316. Web-series Reviews – 147

More web-series reviews…

The Enfield Poltergeist – Came out in 2023. Experience the chilling true story of the world's most famous poltergeist case through original audio recordings made inside the house as the events unfolded.

A review from IMDB...

Well made documentary by apple tv. I've seen other docs and shows about the Enfield haunting but this one is excellent and you get interviews from people who were there. The series uses Grosse's original audio tapes, and actors recreate scenes that were documented over a two-year period. Creator Jerry Rothwell supplements these with archival footage and interviews from journalists, paranormal experts and the family.

There is an inordinate amount of information to get through - as Grosse once proudly told the BBC: "This may be the best case of the century, and as far as documentation goes, it might be the best case of all time." Plus, there are dozens of agendas to wade through. The media wants a salacious story. The family want to help and to be seen as wholesome and honest. The paranormal investigators want to make a significant scientific breakthrough in their field.

My Take – Worth a watch!

 

Karen Pirie – Came out in 2022.  Karen is a refreshingly normal and charmingly unfashionable young woman. While she is not slick or a maverick cop, her quick mouth and ingenuity make her an impressive investigator. Following her promotion to Police Scotland's Historic Cases Unit, Karen is tasked with reopening the investigation into a murder that has been the subject of a provocative true crime podcast. When teenage barmaid Rosie Duff was stabbed to death in 1995, suspicion fell on the three drunken students who discovered her body. But despite police suspicion, the boys were never charged. Nearly 25 years on, DS Karen Pirie is determined to uncover what happened that fateful night. Do the men know more than they previously revealed? When Karen uncovers flaws in the initial investigation, she finds herself in conflict with the very officers who led the original hunt for the killer.

A review from IMDB...

The series, set in the university town of St Andrews, on the Fife coast, opens in 1996. A Police woman stops a student who is covered in blood; he claims that he and two friends found a seriously injured woman in the grave yard of the cathedral. When she gets there the woman is dead. The three students are detained but despite their somewhat implausible explanations there is no evidence that they committed the murder so they are released. Twenty five years later the case is still unsolved and after a 'true crime' podcaster uses it as an example of the police not caring about women the case is reopened. Wanting a woman to lead the reinvestigation they turn to DS Karen Pirie. She is teamed with DC Jason Murray. The case will see them talking to the trio of students again as well as to the victim's brothers, one of whom has a propensity for violence. As the story progresses various secrets are exposed and alibis broken; we also learn more about the victim.

When I sat down to watch this I expected it to be a standard ITV Sunday night mystery that would be wrapped up in one two hour episode; as the end of the first episode approached it was clear that wouldn't be the case. Thoroughly gripped I was concerned that I'd now have to wait a week between episodes but thankfully all three are available on ITV Hub so I could enjoy the series over three nights. The story got off to a great start before effectively introducing key characters; most obviously the eponymous DS Pirie. She is a solid leading character; making a refreshing change from the typical older character with some sort of emotional baggage. The story progresses nicely with the events of the present being intertwined with key events from 1996. The location is good; making a refreshing change from stories set in a big city while avoiding becoming a Scottish 'Morse' which could have happening in a famous university town. The acting is impressive; I particularly liked Lauren Lyle's performance as Pirie. On the strength of this story I hope we see more of DS Pirie.

My take – Worth a watch!

 

Dalgliesh – Came in 2021.  Follows Dalgliesh's crime-fighting career from 1970s England to the present day.

A review from IMDB...

A real winner of a crime drama series, coming from an unlikely source, Channel five.

Bertie Carvel picks up the baton, and takes over the role of would be Commander Adam Dalgliesh, we see his early cases, and hopefully his rise to the top. I'm not sure he'd have even been someone I'd have thought likely, but he does the role some real justice.

Beautifully made, very well acted, and very well written, they are working off some superb source material, and surprisingly have decided not to mess around with it too much.

It looks awesome, that E Type Jaguar must be someone's pride and joy, it's the terrific attention to detail like that, which made it so easy on the eye.

I hope this runs for many years to come, loved it, 9/10.

My Take – Worth a watch!

Cheers till next time😊!!