Shetland

This show still works for having confidence in its restrained approach — there’s no need to be flashy. Ashley Jensen’s down-to-earth DI, Ruth Calder, remains a decent enough replacement for Douglas Henshall’s DI Jimmy Perez, and if Calder and Tosh don’t quite have the sparring crackle of the best detective duos, they showed a modicum of chemistry while teasing the new boss, who is struggling with his long-distance relationship.

If the last series established Calder as the lead character – back story, personality, difficult relationship with her church-minister brother – then this series is more of an equal pairing between Calder and the newly promoted Tosh.

Her character [Ashley Jensen as Ruth] arrived fully formed and well-rounded. Her expressive face revealed conflicted feelings about this enforced homecoming. The script wasn't afraid to make Calder prickly and unlikeable, with a tangled private life and troubled childhood.

This Ann Cleeves adaptation is a high-class police procedural – subtle, unshowy but hauntingly powerful and highly atmospheric. With its bleakly beautiful setting, meaningful stares and slow-burning plots, it’s Nordic noir transplanted to the Scottish archipelago’s rugged landscape.

His [Douglas Henshall's] replacement gives “Shetland” something of a reset, while retaining the small ensemble and much of what makes the show work.

This plot is an odd fish, though, and not just because it used Ian Hart, wearing an unlikely wig, for only about three minutes in episode one. .... Never mind. Calder and Tosh McIntosh (Alison O’Donnell) are gelling well as a duo.

Perez huffed his way through the investigation and the episode eventually ended with a cliffhanger. But at the end of a laboured hour of sleuthing, it wasn’t enough to rescue a disappointing episode.