As the third series of The Chelsea Detective begins, Virat Sharma (Nitin Ganatra) is shown looking around his house at night. DI Max Arnold (Adrian Scarborough) is shown on his boat. He receives a video call from Astrid Fischer (Anamaria Marinca) who learns he has a funny tooth. Max claims he’s too busy decorating the boat to go to the dentist. Astrid reminds him that they’re meeting on Wednesday morning. Virat tries to get in touch with Chloe Carmichael (Martha Kirby). When he calls Chloe, he hears the phone ringing from inside her flat. The water in the tub is running over and splashing Chloe’s phone. Virat makes entry into the flat where he finds Chloe dead in the bathtub. DI Max Arnold arrives at the scene a short time later. Max and DS Layla Walsh (Vanessa Emme) talk about the crime and the fact it appears someone has been partying hard.

Ashley Wilton (Sophie Stone) tells them it appears the victim drowned, but it looks like drugs were involved. Two fingernails are broken so there might’ve been a struggle. DC Jess Lombard (Lucy Phelps) and Layla work at the office. A report from the Chelsea Online News reveals Chloe as an icon of the 2000s. Jess and DC Connor Pollock (Peter Bankole) remember Chloe’s hit Christmas song. Max joins them moments later and still has issues with his tooth. Layla tells everyone what they know about Chloe and her death. Jess says Chloe made a lot of money from the Christmas song but gave all the royalties to charity. At the peak of her fame, Chloe walked away from it all. Jess explains she had addiction issues, and she struggled with the pressures of fame. Layla points out Luke Beckett (Nabil Elouahabi) who was her manager. In a social media post, Chloe asked Luke to let her live her life.

Connor mentions Sean Kildare who works in the cybercrime unit. Sean had been advising Chloe on internet threats, so they decide to speak to him. They also want to speak to Zadie Evans (Poppy Gilbert) who is a fashion model, and she may have been in a relationship with Chloe. She may have been staying in Chloe’s flat, but they don’t know where she is now. Max and Layla visit Hilary Carmichael to speak to her about her daughter’s death. Hilary only met Zadie once when Chloe brought her down for lunch. When asked about Chloe’s drug use, Hilary claims she had been making an effort lately. She mentions Chloe’s father, Richard, who died of cancer in the spring. Hilary spoke to Chloe a week ago. Jess gets off the phone with journalist Sylvie Wix who claims to have information they’ll want to hear. Connor found out that Zadie was in Ibiza three days ago on a fashion shoot. She flew straight back afterwards and hasn’t been heard from since.

Sean joins them seconds later. He tells everyone that Chloe was being trolled on social media. There were two phases of threats. Sean explains it started with Luke Beckett sending her threatening messages because they had a long-running financial dispute. After they shut down Beckett, it started again under a different handle, True Mirage. Beckett denied being involved. The True Mirage threats went on in July and August. Sean says he saw Chloe a handful of times before they shut down the case because of a lack of resources. The sender hid their IP address using a VPN so Sean’s team hit a brick wall. Next, Ashley tells Max and Layla that the victim had ingested high levels of drugs. She had cocaine and ketamine in her system. Ashley believes Chloe was held under the water and drowned. She shows them a map of the scuff marks found around the house. Ashley thinks she was drug through the house, forced into the tub, and drowned.

They found a note saying “Tuesday AM” in Chloe’s pocket. Ashley shows them the latest forensics UV light readers. Jess calls Max to say she found Luke Beckett. Max asks for the address. Luke is busy working in the studio. He’s confronted by Layla and Max moments later. Luke says he used to manage Chloe in the early 2000s. About a year ago, Chloe said she could handle things herself. Luke says he hadn’t seen her in months. Max mentions the restraining order against him. Luke claims he was owed money, and he tried to persuade her to take some responsibility. The magistrate didn’t see it his way. The Christmas song could’ve been her pension until she gave it all away to charity. Chloe had persuaded him to defer his commission but not waive it. When Chloe terminated their relationship, Luke told her he wanted what was owed to him. He says Chloe lived a pampered life so it didn’t hurt for someone to stand up to her.

