Carl Roberts 
Peter Capaldi and Cush Jumbo star and executive produce the new British crime thriller Criminal Record. Coming To Apple TV+ from January 10th.
On January 10th, Apple TV+ is unleashing the new British crime thriller Criminal Record. The series features a great cast led by Peter Capaldi and Cush Jumbo, who also executive produce the series. Set in and around London and the surrounding areas, the series is a cat-and-mouse thriller that pits Capaldi and Jumbo against each other in a battle of wits within the Police force. Featuring an outstanding supporting cast, the series is eight episodes long and needs to be studied carefully. The first two episodes will be available at launch. But can the series hold our interest or does it deserve to be sent to the cells?
PREMISE
“Criminal Record” is a powerful, character-driven drama set in the heart of contemporary London. An anonymous phone call draws two brilliant detectives into a confrontation over an old murder case – one a young woman in the early stages of her career, the other a well-connected man determined to protect his legacy.
THOUGHTS
For anyone expecting a fast-paced thriller, this isn’t for you. The series is a slow burn, one that forces us to watch every second in case we miss something vitally important. Any detail, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant, has to be taken into account here. It is a thriller that makes us watch and think as we tag along on the investigation and the ups and downs that the two main protagonists face. It is an intelligent crime drama, one that ties in with certain events and situations that are currently in the news in the United Kingdom.
The series is also quite bloody and shocking. Some of the violence and strong language the show contains will shake the viewer. It isn’t strong violence, it’s violence that we read and hear about on the streets every day. And one scene will have the audience gasping. When you think that the makers won’t dare go there, they do. If you’re a parent, the scene will resonate with you, making you clutch your youngsters even closer. Take the end of the first episode. We can see what’s coming, we know what’s going to happen. But when it does, it shocks us at how visceral it is.
PETER CAPALDI
If you’re a fan of Peter Capaldi, hold onto yourselves. As Detective Chief Inspector Daniel Hegarty, Capaldi is 100% unlikeable throughout. A nasty, vindictive police officer who thinks he is above the law. You got a problem? Hegarty will sort it out for you, but it will cost you. Not money but a favour down the line. When he has something to hold over you, he will exploit it to the maximum. But despite this, we find ourselves asking if he is really that bad. He does some very shady things but is he covering up something darker? Is he complacent in a cover-up to convict the wrong man for murder? Or maybe he orchestrated the whole thing?
Peter Capaldi is a fine actor and he gives a terrific performance here. Hegarty is vile but although we despise him at various times, we discover something that surprises us. Why is he visiting a cashpoint (ATM) and withdrawing money almost every day? Why is he always visiting a Turkish carpet shop late at night? What is he up to? Capaldi is compelling throughout, giving Hegarty a tiny piece of warmth to his character. We want to see him taken down a few pegs by the climax. To be held to account for what he’s done and keeps doing. Will he though?
CUSH JUMBO
Cush Jumbo as Detective Sergeant June Lenker is the character we follow throughout. And she delivers a standout performance here. June is determined to get to the bottom of the case. Is the caller telling the truth? Where is she? And if what she’s saying is true, why is an innocent man serving a long prison sentence for murder? Why did he confess to the killing if he didn’t do it? At every turn, Cush Jumbo has us in the palm of her hand. This is a superb performance from the actress. We want her to discover the truth. We want her to be a success, despite what Hegarty tries to do to wreck her career.
June has a family, a husband and a son. But she also has a mother suffering from dementia. With her mother suffering like this, and her constant calling about suspicious vehicles that June has to check out on the police computer, June finds herself in a bit of trouble. While it seems that it is a minor violation, it will come back to haunt her later in the series. All the while, she is putting in long hours, risks seeing her career ruined by Hegarty, and is in danger of losing her family. The toll the job takes on her is presented here in all its glory. And Cush Jumbo excels.
SUPPORTING CAST
The supporting cast all give superb performances. The best come from Charlie Creed-Miles as Detective Sergeant Tony Gilfoyle, Shaun Dooley as Detective Sergeant Kim Cardwell, Aysha Kala as Sonya Singh, and Cathy Tyson as Doris Mathis. While we sometimes cannot stand Cardwell and his antics, we find ourselves warming to him throughout. Shaun Dooley has that ability to take the most vile of people and show they do have a streak of decency within. The same can’t be said of Gilfoyle. Suffering from illness, Gilfoyle is a vile, evil, nasty piece of work from the start. The way he verbally attacks June during her investigation is sickening. Gilfoyle is a racist, uncaring piece of human filth.
Sonya Singh is a lawyer acting on behalf of the accused’s mother in an attempt to prove his innocence. From the moment we meet her, we are drawn towards her and her attitude. Yes, she is a lawyer trying to get a convicted killer released. But her attitude, her friendliness, and her general demeanour have us liking her from the start. Doris Mathis, the jailed murderer’s mother, continues to fight to prove her son’s innocence, despite the overwhelming evidence that supports his guilt. She has a strong backbone in her, a spirit that no blow can crush. We want to see her campaign for justice succeed. But is she doing the right thing or is she deluded about her son’s guilt, not accepting that he is indeed a killer?
CONCLUSION
Criminal Record is outstanding. It delivers on everything we hope for and more. It addresses issues that are in the headlines day after day and doesn’t shy away from it. The more we watch, the more is revealed, the more we can’t help ourselves. The series confronts these events head-on and wraps them up in a crime thriller that will have the viewer guessing as to what really happened. The evidence is provided to us, forming a picture of what we think has happened. However, when more evidence is presented, we find our original hypothesis to be deeply flawed. This is the result of a superb piece of writing from Paul Rutman. What he has created is compelling, thoughtful, and great entertainment.
The series benefits from being a slow burn. It allows the show to breathe and gradually unravel its layers. Almost like an onion, one layer gets peeled away to find another, darker layer waiting underneath. By the time we reach the climax, we see the onion is rotten to the core. No one will come out of this smelling of roses. Every one of the characters, apart from a few, will end up stained and tainted by the finale. But that’s the thing. Every one of the main characters deserves to not come out clean. Each one, including June, does things that question their character. And just when you think it’s all done and dusted, one final twist will leave the viewer gasping. Criminal Record is a terrific series, one that I hope gets another season. It would be criminal to miss it.
Criminal Record premieres on Apple TV+ with the first two episodes on January 10th.
Trailer Source: Apple TV
Introducing Carl! As the News Editor at Future of the Force, Carl has been an invaluable member of our team since early 2016. His expertise and dedication have made him an integral part of our editorial staff. Beyond his professional role, Carl is a fervent supporter of Liverpool F.C. and an avid follower of pop culture. He has a deep passion for Halloween, Friday the 13th, and the iconic movie franchises Star Wars and Star Trek.
He can be found either at his neighborhood cinema, enjoying the latest releases on the big screen, or at home streaming the newest blockbuster movies.
