Chasing Shadows

The London Metropolitan Police's triumphant press conference announcing the arrest of a serial killer is DS Sean Stone's first time in front of the cameras. It may be his last, given that Stone deadpans, for the country to see and hear: "If we had treated each woman as part of a pattern rather than separate missing-person cases, we would have found Alan Harvey [the killer] sooner and Carol Taft would still be alive. And we failed."Chief Constable Harley Drayton is not pleased. He calls Stone into his office and tells him, with understatement and ill-concealed fury: "The strategic outcome of this case is your permanent secondment to Missing Persons. Looking for serial killers."That's why the next day, Ruth Hattersly, Senior Analyst for the UK Missing Persons Bureau, comes to work to find Stone going through files in the office she'll now share with him. Until now, Ruth has been a desk jockey, commiserating with worried parents and spouses over the phone, recommending counselling, etc.But Stone changes that. He looks for a pattern or a disappearance that breaks a pattern, and he considers it his job to investigate. He's supposed to refer any lead to D.I. Prior, but Stone can't see the logic in that. It's funny to watch the flummoxed Hattersly chasing after Stone, going from scene to scene and interview to interview. Her job is all diplomacy and comfort, Stone is all buttoned-up and abruptness. They are a contrast, but, by the end of the series, they are working together.Series 1 has two mysteries, each divided into two 46-minute episodes. That's about 90 minutes a mystery, which is a nice length of time for character development and plot intricacy. The first mystery, "Only Connect", involves teen suicide and a website which appears to promote it. In the second, "Off Radar", Stone finds a disappearance that doesn't fit the usual profile. He was a successful lawyer; no financial problems, no significant other problems. And no body. One day he just disappeared."Chasing Shadows" originally aired in 2014. Its four episodes total 183 minutes. The DVD presents the show in 16:9 widescreen and stereo sound. English SDH subtitles are available. There are no bonus extras on the DVD.I've been a fan of Alex Kingston since she starred as River Song in the "Doctor Who" sci-fi series. It's amusing to see her play the frumpish Ruth Hattersly, because as River Song she is exuberant.Trivia: A "misper" is slang for a missing person. Makes it easier, doesn't it?A recommended mystery series. I was sorry to find out it wasn't renewed. 4.5 stars rounded up to 5.Happy Reader

This is a fascinating show. Unfortunately, it was not picked up for a second season (even though the first season ended with an ominous tease). Detective Sergeant Sean Stone is a homicide detective who makes a major blunder in a press briefing: he tells the truth. For his sin he is demoted to the missing persons unit, which is a civilian branch. He retains his DS rank and is forced to liaise with a homicide inspector, played by Noel Clarke. His partner in Missing Persons (played by Alex Kingston) is his polar opposite. Sean (diagnosed as suffering from Asperger’s syndrome by Amazon reviewers) is totally focused on his job, resists all human contact, speaks directly, abruptly, honestly and—to the rest of the team—inappropriately. However, he is a very good detective, with uncommon energy and tenacity. His partner, on the other hand, is warm, human, slightly overweight, has bad taste in men and lives with her mother and her son, who has a fascination with serial killers and can’t wait to meet Sean, an expert on the subject.The season consists of two stories, each in two parts, each approximately 47 minutes in length. Thus: a solid evening’s entertainment. The first case concerns the abduction of young women, the second the year-old disappearance of a London lawyer.The scripts are excellent, fresh, offbeat and imaginative. The acting is strong, the use of setting dark but incisive. This is the London that turns blue at night and is irremediably gray, even in the sunshine. I was very sorry to learn that there is, as yet, no second season.Highly recommended.

I enjoyed the program precisely because the lead character is clearly a high functioning autistic DI thrown into a world that he doesn't "get" and that doesn't "get" him either. The other characters provide the interpersonal skills and personal judgement that he lacks. It is a clever plot and character device, however, the writers don't provide us with good background as to how he became a detective in the first place...with his lack of interpersonal skills this is a bit of a stretch. Still, the writing is good and the acting is superb. I totally believe the actor really is autistic and also brilliant at identifying patterns. Character driven, and believable, this show kept me guessing almost right until the end. But, the thing that most drew me in was that I cared about all of them and wanted to see more. This is a show you have to stay with for a bit, but I guarantee it is worth the wait.

Really enjoyed this 4 parter, it's a really shame there won't be anymore especially because it ended on a cliffhanger.

I did not see this show when originally aired. I found it through a "rabbit-hole" search for one of the actors in it. I really enjoyed it. It is unfortunate that it only lasted a single season. The cast is top-notch, and the stories in the three episodes are well crafted. It finishes with a nod to another season, which did not come. I thoroughly enjoyed the series, and I would recommend it to those who like British police procedurals.

great show. waiting on season 2 to come out.

Cette agréable série policière a malheureusement été éclipsée par le succès de la série "Sherlock".Si bien qu'elle ne comprend que 4 épisodes en tout et pour tout, ce qui nous laisse sur notre faim.Cette série avait pourtant un grand potentiel, tant sur le développement des personnages et de leurs interactions que sur le déroulé des enquêtes.C'est pourquoi j'espère qu'elle sera de retour un jour, sur les chaines anglaises...

Diese Serie ist leider viel zu kurz. 2 Fälle auf 4 Einzelfolgen verteilt. Die Geschichten sind spannend, die Charaktere liebevoll gezeichnet, mit ein wenig Humor, aber immer ernsthaft erzählt. Und am Ende ein Cliffhanger, der nur eine Frage stellt: Wann geht es endlich mit neuen Folgen weiter?