Jess and Connor look through the threatening messages. They also talk about the possibility of Sean joining their team. They try to figure out what True Mirage means. Luke denies knowing anything about True Mirage and says he was at Charlie’s of Chelsea yesterday evening. He say it closed down last night and he left at 10:45. His wife will agree that he came straight home. Sylvie is questioned by Connor and Jess. She says she saw Chloe yesterday evening because she was ghostwriting her autobiography. She was there about eight and she left by nine. Sylvie can’t say whether Chloe was taking drugs. She believes Zadie was Chloe’s special friend. Chloe was good at keeping different parts of her life separate. Sylvie thinks it might be a good idea to speak to MP Andrew Mansfield. Later, Max and the others discuss it. Layla wonders if “AM” on the note actually meant Andrew Mansfield. They talk about the evidence and what they know about Chloe’s murder.

Max asks Connor and Jess to check Charlie’s restaurant and to set up a meeting with Andrew Mansfield. Sylvie is busy writing an article. Max reads her article later that night. Olivia Arnold (Frances Barber) visits him with gifts and medication. Max says Astrid has convinced him to go to this place that specializes in reviving relationships. Layla tells Ashley she’ll come up when she’s done. Layla tells Virat that she’s there to take his statement. Ashley looks for evidence in Chloe’s flat. Virat tells Layla about restoring pottery and how it’s a delicate process. When they hear thuds upstairs, Layla says her colleague is doing tests. Ashley tries to find out what the noise is. Virat says there were two people in Chloe’s flat. He didn’t notice anything until water started coming from the ceiling. Virat warns Layla that there are two people upstairs now. Layla joins Ashley before they find Zadie who is taken to the station for an interview.

Zadie tells them that Virat was a creep. Chloe once caught him looking around her flat when she came home. She admits she was trying to retrieve some coke and ketamine from the flat although she says Chloe didn’t touch the stuff. Zadie took a necklace that was found in her pocket. She again says Chloe did not use drugs. When she came back from Ibiza, she supposedly went to see her parents. Layla asks for their details so they can confirm her statement. Next, Jess asks Max if he thinks Zadie was involved. Max mentions the drugs and says they need to follow up on the claims made against Virat. Connor says Chloe had been receiving a regular invoice from a fertility clinic. When they checked her bank statements, there’s no record of money going out. Someone else was paying for it. Max tells Layla they’re going to meet Andrew at his club, The New Imperial.

Andrew tells them that he met Chloe through a charity they both supported in April. He admits they were going to have dinner the night after Chloe died. Andrew thinks she realized that life in the public eye comes with challenges. Chloe had made an arrangement with a journalist to tell her life story. Andrew cautioned her against it. He watches Max and Layla leave. Andrew calls someone to say they may need to talk again. He asks them not to say anything if anyone contacts them. Max meets Astrid who learns the tooth is bad. They go into the Recapture Clinic. They speak to the worker there. Connor talks to Jess about the Brownfield Fertility Clinic. He admits he and Helen have been trying for a baby for a while now. Chloe was undergoing IVF treatment, but the clinic wouldn’t say who was paying for it. Jess discusses her progress on the True Mirage handle. Max and Astrid are left with homework.

Next, Virat is questioned at the police station. He admits he went into Chloe’s flat when he heard something suspicious. He didn’t tell her because he didn’t want to worry her. When Chloe caught him that one time, he thought he heard footsteps. Virat denies running the bath for Chloe. He says it was awful when he did go in. Max and Layla talk about it in private. Max says he needs to dash because he has an emergency visit with a dentist. He notices Luke while riding his bike. Max decides to follow him instead of going to the dentist. At one point, he sees Luke meeting Andrew Mansfield. Max takes pictures of them using his phone. At the police station, Max and the others talk about the connection between Luke and Mansfield. Connor shows them a newspaper article from Sylvie Wix about their conversation with Mansfield. He reminds Max that Sylvie suggested they speak to Mansfield so she probably just waited and assumed.

Max wants to bring in Mansfield. Jess hasn’t been able to verify Zadie’s alibi because she can’t get in touch with her parents. They discuss Chloe using drugs on the night she died. Mansfield calls to complain about Max leaking their conversation. Max insists it wasn’t them.

