I loved this show, which is why the overwhelmingly harsh critical response feels so baffling. Big newspapers and TV review shows really need to broaden their horizons. Nearly every review I’ve read has given Lynley a poor rating, and while critics are free to disagree, some of the reasoning feels unnecessarily severe.
I also didn’t realise until afterwards that Lynley is a remake of a 1980s procedural series. Because of that, I’m judging this version entirely on its own merit rather than comparing it to the original.Detective Inspector Thomas Lynley and Detective Sergeant Barbara Havers make an unlikely but compelling police duo. Their contrasting backgrounds immediately create tension, and the show smartly uses this to explore class and gender differences without letting those themes overwhelm the central mystery.The structure really works: four episodes, each around 90 minutes. It gives the stories time to develop and feels more immersive than a standard one-hour format.
The chemistry between Thomas Lynley (Leo Suter) and Barbara Havers (Sofia Barclay) is one of the show’s biggest strengths. Havers is independent, capable, and clearly intelligent, yet she’s labelled as “difficult” by her colleagues and constantly feels like she’s on thin ice. Her dry sarcasm and sharp lines stand out, and Sofia Barclay gives a strong, confident performance. The dynamic between her and Leo Suter feels natural they clash at first, but as the series progresses, their mutual respect grows, and it becomes clear they have more in common than either expects.
The script could have pushed further into the issue of gender disparity within the police force — for example, questioning whether a male officer would receive the same kind of final warning simply for clashing personalities. That said, this is ultimately a crime drama, and its main focus is solving the case, which it does effectively without losing momentum.
The final episode was my favourite, particularly because it brings together multiple themes, from drug gangs to stigma in the workplace, in a way that feels cohesive rather than overcrowded.
The cinematography is consistently strong, adding atmosphere and tension without drawing attention to itself.
Overall, Lynley may not reinvent the crime genre, but it’s a confident, well-acted drama with strong performances and thoughtful themes and it deserves far more credit than it’s been given.