Karen Pirie continues to be a refreshing detective series because of its enthusiastic main character and format that really lets the show’s writers dig into the characters both past and present.

It's unlikely to attract viewers who aren't already familiar with or deeply invested in British TV detective dramas. For everyone else, however, Karen Pirie season 2 will prove to be a genuine treat, a well-crafted story of family betrayal, the power wielded by the billionaire class, and one woman's sheer determination to uncover the truth.

While 90-minute episodes may arguably be too long for this sort of show, it's hard to deny that they're excellently structured here, and that the season as a whole never outstays its welcome.

The only surprise is that it took ITV so long to make this sequel to a series that was a hit with both viewers and critics in 2022. This new one looks set to follow suit.

There’s a long, long way to go yet and a lot more tangents to follow, though I will say it gets better with a decent conclusion and a few twists that you might guess along the way (I guessed one).

Three two-hour episodes drag it out when it could have been done more satisfyingly in half that time, and the quality drops off. There were also points in the middle where I had to keep reminding myself who the supporting characters were.