Walsh asks Hilary Carmichael (Penny Downie) if she knew Chloe started IVF therapy in July at Bramfield Clinic. Hilary denies any knowledge of it but suggests Chloe had improved her lifestyle. Walsh asks if she has any idea who covered the cost. Hilary claims Chloe was adamant about not relying on them financially. When asked about Zadie, Hilary says she hardly knew her and asks if she is a suspect in Chloe’s murder. Walsh tells her that Zadie is a person of interest. At the police station, Sean Kildare (Stephan Wight) tells Max about his experience with a woman who reported being trolled online. He says her home was messy and she didn’t take of herself. Jess informs Max that Zadie’s parents claim it has been weeks since they last saw her. As soon as Walsh leaves, a stressed Hilary notifies someone of her visit and requests a return call.

Max returns home to find Astrid waiting outside. After turning on the heat, he pours them a glass of wine. She asks how he is doing. Believing she is referring to his job, he says the case is complex. She asks about him personally. Seeing his case notes exposed, he pushes a newspaper over them and dumps their wine down the drain because it is old. He recalls her threats of divorce and her dating a photographer. He stresses the importance of them thinking things through. Upset, she suggests he doesn’t want to save their marriage and storms out. He races out and calls her name. She stops before continuing on her way. Later, he is playing the piano when Astrid sends him a text suggesting they be friends. A box of Paranodol lies on the counter while Max sleeps on the sofa. A video call from Connor pops up on his phone. He answers. Connor sends an invoice from Bramfield Clinic for Chloe’s IVF therapy. Andrew Mansfield (Julian Wadham) is listed as the account holder. Later, at the police station, Andrew reminds Connor and Max of his being an MP. Looking him in the eye, Max promises not to delay him any longer than necessary before asking about his speaking with Chloe’s former manager, Luke Beckett (Nabil Elouahabi) yesterday morning. Andrew claims to have confronted Beckett about his belief that he was owed money. Connor questions how a busy MP has time to deal with the financial affairs of someone he just recently met. Andrew says his job is to serve his constituents. Max recalls he had concerns about Chloe’s tell-all autobiography Sylvie Wix (Sian Reese-Williams) was working on. Andrew says she may have regretted it. Connor suggests he was worried about something being revealed that he wouldn’t like.

Hilary receives a letter from Wix. At the police station, Max shows Andrew a group photo and asks if he recalls Hilary Jensen who began her parliamentary career at the same time as himself. He says Hilary gave birth to a baby girl in December at Chelsea Hospital. Max asks if he is Chloe’s biological father. Andrew claims it just happened and when Hilary’s husband died, he requested to see Chloe. Max says he paid for her IVF therapy. Andrew and his wife never had children. He says she told him that everything would be revealed in her autobiography which would have dire consequences. Connor asks where he was on Monday between 9am and 11am. Pulling out his calendar, Andrew claims to have visited the terrace bar after the House of Commons meeting.

Hilary finds Zadie in her kitchen. Zadie asks if the police have a suspect. Hilary tells her that the investigation is ongoing. Zadie asks if she can stay there for a while. A short time later, Hilary sees Zadie wearing Chloe’s shirt. A police cruiser pulls up outside. At the police station, Zadie claims to have been so upset about Chloe’s death that she wasn’t thinking clearly. She slept rough because there was nowhere for her to go. She says Chloe was like a sister to her, nothing more. Zadie claims Chloe said Wix would love for her to be dead, so her book would really sell. Lombard informs Walsh and Max that Beckett called Chloe’s phone at 9:59pm and ended four minutes later. Connor says Beckett left Charlie’s of Chelsea before her. Max questions if Beckett is the “True Mirage” troll. Lombard suggests it means Marguerite. He pulls up a photo of Wix at Marguerite’s Muffins. Later, Wix tells Max and Walsh that the publisher wanted dirt and gossip but Chloe only wanted to talk about her charity work. At one point, she wanted to pull out of the deal. Wix admits to needing the book because she was broke. On the night of Chloe’s murder, Wix confronted Chloe about her relationship with Andrew. Chloe refused to talk about it and she left. She denies killing her. Max scolds her for making their job harder and treating Chloe’s murder like a game.

