Okay, so we’re halfway through Criminal Record, with episode 5 dropping this week. Are you caught up yet? This new Apple TV+ burner is a hard-bitten London crime drama about the police (pronounced POH-lice for emphasis because this series hits). You already know Peter Capaldi, with his intense gaze and can’t-be-bothered attitude. He plays the well-connected DSI Daniel Hegarty, a man with more machinations than a British royal. Squaring up against Hegarty is the star of Criminal Record, Cush Jumbo as the unrelenting DS June Lenker, a woman who is willing to sacrifice almost anything to do the right thing.
The show? It’s a hypercube where every angle reveals a new side to the story. From the start, it was clear this isn’t a procedural, we’re not just solving crimes; we’re peeling back the layers of mistakes and corruption that taint the characters’ lives. First we’re presented with the puzzle of an unknown woman calling for emergency assistance. She’s in trouble, running from her abuser, but she manages to plant the seed that a man in jail has been wrongfully convicted. As June races to the rescue, she becomes embroiled in a mess that leads directly to Hegarty. The two don’t mix but they do compel each other—one to hide a chain of misdeeds and the other to get to the bottom of it all. The anonymous call casts doubts on a decade-old murder case previously closed by Hegarty, a line of inquiry that threatens to expose the flaws in the original investigation and the people behind it. But it’s more complex than that, both June and Hegarty’s families are at risk and hard decisions leave them reeling from episode to episode. Okay, yeah, it’s about murder but it’s also about the exploitation of memory and the sinkholes that eventually spit the coverups of the past out into plain view. Criminal Record spins us around over and over with power plays within the police force and it’s a thrill to watch.
With raw and unfiltered visuals, each episode feels immediate, as though we’re part of the action. You almost believe you have a stake in the outcome. And maybe we do since what we’re experiencing is a dirty look inside the justice system. And the performances? Capaldi is a force, but Jumbo makes you feel every blow she takes, whether literal or figurative. You’ll want to go to war beside her. Punch for punch, these two revolve around each other like fighters in the ring, with the whole of London as their arena. And we become more and more unsure of who to root for. The supporting cast also delivers, creating a believable world that gets under your skin.
With new episodes streaming every Wednesday, Criminal Record is a multifaceted series with a vein of social commentary that sharply dissects the racism, corruption, misogyny, and cronyism of London’s crime fighters. Damn. With the promise of more shocking reveals (because I can confirm them), if you’re in the mood for thrills with tastier layers than a Christmas trifle (but none of the sweetness) catch up and get ready for the final four episodes.
