Better

Better follows DI Lou Slack (Leila Farzad), a corrupt detective in Leeds who has been secretly working with drug baron Col McHugh (Andrew Buchan) for 20 years, turning a blind eye to his criminal activity and helping him evade the law in exchange for money and tip-offs about other cases. When Lou’s son, Owen (Zak Ford-Williams), suffers from an illness that nearly takes his life, she experiences a moral awakening, resolving to atone for her wrongdoing and take Col down for good. However, this is no easy task, and she must be several steps ahead of the police and Col’s criminal empire at all times to keep her family safe.

It’s a very interesting premise, and Better’s first season does a great job at making the most of it in service of some tense, gripping character drama. Lou and Col’s relationship is at the heart of the storytelling, and a lot of effort from the writers and actors has clearly gone into making it as engaging and compelling as possible: both are fascinating, messy roles, and it’s a lot of fun to watch their dynamic change over the course of the narrative, constantly shifting between different forms of intimacy and conflict. 

Of course, they’re not the only characters in the show, and Better also has an excellent supporting cast, who bring out new and exciting aspects of the leads while maintaining solid arcs of their own. Of particular note is former cop Vernon Marley (Anton Lesser), who ends up helping Lou with her mission to take down Col and provides an excellent foil for the protagonist, along with some choice comedic moments to balance out the tension.

Where the script is at its weakest is when it tries to dip into social commentary. It has vague rumblings about drugs being bad, but doesn’t commit to any kind of meaningful analysis, leaving what is on-screen feeling somewhat toothless. However, while some deeper exploration of the forces that would affect a relationship like Lou and Col’s would be welcome, its absence doesn’t affect the experience too much.

Overall, Better is off to a very strong start with its first season, delivering effective, multifaceted character work only slightly let down by some noncommittal sociopolitical commentary. There’s room for things to be better, but what’s here is still good.

Umar Ali

Better is released on BBC One 13^th February 2023.

Watch the trailer for Better here: