Lynley
Based on the novels by Elizabeth George, the iconic detective returns to the small screen two decades after The Inspector Lynley Mysteries for Lynley, a brand-new BBC miniseries. Starring Leo Suter as the titular, Oxford-educated inspector, the show sees him relocated from London and paired with working-class DS Barbara Havers (Sofia Barclay). Despite their different approaches to the job, the pair find common ground as they work to solve a collection of four intriguing cases throughout the series, with each episode functioning as its own feature-length mystery. Showrunner Steve Thompson adds enough red herrings and unexpected twists to make each case a compelling watch. However, a lack of thematic depth and an array of underwhelming performances are inescapable dampeners in this otherwise enjoyable drama.
Suter and Barclay are the show’s main highlights. Both stars have a strong on-screen rapport as their characters’ contrasting personas bounce off each other, adding a touch of comedy. Scenes of Lynley and his love interest, Helen (Niamh Welsh), in his ultra-modern home, as well as those showing Havers with her own family, do an excellent job of fleshing out each of the leads while further illustrating their differences. However, this is as far as the show’s exploration of classism ever goes. The same is true for themes of gender, religion, and modern dating that are touched upon in each episode. Their inclusion is mostly surface-level and adds little weight to proceedings.
Whether it’s a strange murder on an island, the sudden disappearance of a woman, or a suspected serial killer, each case the unlikely duo takes on is as fascinating as the last. Thompson makes the most out of the longer runtimes to dig into the details in a way that a standard episode couldn’t. The programme is great at guiding viewers down a certain path only for the rug to be pulled out from under them at the last minute, with the fourth episode executing this trick particularly well. Although some misdirects are easier to spot than others, it’s unlikely that viewers will be able to guess everything by the time the truth is revealed. Less engaging, though, are a handful of supporting performances, which range from mediocre to poor.
Fronted by endearing performances from Suter and Barclay, Lynley proves itself to be a worthwhile watch despite having some rough spots.
Andrew Murray
Lynley is released on BBC iPlayer on 5th January 2026.
Watch the trailer for Lynley here:
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