Whether it’s at work or with my family, all I’ve been talking about recently is shocking six-part ITV crime drama The Blame.
Led by Michelle Keegan and Douglas Booth, it follows the murder of a teenage skater, which not only draws detectives down a dark, treacherous path, but also forces them to investigate their own team.
The call is coming from inside the house, as the kids say. DI Emma Clare (Keegan) is not just the only member of the force to work out what’s really going on, but she’s the only person brave enough to call out (the fictional) Wakestead police force on its biggest issue: misogyny.
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I won’t lie to you, it’s a really difficult watch. The Blame‘s approach to its subject matter is incredible heavy-handed, but I think it needs to be. However, if you need some time out — or to swap to a crime drama that doesn’t feel as bitingly real — I’ve got you covered.
In fact, Keegan and Booth are the ones that have you covered. If you’re looking for more of the same vibe, they’ve got the perfect recommendation for you to stream next. Not only can you watch it for free, but there’s a hidden link between the two shows.
The Blame on ITV is secretly linked to BBC’s Happy Valley — and it’s what you need to stream next
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“That’s a hard question,” Booth responded, before he added: “Just because it’s my favourite one and Nicola [Schindler] produced it, Happy Valley, but they’re obviously very different. It has another great female lead at the heart of it.”
To me, that’s an understatement. The UK market is flush with cimpeccable crime dramas, but Sally Wainwright’s Happy Valley might just be the best of the 21st century so far (at least, it is according to me).
Available to stream for free on BBC iPlayer or on Netflix internationally, we follow West Yorkshire police sergeant Catherine Cawood (Sarah Lancashire) as she balances local crime in Calderdale with her fierce pursuit of Tommy Lee Royce (James Norton), the violent criminal she holds responsible for her daughter’s suicide.
It’s fast-paced, quintessentially Yorkshire, and gritty at every turn — to the point where it’s almost unbelievable what one woman can physically and mentally endure.
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What’s even better is the hidden link that Happy Valley has with The Blame.
“We had Lisa Farrand, who was a police advisor,” Keegan explained. “She was with us for the interrogation and investigation scenes, where we were out looking for the body, things like that. She was brilliant. Very matter of fact, and if something wasn’t working, she would pull it up straight away, speak to the director, and sort of steer us and help navigate the scene.
“She worked on Happy Valley and actually Catherine Cawood was loosely based on her. She’s a real character… a tough cookie.”
If Catherine Cawood herself isn’t a good enough sign of a crime drama being unmissable, I don’t know what is. Maybe give yourself some breathing space in between them both, though.
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