Vigil series introduces us to two smart woman detectives from Scotland. Incidentally, this police procedural drama has mainly focussed on the present British armed forces.
Moreover, this “Vigil” series comes from the makers of the “Line of Duty” series, which was another well-made police procedural crime drama. We have seen both series from the UK.
Trailers [official] of the Vigil (S1 & S2) Series
Synopsis [official] of the Vigil (S1 & S2) Series
When a crew member is found dead on board the Trident nuclear submarine HMS Vigil, police in Scotland are called in to investigate. The catch? The UK’s nuclear deterrent must remain unbroken, so the submarine stays on patrol and Detective Chief Inspector Amy Silva (Suranne Jones) must go aboard to begin an investigation. Although the death was written off as an accidental overdose, Amy suspects foul play. But when the crew closes ranks in the face of Amy’s questioning, a new threat overshadows her inquiry.
Following multiple unexplained fatalities at a Scottish military facility, DCI Amy Silva (Suranne Jones) and DI Kirsten Longacre (Rose Leslie) are tasked with uncovering the cause. Entering the hostile and closed ranks of the Air Force, the pair must face the deadly warfare of tomorrow as they fight for their own future.
Spoilers Free Review of the Vigil (S1 & S2) Series
The introduction
Last year, we reviewed the Happy Valley and the Annika crime shows from the United Kingdom. In both the show the Women Detctive were the protagonists. Here too, in this Vigil series, the lead actress Suranne Jones plays the Detective Chief Inspector (DCI) Amy Silva and the supporting actress Rose Leslie portrays the Detective Sergeant/Inspector (DS/DI) Kirsten Longacre. As the show is set in Scotland, both DCI Amy and DS/DI Kirstem are working for the Scotland Police.
The storyline of the First Season
An atmospheric mystery unfolds as a police investigation collides with the security services and the Royal Navy. The inexplicable disappearance of a fishing trawler sets off a chain of events that takes investigators into the depths of the ocean. When a crew member is discovered dead on the Trident nuclear submarine HMS Vigil, the Scottish police launch an inquiry. However, the Vigil cannot be taken off patrol duty as it plays a crucial role in maintaining the UK’s nuclear deterrent.
This forces Detective Amy Silva to join the crew on board to conduct her investigation. Meanwhile, Detective Kirsten Longacre follows leads on land. As they pursue separate paths, the case takes a sinister turn, revealing connections to the highest levels of government and the British Navy.
What did we love in the First Season?
Well, supported by a tight script (with a key plot hole – check the spoilers below), both Suranne Jones (DCI Amy) and Rose Leslie (DI Kirsten) have acted well in it. The nuclear submarine was the perfect setting for the suspense-filled thrilling crime dramas. No doubt, there is a heightened sense of being trapped inside the claustrophobic setting of the so-called floating underwater boat. The set of the submarine was created expertly. And the direction was taut, and both directors created lots of strain and stress in it.
Both DCI and DI work together to unmask the killer, hidden among the crew members of the said submarine. The novelty factor of its plotline inside the submarine added to the sense of tension and uneasiness. While trying to solve the murder cases, the DCI and DI often put themselves in dangerous situations. Both the lead actresses Suranne and Rose were charming, even while playing the headstrong and highly motivated detectives.
Bonus info.:- Production for the first season of the "Vigil" show began in early February 2020 but was abruptly halted on March 17th due to the COVID-19 pandemic. After a five-month hiatus, filming resumed on August 14th, 2020 and concluded in early September. Notably, actress Rose Leslie, who was already pregnant at the start of filming, was eight months along when production recommenced.
The storyline of the Second Season
In the second season, another case of well-planned killings brings together the team of DCI Amy and DI Kirsten together. So, in this new season, they investigate a series of mysterious murders that have taken place at a Scottish military base. There is a lot of greed and politics involved in this well-planned killing of soldiers. Both DCI Amy and DI Kirsten are assigned to investigate the root of these tragic incidents. As they navigate through the challenging and secretive world of the Air Force, they confront the dangers of modern warfare involving armed drones while striving to secure their destinies.
