Vigil - Season 2

Even without a submarine as a setting, Vigil is an exciting, but sometimes somewhat unbelievable detective series. Season one of Vigil was a pleasant surprise. This detective series managed to do something unique by having the murder investigation take place on a submarine. From a commercial point of view, the second season comes as no surprise; the viewing figures were very high and the reviews very positive. From a story point of view, however, it was a strange move, because the story was completed with the first season. That's why detectives Amy Silva (Suranne Jones, Doctor Foster) and Kirsten Longacre (Rose Leslie, Game of Thrones) investigate another murder in a remote location.

This time this place is an army base. During a military exercise in Scotland, a drone goes wild and kills several people. It soon becomes clear that this was no accident and that there was intent. The trail leads to a British army base in the Middle East where dubious business is being done. While Longacre remains behind in Scotland to conduct research, Silva goes to the fictional country of Wudyan to look for evidence, surrounded by enemies.

Suranne Jones and Rose Leslie are good actresses

Even without a submarine, Vigil still appears to be a strong detective series. Once again, clever use is made of the fact that Silva has very little contact with the outside world. The way Silva and Longacre work together is also unique and works well. It is nice that they are seen together more on screen this season, because Jones and Leslie are two good actresses. Gary Lewis (Outlander), Dougray Scott (Batwoman) and Romola Garai (The Hour) also have strong supporting roles.

The military base also provides a welcome backdrop for all kinds of exciting developments. Just like last season, the makers use everything that could possibly go wrong in such a place to create extra tension. Consider a security breach in the software, a terrorist attack or the presence of a possible spy. Although the makers sometimes sacrifice some of the series' credibility for that extra tension, this works very well. The highlight is a very intense hostage scene.

Vigil effectively makes an indictment of the ties between European countries and dictatorships

Just like last season, Vigil also tries to tell something about the state of the world, and the message once again fits well into the story. This time it seems to be a serious indictment of the ties that European countries often have with dictatorial regimes. Vigil shows how this can lead to conflict and how innocent civilians on both sides of this conflict always suffer, while the elites benefit. This is very evident in an episode where we get to see ordinary citizens from Wudyan and learn about what their lives are like.

Season two of Vigil is also very successful. Although the story has to take a few illogical steps in the beginning to get going, another exciting hunt for a murderer on an army base follows. The BBC has not yet announced anything about a possible third season, but I very much hope that they give Detective Silva the opportunity to solve another murder in a remote location.