves into a corner with the character and probably the actress wanted to do other things as well, but couldn't they have sent her off with a happy ending?  Rather than the gravesite visit, I would have preferred something along the lines of her and her family all attending Sunny Khan's wedding.  Her dying in a stupid accident while thinking her entire family was mad at her is just really depressing and unnecessary.

I think her death was in tune with general themes of the show: that one mistake can have tragic consequences to many. People often forget that every farewell can be last the one and irl Cassie's father wouldn't have got a voicemeal from his daughter to comfort him.  

[Roseanna]

On 5/8/2019 at 8:35 PM, plurie said:

It's odd that none of the (now ex-)wives were ever suspects.

No, it was natural.

First, there was no reason to doubt that after their husbands had left, the ex-wives drank and talked together in the house until 3 a.m. in the house together.  Unlike men, they had no bond that would have made them to lie for each other.

Second, men had a motive for that kind of crime, but women didn't. 

Third, even if a woman had strength to strangle the offer, she certainly had no means to carry the body to London and bury it there. 

Fourth, because the marriages had been broken, the men had no reason protect their ex-wife after the body was found and they were interrogated. 

Five, if a wife had followed her husband and killed a girl he had sex with and he had helped to bury the body and then kept silent with it, the plot would be too much like the Season 1. 

[Roseanna]

On 9/4/2023 at 5:10 PM, SnapHappy said:

Sunny needs to get his head out of his ass & get over Cassie.  Sal deserves so much better.  

Isn't the whole idea of this show is that people don't "get over with" the past? While living for years in uncertainty about the fate of the loved one and after that learning that he/she was murdered is a lot worse than a random accident, even the latter rises existential questions and takes away one's own feeling of security.    

Also, if Sunny had lost his parent, child or spouse, people would undertand and sympathize with his grief better. Friendship isn't valued nowadays as it should be. As a friend and colleague  Cassie was Sunny's "second half".  

Finally, it's IMO not the same thing to do something out of duty (because Sal "deserves" it) than to do it out of heart.

On 9/18/2023 at 6:21 PM, Milburn Stone said:

This is the first season in which I'm souring on Sunny. I can understand his ambivalence about the pregnancy. But I can't understand his not catching the next train back to London when his fiancee thinks she is miscarrying. Saying "If you want me to come back, I will" does not cut it. You come back. And then go to Paris tomorrow or the next day.

I mean, it's believable. He's conflicted. But I don't like it.

Although you say that you don't undestand Sunny, you do: you made a perfect description of Sunny's conflicted feelings that made him make the decision he made, or rather he transferred the decision to Sal. But actually she did earlier just the same: she told only about the danger miscarriange without expressly saying "come home, I need you".     

As he didn't welcome pregnancy, I am not sure if he would have been any help to Sal as, however much empathy he would show her, he wouldn't (even if he wouldn't say it) be really sorry about losing the baby. Her mum could probably give her best possible support under the circumstances.

On 9/18/2023 at 8:45 PM, 12catcrazy said:

I think that the bottom line here is that Sunny is married to his job.  The fiancee will always come second (as will any children) to the job unless Sunny decides to not make it that way.  

Could Sunny really work as an police officer if he put his fiancee first?

That said, the situation isn't normal now as Sunny is grieving for Cassie. Also, dating is elementally different than living together, not to speak of raising kids. And as others have said, Sunny has already kids, Sal doesn't.   

[Roseanna]

On 9/25/2023 at 7:02 PM, 12catcrazy said:

I can't understand why the sister actually blabbed to Jess that she was the "other woman" in the affair with Jess' husband.  Especially if you know that your cheated-on sister is hard-nosed and not exactly likely to forgive you and that it will cause a riff in your family. 

 

On 9/25/2023 at 10:21 PM, proserpina65 said:

I think it was eating at her and she couldn't keep it in any longer.  Yeah, it wasn't smart but I understand it.  Plus, it sounds like the sister has been struggling with mental health issues so that is probably part of it.  While I absolutely get Jess being angry with her (she should be), I hated her calling the sister weak for saying it.  (That's the one thing I really hated about the last season of Happy Valley, Catherine telling her sister she was weak.)

 

On 9/26/2023 at 12:50 AM, magdalene said:

I understand the sisters need to unburden herself, selfish as it is. I also understand if she will never be forgiven.  I am very doubtful if I could forgive a betrayal of that magnitude.

 

On 9/26/2023 at 5:15 PM, SnapHappy said:

Oh, and Jess's sister Debbie is a flat-out skank.  People that confess like that ARE weak, I totally agree.  They just want to spread their selfish misery around to make themselves feel less guilty.  I wouldn't forgive her, that's a absolute deal-breaker for me.  

I agree with SnapHappy: there are situations where confessions are wrong - a person who had done must just carry the guilt, not transfer the burden to the one she has wronged. 

And if we believe that the husband afterwards told the truth, the sister actually lied - they didn't have sex, just kissing and "a tender moment".

That makes one suspect that the sister's motive was to make sure that Jessie wouldn't forgive her husband or otherwise make her miserable. Either she in love with her brother-in-love and wants him to herself or she is jealous or envious towards Jessie or wants to revenge on her for some matter.