Traces (TV Series) Episode #1.1 (2019) User Reviews

Immediately gripping

[silversurfersgp · 7/10 · 12 March 2022]

I initially wrote this in response to a DVD review where the critic seemed very unimpressed. I've just seen episode 1 and it kicks off to quite a strong start. Sure, a fair number of characters are introduced, but they were all interesting ones. I found the forensic science elements fascinating, painstakingly laid out, and carefully communicated to the viewer. I look forward to watching the rest of the series, Scotland's answer to the neon-flashy CSI franchise (where everything there seems to happen at lightning speed and is easily forgettable, much like fast food). Co-series developer and head writer Amelia Bullmore was also one of the showrunners on the excellent British copper series, "Scott and Bailey". "Traces", episode 1 rates a 7/10 for me.

PS.

By the way, contrary to what another user reviewer ("Episode 1.1") here asserted, the author of the Shetland and Vera books is Ann Cleeves, not Val McDermid. The series protagonists created by Ms McDermid include journalist Lindsay Gordon, PI Kate Brannigan, clinical psychologist Tony Hill & DCI Carol Jordan, and DCI Karen Pirie.

A fair start.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 6/10 · 31 January 2021]

Emma returns to Dundee and lands a job in a lab, incidentally she believes that work being done in the lab is linked to the death of her mother.

The BBC have definitely been a little bit thin on the ground for drama, this ha previously been shown on Alibi, I watched one episode and gave up on it, now I know Martin Compston is in it, I'll stick at it.

A decent first episode, I can't say I'm totally blown away by it, the acting is great, and the story is there, it's somehow just very raw, a bit rough around the edges. I found Emma's link to her mum a little tenuous.

Molly Windsor, she really impressed me in ITV drama Cheat, and despite there being some very well known faces here, she stands out again as Emma.

A bit muddled, but watchable. 6/10.

Episode 1.1

[Prismark10 · 5/10 · 6 January 2021]

Originally made for one of the BBC owned UKTV channels. The Covid pandemic has left the cupboard bare for many television channels.

So Traces has been drafted in to BBC1. Created by Val McDermid who wrote the Vera and Shetland books.

This is part CSI based on a work of a forensic laboratory in Dundee. The first episode sees them investigating a fire at a Dundee nightclub that left three people dead.

It is also about Emma Hedges. She has returned to Dundee to take a new job as a lab technician in the forensics department.

Emma gets a shock when she studies the online forensics course for her job. A case study seems to be based on her mother's unsolved death that happened in Dundee when Emma was a child.

Quiet why Emma chose to return to Dundee given her personal circumstances is anyone's guess. Even more concerning is her option to choose forensics when she is so easily spooked when a woman's body is dug up.

Well Emma decides to find out more about her mother's death which means contacting her family members. Her dad did not even know she had returned to Dundee.

Some of the dialogue was a bit rubbish. At work someone asked Emma whether she will be homesick? I was born in Dundee is Emma's reply. The person who asked the question had interviewed Emma for the job. She obviously did not read Emma's resume.

Professor Sarah Gordon who is the head of the forensics department is readily concerned if Emma's mum's demise was indeed a real life case study for the course. However I understand that real life cases are a feature of many forensic courses.

Emma's mother was buried in Dundee Law, the highest point of Dundee and there is a country park on it.

The setting of Dundee makes a change from Glasgow or Edinburgh. However there was one thing that was strange. You would have a shot of a character in Dundee city centre. You can tell as there are statues of Dandy characters such as Desperate Dan. The next shot is the same character in Bolton town centre which is being passed off as Dundee. That is almost 300 miles away!