It feels like a golden time for police dramas: you only have to look at Happy Valley hype to see that. Hot off the explosive end of that show, BBC has lined up another gritty cop drama called Better.
It’s got all the requisite parts: a strong female lead with Leila Farzad (fans of Sky’s I Hate Suzie will recognise her as long-suffering friend and ex-agent Naomi), a drug lord played by Andrew Buchan (This England, The Crown, Broadchurch), and a packed first episode.
This five-part thriller was created, written and executive produced by Jonathan Brackley and Sam Vincent, former head writers on Spooks as well as Channel 4 show Humans, so signs were good.
I wanted it to be good, but it wasn’t. Put it this way: if Line of Duty and Happy Valley are masterpieces in oil, Better is dot-to-dot with crayons.
Based in Leeds, the set up is interesting: detective inspector Louisa Slack (Farzad) is a corrupt officer looking for redemption. Trouble is, she has a lot of wrongs to right: for the entirety of her career, Lou has been in cahoots with big-time coke dealer Col McHugh (Buchan).
There’s no blackmail here: it’s a mutually beneficial arrangement. She’s risen through the ranks on the back of his tip-offs on rivals and competitors, and he’s managed to stay one step ahead of the law thanks to her intel. Their bond is weird to say the least – all kisses, hugs and furtive cigs – but the message is clear. They trust each other implicitly. They’re untouchable.
Until, that is, Lou’s son Owen develops a life-threatening illness and is rushed to hospital. Hands clasped in desperation, she prays to a higher being that if he survives, she’ll do better. She’ll be better. And that’s when everything starts to unravel.
Clearly, however, untangling from a criminal kingpin is not easy. Though we’re given a sense of Col’s power and influence (he comes complete with an army of goons, comedy weapons, mob-style birthday bash), the man doesn’t do much more than pace around his swanky drugs-financed mansion, exhaling by doorways and accepting lame excuses for Lou’s sudden acts of rebellion.
Then there’s Lou herself. Isn’t it odd that she, the daughter of a hero policeman who made a deal with the devil, has developed a conscience all of a sudden? Where were her morals when she was stepping over teenagers slain by Col’s men? When she tipped him off about police raids? When her husband joined Col’s money-laundering builder’s merchants? If the BBC universe was a thing, Line of Duty’s AC-12 unit would have a field day. Neither character feels convincing.
My biggest gripe is with the editing. Constant, jarring flashbacks shoved in the second half of the episode – often for scenes that have just taken place – crassly serve as a visual for Lou’s conscience. They’re only slightly more elegant than a thought bubble.
I wanted to like Better because I’ve enjoyed Farzad and Buchan in other things. And perhaps it will live up to the title, but the first episode doesn’t inspire much hope.
The trouble is, it has none of the polish of other police dramas, none of the urgent magic that makes you gasp, lean forward and hit "play next episode" because you’re desperate to find out what’s on the other side of the cliffhanger. Better? Better not.
