In the new season of “The Chelsea Detective,” Detective Inspector Max Arnold (Adrian Scarborough) returns to lead a team of detectives as they continue to solve some of the heinous crimes in the rich London borough of Chelsea. Gone this season is Sonita Henry as Detective Sergeant Priya Shamsie, and replacing her is DS Layla Walsh played by Vanessa Emme. Also returning to the team are Peter Bankole as Detective Constable Connor Pollock and Lucy Phelps as DC Jess Lombard.

There are four episodes in the season, and through them all DI Arnold manages to see things in clues that the others often miss. For example, in the second episode, while the entire team is focusing on the employees of a posh retirement hotel where an elderly woman was murdered, Arnold suddenly shifts the investigation in a completely different direction and it turns out to be the right one. How did he come to that decision and realization? Let’s just say he’s an interesting man who sees everything.

This rather odd detective rides around the streets on his bicycle and lives in a really small houseboat. He had moved into the houseboat last season when he separated from his wife Astrid (Anamaria Marinca). And even though they are separated, this season they manage to still see each other and Max realizes he continues to have feelings for her. But is their reunion in the cards?

While DI Arnold rides his bike and has a tiny houseboat for a domicile, the majority of those living in Chelsea are affluent, with plenty of clubs of all sorts and some fancy restaurants. This doesn’t phase him in the least. His main focus is on his job and finding murders. He is a dedicated detective who expects his team to be just as duty bound.

The episodes are about an hour and a half each, which is plenty of time for twists and turns in the investigations and also for the characters to bring viewers into their personal lives, especially DI Arnold. He is a nice man who is happy being a loner; however he still holds a torch for his wife.

For viewers wanting a crime-solving series with an interesting lead character, this is the one. Also, the coroner, played by Sophie Stone, is an added bonus. Stone is deaf in real life and it is part of her character’s charm as she is able to read lips. But more than that, she is a top-notch coroner. It is interesting and entertaining to see this entire team get down to business.

“The Chelsea Detective” returned for season two on Aug. 28, with each episode dropping on consecutive Mondays on Acorn TV.

Newsletter