The episode opens with an addled Malcolm Kidd (Stuart Campbell) holding DI Ruth Calder (Ashley Jensen) at gunpoint. She rambles about her decision to leave the Met and return to Shetland. Under his gaze, she suggests placing a cover over his deceased brother, Andrew Kidd. He tells her where to find a sheet. She places the sheet over the lifeless body. Agitated, he complains about how long it is taking for the police to bring Eleanor Douglas (Christina Gordon) there. She says it will take time to make the arrangements and urges him to remain calm. He cocks his rifle and aims it at her when DI Tosh McIntosh (Alison O’Donnell) calls to say Eleanor hasn’t been located and they have authorization to utilize firearms. A tactical team moves around the back of the house. Learning Eleanor is not outside, Malcolm becomes even more agitated and steps in front of the window. Jumping up, Calder urges him to stay clear of the window. Drawing his gun, he demands she tell him the truth. She admits Eleanor is not coming because the police fear for her safety. He professes to love her and would never harm her. She tries to convince him to give himself up and promises to make sure he gets to talk to Eleanor. He agrees but instantly changes his mind when her phone rings. He blames everything on Bergen before firing his weapon. Tosh and the tactical team race into the house to find Calder alive and Malcolm lying on the floor. Calder asks if she is wearing lipstick. Tosh sniggers.
Malcolm will need to undergo a psychological evaluation before he can be interrogated. Tosh scolds Calder for injecting herself into a dangerous situation. Calder claims to have thought it was a welfare check. Tosh reminds her that welfare checks are handled by uniformed officers. She compliments Tosh’s appearance. Tosh invites her to go with her to a party but she declines. The party is in full swing when she arrives. Donnie Russell (Angus Miller) her over to the bar for a drink. She briefly speaks to Ian Bett (Robert Jack) and joins Tara Kirk (Nalini Chetty) and Frank Kirk (Richard Thomson). Annie Bett (Sarah MacGillivray) tells Tosh that she liked Andrew and Malcolm was always a bit tense but harmless. Seeing Ian staring at her, Annie goes over to talk to him. Tosh sees Ian appearing to go off on Annie. Elsewhere, Calder tells DC Sandy Wilson (Steven Robertson) that Malcolm never said why he killed Andrew but he did mention Bergen. He suggests Malcolm could have visited Norway while working on the ferries. Declining his offer to keep her company, she enters the home with a sigh of relief. At the party, Tosh finds Noah Bett (Jacob Ferguson) watching Annie and Ian arguing through a window. He informs her of their impending separation. She apologizes. Annie embraces Noah, collects their coats, and asks Tosh to escort them to their car. Ian guzzles several glasses of alcohol. Annie asks Tosh to meet her in the morning at the Harris place where she is staying.
Reverend Alan Calder (Steven Miller) scolds Calder for not informing him of what happened with Malcolm. She claims to be all right. He complains about Amma leaving him without an explanation. Sergeant Billy McCabe (Lewis Howden) calls to ask her to come into the police station. Alan begrudgingly agrees to take her. Upon arrival, she is greeted by Billy who is glad she is safe. Harry Lamont (Tibu Fortes) informs her that Malcolm has agreed to write a full confession for false imprisonment and murder. She questions why Malcolm’s attorney isn’t trying for culpable homicide. He says Malcolm was pretty insistent. Tosh arrives at the Harris home to find Tara gone. Patrick Harris (Ross Anderson) complains about Annie staying there and not with Tosh. John Harris (Ross Anderson) tells her that Annie and Noah’s beds are still made. Patrick and Fergus Harris (Macleod Stephen) deny seeing them last night or their car outside when they left before 5am. Annie isn’t answering her phone. John is surprised Tosh is a police officer. While driving the route that Annie would have taken last night, Tosh notifies Donnie who agrees to call Ian. At the police station, Calder tries to convince Malcolm to reconsider his confession. He admits to killing Andrew but refuses to say why. She offers to let him visit with Eleanor but he doesn’t budge. She asks Billy to bring Eleanor in.
Tosh finds Ian’s vehicle outside the venue. She refuses a call from Donnie informing her that Ian isn’t answering his phone. He says Ian was heavily intoxicated last night and he and Frank called him a taxi. At the police station, Sobbing, Eleanor admits to having an affair with Andrew and fears everyone will blame her. Calder asks if she knows anything about Bergen. Eleanor says no. Calder fills Tosh in on the case. Tosh tells her about Annie and Ian’s separation. Calder says Amma has asked Alan for a divorce. Elsewhere, Alan arrives at the shelter to learn Lisa Friel (Ian Hart) accused the staff of stealing her things, smashed the door glass, and left. Ailsa Forbes (Liz Ewing) and Housing Officer Michael Stack (Andrew John Tait) explain what happened. Alan apologizes, insists on paying for the damage, and pleads for Lisa another chance. Ailsa reluctantly agrees. He later finds Lisa in a caravan with Campervan Angus Wallace (Jimmy Yuill). Refusing to return to the shelter, she says they are going to Nesting.
Upon arriving at the Bett house, Calder and Tosh discover the front door damaged and an Oxford Professor, Euan Rossi (Ian Hart) hiding upstairs. He claims to have found the door damaged when he arrived. He came there immediately after arriving from London. Calder informs him that Annie and Noah have gone missing. In a voicemail that Annie sent him at 1:16am, she asks for his help because she is in trouble. Sandy believes nothing was taken. Tosh and Calder decide to issue a BOLO for Annie Noah, and Ian. A short time later, Tosh updates the Harris family. Patrick claims Ian has gone psycho since Annie left him. John tries to stop him from saying anything else, but he insists Ian had something to do with it. Fergus says Ian was intoxicated when he came there Thursday night. John assures them that Annie was safe with him there. Calder discovers Annie’s notepad with math problems on it. He admits to never liking Ian.
Hector Fulton (Harry Ward) is working when he looks up to see Noah covered in blood. Calder and Tosh arrive a short time later. PC Alex Grant (Conor McCarry) tells them that Noah is uninjured but not talking. Paramedic Felix (Leeroy Boone) says Noah is in shock. Noah still isn’t talking. Calder finds what she believes is plaster dust on his shoes. Hector tells them that someone is building a croft several miles up the road. En route to the location, Calder asks Tosh if she is okay with working on the case. Tosh assures her that she can handle it. While searching the house, Calder discovers something and alerts Tosh. At the hospital, PC Lorna Burns (Eubha Akilade) and Grant collect Noah’s clothes for evidence. Noah becomes anxious. At the croft, Annie’s lifeless body is lying on the floor. Distraught, Tosh calls it in. They discover Anton Bergen’s (Leeroy Boone) dead upstairs. The episode ends.
Shetland Review
A strong start to season nine. It starts out as a simple murder case and by the end, three people had already been murdered. It will build into a full-blown conspiracy like season eight.
Stuart Campbell was excellent as Derfel in The Winter King. His performance here was no less than stellar.
My biggest qualm is the cinematography which has slightly deteriorated from previous seasons. Poor lighting complicated visibility in night and indoor scenes. It was surprising to see Tosh take a backseat to Calder, even before her friend, Annie, disappeared.
The show embellishes Shetland’s crime rate. Officials reported 809 crimes, mostly drug-related, in 2022. The population was 23,020 the same year. This seems to be the norm for all modern crime drama and police procedural series.
Shetland is one of the better police procedurals but it hardly stands out above the rest. The episode deserves a 5.9 out of 10.
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Jay Skelton is a fan of all television shows and movies. He tries his best to keep up with the latest foreign television shows and movies. Jay loves skinny dipping in the dark too.
