We quite liked this show for its somewhat unique & gruesome plots. But I am quite tired of the head honcho coming down on the cop who bends the rules a bit, but produces great results. It has become a tope that is increasingly tiresome in this (our favourite) genre.
79 Reviews
An impressive show.
Sleepin_Dragon16 March 2021
With Endeavour ending, and only Vera in the arsenal for grown up Sunday night drama, ITV may just have found their new long standing hit.
The books are amazing, I truly recommend you reading them if you like a good mystery, and although John Simm isn't perhaps the character from the book that I had in my mind, but he makes it work, he is a tremendous actor.
Superb production values, it's very slick, and well made.
Credit to the team for getting it made during the Pandemic, and for making it to such a high standard.
Itv have given us a few flops in recent times, this one however, is a winner. More please. 8/10.
The books are amazing, I truly recommend you reading them if you like a good mystery, and although John Simm isn't perhaps the character from the book that I had in my mind, but he makes it work, he is a tremendous actor.
Superb production values, it's very slick, and well made.
Credit to the team for getting it made during the Pandemic, and for making it to such a high standard.
Itv have given us a few flops in recent times, this one however, is a winner. More please. 8/10.
Well Done
lornak-180086 December 2021
First of all I haven't read the books. I enjoyed theses 2 episodes and went to look for more only to find there's only 2. I want more, and I understand they have more to come for season 2. Good news!
I found the plots to be really different than most of what we get here in the states. More cleverly plotted and definitely well acted. They kept me interested throughout and never bored me. A few times I did talk to my tv screen wanting some poor actor to do something different, but by and large I found the whole thing to be quite enjoyable. FYI each episode stands alone and do not connect although the mystery of the main character's wife being missing continues on to the next episode as does the main character's superior's animosity towards him. Recommended!
I found the plots to be really different than most of what we get here in the states. More cleverly plotted and definitely well acted. They kept me interested throughout and never bored me. A few times I did talk to my tv screen wanting some poor actor to do something different, but by and large I found the whole thing to be quite enjoyable. FYI each episode stands alone and do not connect although the mystery of the main character's wife being missing continues on to the next episode as does the main character's superior's animosity towards him. Recommended!
Had potential...
ritakc-4689328 April 2021
Like one reviewer said, sad detective with stupid boss who couldn't find her own ass in a line-up, and enough holes to keep me yelling suggestions at the screen!! If I didn't have the remote to just skip the drivel I'd have given up. That being said ... it has potential. Hire some people to clean up the storyline, ie, check phone records! Keep any eye on suspects. Just simple stuff that even we peons know good cops do. On the good side, we really liked John Simm & Richie Campbell. We'll watch the next part hoping for more of them, better writing and another boss!
A new crime drama set in Brighton
Avidviewer-0284724 November 2021
This is an edgier crime series from the novels of crime writer Peter James adapted for the screen by Russell Lewis. Lewis has written for Morse, Spooks, Lewis and of course Endeavour so he knows crime dramas.
Set in Brighton on the south coast it's about Roy Grace a Detective Superintendent who's good at solving murders. Only two episodes released for 2021 both 90 minute length and it looks like 2022 will also be two episodes. John Simm and the rest of the cast are very good, good plots and development.
Not a Colin Dexter or Ann Cleeves series, but it's very good, I look forward to season 2.
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Set in Brighton on the south coast it's about Roy Grace a Detective Superintendent who's good at solving murders. Only two episodes released for 2021 both 90 minute length and it looks like 2022 will also be two episodes. John Simm and the rest of the cast are very good, good plots and development.
Not a Colin Dexter or Ann Cleeves series, but it's very good, I look forward to season 2.
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Decent "warehouse" cop series
mjburkett6029 August 2023
Formulaic plot, lots of villains in warehouses, sad cop, predictable dialog, set in scenic British town. Been there seen that so many times over so many years.
John Simm is usually brilliant but Russell Lewis hasn't given him much to work with here. He doesn't have much depth and speaks in cliches. The romantic scenes are mostly soap opera cringe.
Most reviewers won't mention him, but I always love seeing Craig Parkinson in a cop role. He plays it so cool and confident with his Blackpool jargon. He adds a little extra to otherwise uninspiring performances from the main cast members.
Just watched the last ever episode of Endeavor and of course it's unfair to compare Grace to the epic Morse tales. But if this is your genre, the show is a decent snack until something more substantial comes along.
John Simm is usually brilliant but Russell Lewis hasn't given him much to work with here. He doesn't have much depth and speaks in cliches. The romantic scenes are mostly soap opera cringe.
Most reviewers won't mention him, but I always love seeing Craig Parkinson in a cop role. He plays it so cool and confident with his Blackpool jargon. He adds a little extra to otherwise uninspiring performances from the main cast members.