In the Second Season, we liked its political undertones
By using the Nuclear Submarine as the key crime scene, the first season touched upon the politics with the UK (USA, NATO, etc.) and Russia in the North Sea. For a change, the politics has moved from sea to the land. The setting of its crime scene is “Wudyan”, a fictional oil-rich Middle East dictatorship Islamic nation as well as Scotland.
We liked the basic premises of the contemporary plotline in this show. More so, when the Middle East is boiling right now, real-life war (the UN calls it Genocide) is going on.
The use (and misuse) of modern armed technology (killing machines like drones) by the Arms Manufacturers is the central theme of this season. Although this crime drama once again delves into politics, it stops right at the gates of powerful political policies. These government policies allow the billion-dollar arms manufacturers to thrive in chaos and conflicts, thereby minting money while selling arms to keep the killings going.
We liked the way, this show subtly hints (and drops a few truth bombs too) about the covert and profitable industry that influences our foreign policy. It sheds light on how personal gain determines the classification of foreign entities as either allies or terrorists and also delves into the ominous prospects of automated warfare in the context of today’s world.
What else did we like in the second season?
Like the first season, in this second season too, the DCI Amy (Suranne Jones) is once again trapped amid the killers. She has to expose lots of lies and deceit to catch the real culprits. But will she be able to catch the rich and powerful people? The influential persons (business persons, politicians, etc.) who are responsible for the killings of the innocents in this season. Well. you find that out.
This story touched upon the tip of the iceberg and we liked it. And once again, both Suranne Jones (DCI Amy) and Rose Leslie (DI Kirsten) have a captivating screen presence.
The conclusion
With only six episodes in each season, it is a perfect show for the marathon watch. And that is what we did. As we wanted to find out the killers, as much as DCI and DI. But then, we do not really live in the perfect world. Yes, some of them will be held responsible and even punished for their crimes. The bigger fishes will continue to get away. Still, overall we liked and loved this well-made police drama with a hint of present-day politics.
Ratings of the Series
| Season (S1/2021) One | Season (S2/2024) Two | |
| FM Ratings | 4.00/5 | 3.80/5 |
Key Details about the Series
| Genre | Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller |
| Original language | English (UK) |
| Seasons | Two Seasons Seasons One (2021) & Season Two (2024) |
| Episodes | Twelve (12) Episodes. Both the Season (S1/2021) One and the Season (S2/2024) Two have Six (6) Episodes each. |
| Writer/Creator | Tom Edge |
| Directors (S1) | James Strong (3 episodes, 2021) Isabelle Sieb (3 episodes, 2021) |
| Main Cast (S1 & S2) | Suranne Jones (Amy Silva), Rose Leslie (Kirsten Longacre), Gary Lewis (Colin Robertson), Orla Russell (Poppy Silva), etc. |
| Support Cast (S1/2021) | Shaun Evans (Glover), Paterson Joseph (Newsome), Adam James (Prentice), Lolita Chakrabarti (Branning), Connor Swindells (Hadlow), Anjli Mohindra (Tiffany Docherty), Lorne MacFadyen (Doward), Stephen Dillane (Shaw), etc. |
| Directors (S2) | Andy De Emmony (4 episodes, 2024) Joss Agnew (2 episodes, 2024) |
| Support Cast (S2/2024) | Romola Garai (Eliza Russell), Dougray Scott (Marcus Grainger), Chris Jenks (Callum Barker), Oscar Salem (Sam Kader), Amir El-Masry (Daniel Ramsay), Jonathan Ajayi (Wes Harper), etc. |
| Taglines | The Deeper You Go The Darker It Gets (S1) You Can’t Hide From The Skies (S2) |
| Network | BBC, Peacock |
Poster of the Vigil (S1/2021) Shows
Spoilers Alerts – Episodes Summaries & Bonus Info. about the Series
Episode summaries of the First Season (December 23, 2021) of the Vigil show
First Episode (S1, E1) | 60 minutes
When a crew member is found dead on the Trident nuclear submarine HMS Vigil, Detective Amy Silva is flown onboard to investigate.