Walsh works on getting a warrant to search Beckett’s house. Olivia calls Max to remind him of his dental appointment. He rides his bike to meet her and they walk to the dentist’s office together. An anxious Max opens his mouth for the dentist to assess his teeth. At the recording studio, Connor and Jess confront Beckett with evidence that shows he left Charlie’s of Chelsea at 9:57pm and called Chloe’s phone at 9:59pm. She had a restraining order against him. Beckett says she refused to give him the money that she owed him. Jess asks what he did between 9:59pm and 11:05pm. He claims to have gone for a walk. Connor asks what he and Andrew were talking about yesterday. Beckett says Andrew told him that he wasn’t going to get any money for the Christmas single. He attributes his being penniless to Chloe. Connor asks if he murdered Chloe. A short time later, Max arrives at the police station to find Walsh working. He questions if Beckett was Chloe’s drug supplier. CCTV footage shows Beckett walking along Oakley Street at 11:05pm. He takes Bremerton Street to Embankment at 11:34pm. She says it would be impossible for him to reach Chloe’s flat on Lingdale Street. He believes Chloe kept her drug use a secret.

Riverside Arms – Sean tells Connor that Chloe was capable of anything. At the police station, Max recalls Sean saying Chloe didn’t use the heat between May and August. He suggests they were seeing each other often. At Riverside Arms, Connor receives a from Max asking him to pry Sean about the last time he saw Chloe at her flat. When Sean returns with their beers, Connor pretends to poke fun at Max for believing Chloe was murdered. He asks Sean when he last saw her. Sean says ages ago. Sean gets suspicious of Connor and quickly leaves. Connor alerts Max. Connor forces a man out of his vehicle when the police surround him. He starts to flee on foot as Connor arrives. He is arrested and taken to the station for an interview. He tells them about his special deliveries. Sean says Chloe used to tease him that it was inappropriate to supply her with drugs. Sean tells the detectives that it got serious that night. Chloe decided he had taken advantage of her vulnerabilities and that he forced the drugs on her. Sean says he couldn’t let it stand. He goes on to say Chloe had already taken a lot of stuff, so he decided to test the limits. Sean claims she didn’t die so he started thinking of something else. Hilary thanks Zadie for coming. She apologizes for doubting her. Zadie apologizes for scaring her. Hilary says she shared a secret with Chloe. Zadie says Chloe loved Richard, but she also liked Andrew.

Hilary says Andrew put politics first so she lost him. Then, she lost Richard. Zadie suggests they can be friends. Max talks to the team about having to arrest one of their own. He goes back to his boat and notices the decorations in the trash. He goes inside and finds out that Olivia and Astrid are waiting for him. Astrid says this is a peace offering. She tells him that they can still be friends. Max didn’t think they were staying for Christmas. Olivia says that’s not such a bad idea and Astrid doesn’t have plans.

 

The Chelsea Detective

The third series of The Chelsea Detective opened with a tedious dud with no real passion, excitement, personality, originality, or mystery. All of these British detective shows are starting to blend together with the same formulas used on repeat, the same crimes being rehashed, and the same suspects being locked away.

Someone discovers the crime scene. Max and Layla visit the scene while Ashley is busy collecting evidence. They return to the station to talk about the latest before speaking to someone else. After a few more conversations, they return to the station again. This boring nonsense is repeated until the viewer finally breathes a sigh of relief at the hour and 28-minute mark.

It’s finally over. There’s nothing memorable about the series besides how unoriginal and bland it is. The same culprit has been locked away once again thanks to the same tropes being served on repeat. Viewers can easily guess the killer in the first few minutes based on the actor and their appearance. There are just an hour of unnecessary babble and half-baked twists before we ever get to that point.

Then, we have the most lifeless detectives with no real personality and no real reason to care about any of them. The Max and Astrid relationship has run its course, but the writers are adamant about shoving that nonsense straight down our throats. Something has to fill the monotony for an hour and a half because the crimes and investigations surely aren’t interesting enough to hold anyone’s attention.

This episode had the cliché of the tooth ache. Would a little originality really be that difficult at this point? It sure seems so. The episode scores a 3 out of 10. Recaps of The Chelsea Detective can be found here. Find out how to support our independent site at this link. Learn more about advertising with us here. Join the discussion here.

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