Just watched the last ever episode of Endeavor and of course it's unfair to compare Grace to the epic Morse tales. But if this is your genre, the show is a decent snack until something more substantial comes along.
Unexpectedly good.
hwc-6087816 September 2021
I came across this almost by accident and watched both season 1 episodes in one sitting. There were are a few of the usual stereotypes, but overall it was quite good, and kept my attention throughout. Well paced and well acted. It's possible to make a serious, enjoyable drama without graphic sex scenes and constant unnecessary cussing (although I know there are some viewers who need those elements to make something "edgy" and "real"). I'd be happy to watch season 2 when it comes out.
Needs Work
nancylovesbubba29 June 2022
I like everything about this series except Assistant Chief Constable Vosper. The boss who is too stupid and dull to recognize the talent s/he has working for her has been way overdone. IT'S BORRRRING!!! Write her out of the show and concentrate on the detective work, not the idiot boss. Richie Campbell, Craig Parkinson, Laura Elphinstone all lend dimension to the show. Develop their characters more. That would be much more interesting than Ayola's shrewish performance as a boss whose only motivation seems to be meanness and moronic behavior. John Simm is always good. He doesn't disappoint here. The stories are also original.
Decent Drama
crumpytv13 August 2021
Harking back to the regulation dramas being made 10-15 years ago.
The thing I liked about it that was it wasn't offensive.
No profanities, which just goes to show that they are not necessary to make a drama seem more realistic.
Not too taxing, just a good watch.
The thing I liked about it that was it wasn't offensive.
No profanities, which just goes to show that they are not necessary to make a drama seem more realistic.
Not too taxing, just a good watch.
Not faithful to the novel
colinhackett26 July 2022
Having read the novel by Peter James this episode is way off the mark in so many details. There's no suspense, no feeling of urgency to find the missing groom. Would have been better served to be a mini series instead of one episode. Really rather poor adaptation. Do not recommend watching it.
Superior Police Procedural
cawob28 March 2023
I live in Brighton. Disclosure. Many critics don't like that the series shows Brighton as more than the sunny day trip, art house scene and stag do glamour, but I love it's portrayal of a city that has a seedy underbelly. Graham Greene said it looked like a town that was helping the police with its enquiries. And John Simm and Richie Campbell are here to take notes. Both are very engaging, and the narrative is more thoughtful than many of its rivals. Their dynamic is great, and the support cast robust. There is a glory hunting fast track superior for panto villain status, and a commendable balance of reality and sentiment. Simm is very likeable and thorough as the cop with a conscience. Well paced and consistent. An enjoyable two hours tv.
Could have been...
hamlet-1621 March 2021
The core elements of this were excellent ... the main characters were good and the acting excellent but the trope of the hero being in constant conflict with the boss is dreary and unoriginal and added absolutely nothing to the plot.
The potential to be the next Vera or Morse is there but at the moment it is a case of could have been.
The plot in this one was ok but the twist was obvious from the moment I saw the villain for the first time.
Maybe I have seen too many TV thrillers?
BUT I will watch the next episode to see if the rough edges in this first episode are sorted out.
The potential to be the next Vera or Morse is there but at the moment it is a case of could have been.
The plot in this one was ok but the twist was obvious from the moment I saw the villain for the first time.
Maybe I have seen too many TV thrillers?
BUT I will watch the next episode to see if the rough edges in this first episode are sorted out.
Dull as ditchwater
jdhb-768-6123419 March 2023
This is a largely dull and frequently quite boring police drama. It has nothing to draw viewers in beyond the main story; while there are efforts to develop 'back stories' for some of the characters, they're weak and uninteresting. The lead character, Roy Grace, has all the charisma of a rice pudding, while being beset with the usual luggage from his past which seems to pervade all television drama nowadays. There are plenty of nods to modern policing and general behaviour, as opposed to the actions of misogynistic nasty guys of days gone by and, frankly it's not even very well done. The production is jerky and the script pretty basic; it's the type of drama which can be turned out with very little effort and isn't even average. 3 out of 10 is the best I can give it.
Two exciting episodes, and one big plot hole...
Trilby166 January 2022
Warning: Spoilers
I thought these episodes were quite good and exciting. Almost too exciting in parts. I'd watch more.
But isn't there a big plot hole in the first episode? The facts of the case were that the groom's mates put him in the coffin! Why? There was nothing to suggest that they were working for his fiancé and her bad secret boyfriend. And by itself, it was a spectacularly stupid prank, if you could even call it that. And his business partner who was screwing his fiancé-- took the red breathing tube out of the coffin? And gave it to the fiancé? Maybe I missed something, but I didn't understand how this all made any sense-- just that the fiancé was a cold-blooded serial killer/scammer, that part I got, but not the actual details of who did what and why.