Second Episode (S1, E2) | 57 minutes
With Vigil in danger, Amy must fight to continue her investigation. Meanwhile, Kirsten’s enquiries lead to tragedy.
Third Episode (S1, E3) | 58 minutes
Kirsten’s investigation takes her into the heart of Scottish politics, but when she unearths a Navy cover-up, it leaves Amy questioning whom she can trust.
Fourth Episode (S1, E4) | 53 minutes
Kirsten closes in on the killer, but their capture reveals the grave threat that Vigil faces on the submarine, Amy makes a terrifying discovery.
Fifth Episode (S1, E5) | 54 minutes
Vigil is forced into lockdown as disaster strikes With communication lost, Kirsten desperately hunts for clues to the source of the threat to Vigil.
Sixth Episode (S1, E6) | 53 minutes
Amy is trapped and running out of time, but will assistance arrive too late? On land, Kirsten chases down the traitor’s accomplice. When the traitor on Vigil puts their plans into action, the crew are forced to fight for their lives.
Some of the major Factual errors in the first season of the Vigil show
In the first season of this series, the US Navy officer stated that their submarine was deliberately tailing HMS Vigil, not by chance, due to concerns about potential threats posed by the mole on board the HMS Vigil.
However, in real life, currently, in 2022, there is no publicly revealed technology capable of precisely locating a specific British submarine and deploying another submarine to track it.
Info. source: IMDb
Episode summaries of the Second Season (February 15, 2024) of the Vigil show?
First Episode (S2, E1)
When a weapons test turns deadly, with allies from the Middle East among the dead, all eyes are on DCI Amy Silva, who tries to ignore the politics to get to the truth.
Second Episode (S2, E2)
After escaping from a gunman with her life, Amy follows a new lead to the Middle East. There, she learns someone on the airbase was complicit in the attack. Meanwhile, in Scotland, Kirsten hunts down Chapman’s killer.
Third Episode (S2, E3)
When an officer is stabbed on the base, Eliza warns Amy to get control of her investigation. Meanwhile, Kirsten uncovers key evidence linking a squadron member to the attack.
Fourth Episode (S2, E4)
Amy and Eliza are held hostage by the dissidents at the heart of the investigation, who demand their help to infiltrate the base. Kirsten will do anything to find Amy.
Fifth Episode (S2, E5)
In the aftermath of a brutal rescue mission, Amy is questioning everything, Kirsten begs her to come home, but Amy can’t let go of her suspicions.
Sixth Episode (S2, E6)
Amy finally discovers the full scale of the conspiracy, and she must decide if she is prepared to risk everything to find those responsible.
Poster of the Vigil (S2/2024) Shows
Awards won by the Vigil (S1/2021) Show
| Names of the Awards | Winners & Nominees of the Awards |
|---|---|
| International Emmy Awards 2022 | Winner Emmy – Drama Series – United Kingdom |
| BAFTA Awards, Scotland 2022 | James Strong – Winner – BAFTA Scotland Award – Best Director (Fiction) Suranne Jones – Nominee – BAFTA Scotland Award – Best Actress – Television Tom Edge – Nominee – BAFTA Scotland Award – Best Writer – Film/Television Isabelle Sieb – Nominee – BAFTA Scotland Award – Best Director (Fiction) Best Television Scripted – Nominee – BAFTA Scotland Award |
| BAFTA Awards 2022 | Nominee BAFTA TV Award – Drama Series Tom Sayer – Nominee BAFTA TV Award -Production Design |
Posters, Other and Featured Images of the Vigil (S1 &S2) Show are courtesy of BBC & Peacock.
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