I missed "Ripper Street" on its BBC run back in 2012, but have managed to catch up with the show on Amazon Prime and have just finished the first season. Though I'd accept criticism that the show isn't particularly groundbreaking, it is, so far nicely executed with a smart cast and myriad of guest stars.
With the Whitechapel police force still reeling from their inability to catch Jack the Ripper, one of the lead Detectives on that failure, Edmund Reid (Matthew Macfadyen) who is also dealing with personal tragedy, returns to the case when a woman's body is discovered. With the help of his trusted Sargent, Bennet Drake (Jerome Flynn) Reid recruits Captain Homer Jackson (Adam Rothenberg) a Pinkerton agent with forensic skills to assist with his investigations. The new team work to make a dent in the violence and poverty that plagues East London, but Jackson has a secret that might undo it all.
There's a different case each week, generally with some sort of mystery element too it, though we are occasionally given more information than the Detectives, when the story requires it. There are overarching stories though, such as the disappearance of Reid's daughter, Drake's unrequited love affair with Rose and the reveals of Jackson's secrets. All of which is nicely done. The performances are good, particularly from the main cast, but often from a guest star or two in each episode as well. There's a real connection with the cast of "Game of Thrones" in this first season, each episode appears to have at least one crossover actor. Aside from Jerome Flynn; Clive Russell, Ian McElhinney, Kristian Nairn, Iain Glen, Anton Lesser, and Michael McElhatton appeared in both shows. Joseph Gilgun, Michael Smiley, Paul McGann and Shauna McDonald also appear across the series.
I don't think it's right up there with the highest echelons of all time TV series at the moment, but it's solid, entertaining stuff and I don't drift onto my phone whilst I'm watching it.
With the Whitechapel police force still reeling from their inability to catch Jack the Ripper, one of the lead Detectives on that failure, Edmund Reid (Matthew Macfadyen) who is also dealing with personal tragedy, returns to the case when a woman's body is discovered. With the help of his trusted Sargent, Bennet Drake (Jerome Flynn) Reid recruits Captain Homer Jackson (Adam Rothenberg) a Pinkerton agent with forensic skills to assist with his investigations. The new team work to make a dent in the violence and poverty that plagues East London, but Jackson has a secret that might undo it all.
There's a different case each week, generally with some sort of mystery element too it, though we are occasionally given more information than the Detectives, when the story requires it. There are overarching stories though, such as the disappearance of Reid's daughter, Drake's unrequited love affair with Rose and the reveals of Jackson's secrets. All of which is nicely done. The performances are good, particularly from the main cast, but often from a guest star or two in each episode as well. There's a real connection with the cast of "Game of Thrones" in this first season, each episode appears to have at least one crossover actor. Aside from Jerome Flynn; Clive Russell, Ian McElhinney, Kristian Nairn, Iain Glen, Anton Lesser, and Michael McElhatton appeared in both shows. Joseph Gilgun, Michael Smiley, Paul McGann and Shauna McDonald also appear across the series.
I don't think it's right up there with the highest echelons of all time TV series at the moment, but it's solid, entertaining stuff and I don't drift onto my phone whilst I'm watching it.