But isn't there a big plot hole in the first episode? The facts of the case were that the groom's mates put him in the coffin! Why? There was nothing to suggest that they were working for his fiancé and her bad secret boyfriend. And by itself, it was a spectacularly stupid prank, if you could even call it that. And his business partner who was screwing his fiancé-- took the red breathing tube out of the coffin? And gave it to the fiancé? Maybe I missed something, but I didn't understand how this all made any sense-- just that the fiancé was a cold-blooded serial killer/scammer, that part I got, but not the actual details of who did what and why.
Brighton, seafront and cringe... What now du your want?
margetheminx3 April 2023
I'm a huge Peter James fan, by and large I'm enjoying all the episodes but why have the makers chosen to rename everyone except the police force, change the ethnicity of characters and the nationality of others? Having read most of the books and seen some of them as live theatre this makes me quite cross. I find it detracts from my viewing because it's not true to the stories and therefore they're not how I've imagined them. Hopefully if other Peter James fans complain about this they might actually stick with the characters as Peter wrote them!
Having got my moans or if the way I'm looking forward to future episodes.
Having got my moans or if the way I'm looking forward to future episodes.
Great adaptation
suet-6179120 March 2021
Having read all of the Roy Grace novels by Peter James I was curious to see if this would come close. I wasn't disappointed. Brilliant performance by John Simm who nailed the character of Grace as well as the rest of cast who did the book justice. Hoping ITV will film all the books.
It's OK!
tcwaterford22 May 2022
I am not sure what exactly I had expected, however with John Simm in the lead role, I expected much better.
It's OK is about as positive as I can be, the acting is genuinely good! Though it lacks very much due to weak script writing.
I have given it lengthy consideration as I am a huge fan of Simm, that said it feels middle aged, slow and lacking in quality writing, direction and only average direction at best!.
Sadly it's only a 6 out of 10, I do hope it improves.
It's OK is about as positive as I can be, the acting is genuinely good! Though it lacks very much due to weak script writing.
I have given it lengthy consideration as I am a huge fan of Simm, that said it feels middle aged, slow and lacking in quality writing, direction and only average direction at best!.
Sadly it's only a 6 out of 10, I do hope it improves.
Two boxes ticked in the first ten minutes
kris-gray22 March 2021
Warning: Spoilers
I like John Simm in just about everything he does, I also like crime/detective TV series like Vera, Lewis (Bring back Hathaway for his own series) George Gently, (Bring back Bacchus and Rachel for their own series) Morse, Endeavour et all. Love 'em.
This could be a fab addition as most of the above have run their course. I enjoyed this one, guessed the best friend was involved as soon as I saw him but not the girlfriend. Aside from that I thought the writing was good.
Of course in these days we have to tick boxes and the black female boss ticked two in the first ten minutes, completely unnecessary, one or the other would have sufficed, I'm surprised she wasn't disabled as well, or gay. Maybe they will feature in the next episode.
I've never read any of the books, didn't know there were any but hopefully more will get filmed and Simm will settle into the part.
This could be a fab addition as most of the above have run their course. I enjoyed this one, guessed the best friend was involved as soon as I saw him but not the girlfriend. Aside from that I thought the writing was good.
Of course in these days we have to tick boxes and the black female boss ticked two in the first ten minutes, completely unnecessary, one or the other would have sufficed, I'm surprised she wasn't disabled as well, or gay. Maybe they will feature in the next episode.
I've never read any of the books, didn't know there were any but hopefully more will get filmed and Simm will settle into the part.
Better than Most
lfn-0491525 July 2022
I usually enjoy John Simms acting and roles. This was delivered with his usual good acting. He was supported by a couple of good actors, Craig Parkinson, Zoe Tapper and Richie Campbell among them. Found Rakie Ayala's character cliched as the tough but fair boss just annoying. She had nothing of value to add just seemed to be there to be stern and disapproving of Simms character which was hardly a controversial cop character. The Brighton scenery and camera work was enjoyable. Series 2 was good with the first episode being the best and the third managing to deliver some strong support by cops for people breaking the law as illegal immigrants. But box ticked. One scene was odd. Zoe, the girlfriend chatting to Simm on the phone from her bed. The bed and the wallpaper were distinctive and later appeared as the bedroom used by organ harvester baddies. Saving money on sets?
Unfulfilled Potential - Season 1-3
Warin_West-El11 May 2023
Warning: Spoilers
I've read a lot of the reviews and learned this series is based on books that were written. Perhaps that's the foundation that somewhat influences this series and gives it a sense of solidity.
What ruined this series for me was Grace's obsession with his dead wife. That storyline is OK for an episode or two. But to drag that nonsense out for THREE SEASONS was incredibly obnoxious.
