I've written before that when it comes to representing ethnic minorit groups, Silent Witness often resorts to crude stereotypes and the series has never addressed its 'white saviour' problem when it comes to the regualr cast. This story is a bit better than usual, in the sense that we see something that does not appear often onscreen: black middle-class characters. Usually story about black people tend to focus on working-class or underclass people (let's call this the 'Top Boy Syndrome'), but this story was successful in providing a much more complex and nuanced portrayal of this community. Some superb performances by Jo Martin, as often, and, well above everyone else, Colin Salmon, who really raises the bar with some very powerful moments and indeed quite emotional.
Alas, there's quite a few issues with the plot and the writing. At times, it's too predictable - when you see daughter being successful at entering a prestigious college, you *know* something bad's about to happen. On the other hand, other developments simply don't make sense. Why did. Ramush strange Pamela? If anything, this kind of guys are expert at keeping themselves invisible and would never try to have one more unecessay murder on them. Which is why the scene when he just rushes to the bar and beats the black guy to death in front of witnesses and cameras is laughable (as it was literally a joke how he started beating. Rudi in the car when the two kids didn't bring them all the money). In a similar vein, what was the point of the subplot with the stalker-y DI towards Jack? When she mentioned complaining about sexua harassment, it seemed as if stuff would hit the fan and it would all get creepty, but all this was just brushed aside after that scene....
Dialogue can be quite cranky, particularly when it's written in order for the show to make a case for legalising marijuna or whether people dying from drugs bring it on themselves. We can do without sermonising SW, thank you.
Nevertheless, not the worst episode I've watched, but it could have been much better.
Alas, there's quite a few issues with the plot and the writing. At times, it's too predictable - when you see daughter being successful at entering a prestigious college, you *know* something bad's about to happen. On the other hand, other developments simply don't make sense. Why did. Ramush strange Pamela? If anything, this kind of guys are expert at keeping themselves invisible and would never try to have one more unecessay murder on them. Which is why the scene when he just rushes to the bar and beats the black guy to death in front of witnesses and cameras is laughable (as it was literally a joke how he started beating. Rudi in the car when the two kids didn't bring them all the money). In a similar vein, what was the point of the subplot with the stalker-y DI towards Jack? When she mentioned complaining about sexua harassment, it seemed as if stuff would hit the fan and it would all get creepty, but all this was just brushed aside after that scene....
Dialogue can be quite cranky, particularly when it's written in order for the show to make a case for legalising marijuna or whether people dying from drugs bring it on themselves. We can do without sermonising SW, thank you.
Nevertheless, not the worst episode I've watched, but it could have been much better.
