Vera (TV Series) Dark Angel (2017) User Reviews

A very gritty murder mystery.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 8/10 · 15 February 2020]

The body of Nathan Weaver is discovered by a dog walker, head down in a river. Nathan was an addict, who'd recently lost his job and was homeless.

It's a very gritty episode, very solid, it has a very dramatic start, a good set of characters, and is very well acted. One criticism I have always had for this show, is how underused Kenny is, Jon Morrison has been excellent from the start, but doesn't always get a fair crack of the whip, not so here, it's a big story for him.

One big difference here is the tone, not just the story, but the visuals as well, we don't get the gorgeous landscapes here or notable landmarks, we get a dingey pawnbrokers and working class estate, it's very well made.

Dramatic, very good. 8/10

Ok

[xmasdaybaby1966 · 8/10 · 19 January 2021]

The strongest episode in a while with credible characters, a good storyline too.

Vera getting more people hurt from her lies

[Fargomoviecritic · 8/10 · 5 February 2022]

Vera investigating a murder and suspects there may be a murder from 13 yrs ago may have something to do with it.

One thing that has been present the last 6 season is Vera does diddly to protect her witnesses and mucks it up by visiting them at their homes. When bad people know someone from their circle has been talking to the police, these witnesses are in danger. Vera promises to protect them and most of the people over the last 6 seasons are not protected and end up hurt or worse, dead. Vera is a liar.

The best episode for quite some time

[boxyfella · 9/10 · 3 February 2022]

A cracker. A drug-addicted young man is found face down in a burn. On the face of it his death looks to be connected to drugs and vice, but Vera uncovers links to a murder thirteen years previously which ultimately proves crucial in solving the case. There are some great characters in this one, and it's neat how the focus of the investigation switches from investigating the death of Nathan to reinvestigating the death of Laura Thurston. And the twist at the end is really well done. As others have said, there's not much stunning scenery in this one, but the burn looks idyllic.

I've just got a couple of gripes really.

One is when Vera and Aiden are at the service station. Vera asks "which way is the river?" and the next thing you know they are at the deserted farmhouse which is a pivotal moment in the episode. They stumble across it far too easily.

The second gripe concerns the character of Jeb Branning. The police (both now and thirteen years previously) seem fixated on him as a suspect. It doesn't make sense, particularly concerning the earlier investigation. If a man has an argument with a farmer, why should that man then become a suspect in the shooting of that farmer's wife? It doesn't make sense. Now, if he had had an argument with the wife ...

Those gripes aside it's a great episode.

Dark Angel

[Prismark10 · 5/10 · 2 April 2017]

As in the previous episode, another dead body is found in the river. This time it is a drug addict Nathan Weaver with a valuable ring found on his body, something he did not sell to finance his drug habit which intrigues Vera.

Nathan seemed to be trouble, he had briefly worked at a food factory, had a relationship with a former addict and escort and was staying at a deserted farmhouse where some years earlier a woman had died and her husband was convicted of her murder. The husband maintains his innocence and claimed that two burglars broke in. Vera seems to find more connections between Nathan and the events earlier in the farmhouse.

The episode had some nice shots of Newcastle but I thought the pace was pedestrian and at time it got too silly for me. The show wants to present everyone as a suspect, but I did like the convoluted double reveal.