Characters are supposed to have story arcs. Roy Grace remains in virtually the same state of mind throughout the entire series. Like his brain is made out of concrete. He meets the love of his life but he can't realize it because he's busy living in the past. I don't want to watch an idiot like that.
The storyline of whether Grace's wife was still alive was totally UNINTERESTING. Who cares? If they had started the series with her being alive and the audience getting to know her and developing some empathy, then maybe that would have worked.
But we've seen this technique tried time and time again: the filmmakers attempt to make us empathize with a character BASED ON FLASHBACKS. That NEVER works.
The third season was the worst. Suddenly the filmmakers were trying to create drama by using loud obnoxious musical passages. You can only enhance the drama, you cannot CREATE it by using music.
I found the final scene of the third season somewhat unsettling. Grace says he loves Cleo. But do we believe him? I DIDN'T.
UPDATE: When I finished Grace, I went back to watching Shetland and guess what? The main character is a grieving widower who cannot get over the death of his wife. So this "grieving widower" trope is not just in Grace, it's widespread. I just never noticed it before. Maybe that's because in Grace the grieving is over the top and you can't help but notice it.
What ruined this series for me was Grace's obsession with his dead wife. That storyline is OK for an episode or two. But to drag that nonsense out for THREE SEASONS was incredibly obnoxious.
Characters are supposed to have story arcs. Roy Grace remains in virtually the same state of mind throughout the entire series. Like his brain is made out of concrete. He meets the love of his life but he can't realize it because he's busy living in the past. I don't want to watch an idiot like that.
The storyline of whether Grace's wife was still alive was totally UNINTERESTING. Who cares? If they had started the series with her being alive and the audience getting to know her and developing some empathy, then maybe that would have worked.
But we've seen this technique tried time and time again: the filmmakers attempt to make us empathize with a character BASED ON FLASHBACKS. That NEVER works.
The third season was the worst. Suddenly the filmmakers were trying to create drama by using loud obnoxious musical passages. You can only enhance the drama, you cannot CREATE it by using music.
I found the final scene of the third season somewhat unsettling. Grace says he loves Cleo. But do we believe him? I DIDN'T.
UPDATE: When I finished Grace, I went back to watching Shetland and guess what? The main character is a grieving widower who cannot get over the death of his wife. So this "grieving widower" trope is not just in Grace, it's widespread. I just never noticed it before. Maybe that's because in Grace the grieving is over the top and you can't help but notice it.
Like a long midsummer murders.
bigmin20 March 2021
Warning: Spoilers
I wasn't sure at first if this was supposed to be a bit of a daft comedy style murder mystery. It certainly had loads of moments where my wife and I were looking at each other in disbelief. A lot of the plot makes absolutely no sense, the police are borderline idiotic.
Why didn't they bother to check her story? Why did the bloke who got thrown of his balcony keep looking on an empty street for someone? Why did she kill her boyfriend and not the policeman? Why was she sleeping with the best man when the thought repulsed her? Why did John sims character show no urgency at the end when looking for the victim? Instead staring out to sea at the new development then spending time looking at a chair and some pliers.
It was pretty poor to be honest.
I've reread this, the English is bad but I don't want to rewrite it. Sorry.
Why didn't they bother to check her story? Why did the bloke who got thrown of his balcony keep looking on an empty street for someone? Why did she kill her boyfriend and not the policeman? Why was she sleeping with the best man when the thought repulsed her? Why did John sims character show no urgency at the end when looking for the victim? Instead staring out to sea at the new development then spending time looking at a chair and some pliers.
It was pretty poor to be honest.
I've reread this, the English is bad but I don't want to rewrite it. Sorry.
Really good until series 3
npjxm27 February 2024
Ok so this was quite a good watch if you have watched everything under the sun and have nothing else to watch !
Until series 3 . All of a sudden there was this soundtrack throughout the episodes that sounded like it was from the 1991 remake of Cape Fear !
It was just so dumb and didn't fit the cop show from Brighton . Then in episode 2 we have 'Roy the boy' threatening a mafia bosses daughter , then an Ex Navy Seal called 'tooth' strangling Glen !
Not sure who was involved in series 3 but they need to calm down . This is a police team based in Brighton .
Grace seems to have turned into Dirty Harry !
Until series 3 . All of a sudden there was this soundtrack throughout the episodes that sounded like it was from the 1991 remake of Cape Fear !
It was just so dumb and didn't fit the cop show from Brighton . Then in episode 2 we have 'Roy the boy' threatening a mafia bosses daughter , then an Ex Navy Seal called 'tooth' strangling Glen !
Not sure who was involved in series 3 but they need to calm down . This is a police team based in Brighton .
Grace seems to have turned into Dirty Harry !
Well Done
mbutler-145 June 2021
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