For five series, Unforgotten was my go-to comfort television. Yes, the crime drama is always about a grisly murder, and every season begins with the gruesome discovery of remains that have been buried for years or even decades. And yes, there are plenty of scenes with body parts laid out on mortuary tables, being picked over by pathologists who say things such as, “this artery does show signs of gaping”, as if they’ve just won the lottery. But in its combination of strong casts, ample twists and the inevitable dispensation of justice, it always felt soothing, somehow. It is occasionally workmanlike, but reliably solid.
As it reaches its sixth season, though, I worry that the wheels are coming off. The structure is largely the same every time – another reason it is so comforting, perhaps – and this seems to be no different. A body is discovered, it turns out to be a cold case, so it reaches the desks of the friendly, efficient and only mildly troubled cops we know and love. It throws a handful of suspects into the air and dares you to guess how these people could possibly be connected, then it waits for them to come crashing down to earth, as the pieces finally slot into place. It sprinkles it all with a touch of concern for the private lives of the detectives, and kicks back in nice, fancy kitchens as it works out whodunnit and why.
