Wire In The Blood: The Complete Fifth Season (2007)

Dr. Tony Hill (Robson Green) is a clinical psychologist with an extraordinary understanding of the criminal mind. Working alongside Detective Inspector Alex Fielding (Simone Lahbib), Tony must race against time to profile and track down vicious killers before they strike again.

Disc 1: The Colour of Amber
When a woman sees a young girl being snatched by a man in a car, Detective Inspector Alex Fielding fears they may only have hours to get her back alive. Will Tony be able to find the abductor in time?

Disc 2: Nocebo
Alex investigates the murder of two children who bear signs of ritual killings. Tony puzzles over what the killer might want to gain and why. And is it one killer or two?

Disc 3: The Names of Angels
Two women are found raped and strangled, wearing the clothing of victims killer years earlier in Europe. As Tony tries to unravel the deadly puzzle, he’s confronted by an unpleasant distraction – an 18-year-old released killer turns up on his doorstep.

Disc 4: Anything You Can Do
When a vulnerable elderly woman is suffocated in her home, Alex and Tony suspect a security guard who was seen at the scene of the crime by several witnesses. But when the killings escalate, it appears to be the work of more than one murderer.

DVD Extras:
Interviews with Robson Green, Simone Lahbib and cast, author Val McDermid and production staff

Another Winner for WITB Fans

Wire in the Blood is back in full force with an excellent season - great stories, well told & full of intrigue. The extras on Disc 1 are also worth watching as they provide some interesting insights into the entire series. November 11, 2008

If Only We Could Make Out What They're Saying

"Wire in the Blood, Season 5," is the latest installment of the British television mystery serial, based on the works of Val McDermid, to reach these shores. The series, a police procedural that stars Robson Green as psychologist Dr. Tony Hill, criminal profiler, is produced by Green's production company for the British Granada TV: he's one of their biggest domestic stars; and the series is surely tailored to his many strengths. It has been shown here on BBC America; but it is lacking the last episode of the series as shown here, which has been spun off as a standalone.

In addition to Green, the series stars longtime regulars Mark Letheren as Detective Sergeant Kevin Geoffries, and Emma Handy as Detective Constable Paula McIntyre. Simone Lahbib continues her more recent duties as Detective Inspector Alex Fielding, Hill's foil, romantic and otherwise. This season, as most, is simply advertised as "based on characters created by" McDermid, and there is not a single episode based on one of her books. However, the episodes presented are of a fairly high quality, solid mysteries, with some of the well-known author's intensity; some of her edginess and grit, and her ability to break new ground. The series is set in McDermid's fictional "Bradfield," it is filmed in Manchester, the actual city in which she sets her work, after doing 16 years there as a journalist. Manchester's an interesting city to use: handsome and hardly ever seen here, full of interesting looking architecture, with a highly diverse population. Unfortunately, the cast has been encouraged to make use of the local accent and dialect, and there are no subtitles, a puzzling oversight considering Green's standing at Granada. It makes the series quite difficult to follow for us on these shores.

1. "Colour of Amber." A white man appears to have kidnapped a young black girl on a busy street, in the morning rush hour. A strong complex mystery, dealing with interracial matters; focusing on children damaged by the adults in their lives.
2. "Nocebo." A sadistic, ritualistic killer seems to be at work, targeting children. Another strong, intense episode, more daring in its treatment of blacks than an American tv program would ever be, giving us a really unflattering portrait of a black voodoo-oriented preacher, Dr.Kingston.
3. "Names of Angels." A serial killer seems to be targeting attractive, blond young businesswomen. A clever, perhaps too clever, outing. Notable chiefly for the introduction of a character, clearly based on one of the ten-year olds who tortured and killed two-year old James Bulger in Liverpool in February 1993. "Christopher" has been a patient of Hill's while imprisoned for the crime, and, as he was so young when he committed it, he is being released as a young man. Hill is greatly concerned with his well-being.
4. "Anything You Can Do." Yet another apparent serial killer at work, putting bags over the heads of his victims. Another clever one, but a good mystery that once again ventures where American TV will never go. Continues the sad arc of "Christopher," the released Liverpool child murderer.

Green is, of course, a handsome man, and a good actor, and he gives us an intense, intelligent portrait of Dr. Hill. If only we could make out what he's saying.
October 23, 2008

Another excellent season!

I have been a fan of this show since Season One, and Season Five continues the general excellence of the show. The acting is quite solid, and I am glad to see the show has been able to retain two of the show's secondary characters; while playing back-up and fill-in roles to the two main actors, they add to the overall excellence. The episodes for Season Five are all quite well written, with some interesting plot twists and red herrings for those who are trying to figure out "who done it." For American fans, it is interesting to see how the "Amber Alert" system is set up in Bradfield, the location for the series, in "The Color of Amber"; I did find the writing in this one episode to be at times a bit too convoluted with a few too many side stories going on. Americans will also be interested in seeing the significant differences in policing and the widespread use of closeed-circuit TV cameras in public places that oftentimes provides crucial evidence or clues. My only complaint is that there are only a few episodes released each season (although they are nearly 90 minutes long a piece). We want more Wire in the Blood! September 23, 2008

Wire in the Blood

Every Season is GREAT. If you like British Mysteries this is for you ! September 6, 2008

The best season yet, with one small exception

I've been a sort of halfhearted fan of this series since season one, but season five finally won me over completely. The stories are especially compelling and original this time, and less "demented" (despite the quote on the box!) than previous seasons. Each episode is written, produced, and directed in an entirely different style, e.g., the first one is fast-paced, with the camera never alighting for more than a few seconds, while the second one is very grainy, jumpy, and almost completely colorless; the last episode is a bit over saturated with color, giving it a sort of surreal look. This is somewhat daring, but it works extremely well.

Another strength of this season is the character of Alex. I really liked Carol, but Alex is at least as compelling, if not more so. Also Kevin and Paula, as the "minor" characters, are superbly well written and well acted.

And then there's Tony, who is my "small exception." He's as charming and likeable as ever, if not more so, and seems to have become a bit more compassionate and considerate of other people. (I was thoroughly charmed by the popcorn-with-Ben scene!) But a little of his eccentricity is gone. We don't really see just how much of a complete oddball he is. However, they more than made up for it in "Prayer of the Bone" so I can't really even call it a flaw.

If you like a truly suspenseful, intelligent, multi-layered drama, but previous episodes have left you uncertain about watching this series, give season five a try.





August 23, 2008

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