Vera: Set Five's central character is Detective Chief Inspector Vera Stanhope (Brenda Blethyn, Atonement, Pride & Prejudice), a middle-aged woman with a nondescript personality, who is fair and focused on a personal mission of pursuing justice in an evil world. She's a complex character and a brilliant, independent cop with a simple, private life.
Vera: Set Five opens on the bleak and austere landscape of D.C.I. Stanhope's somber return from her late aunt's funeral. She removes the well-worn Mackintosh that had protected her from the bitter night air, pours herself a solitary, stiff drink, and relaxes in her chair to sort out her day.
Blethyn creates a forceful yet vulnerable inspector who leads her investigative team with care. The marvelous Brenda Blethyn is amazing as Vera, as she and the rest of the crew enliven the mystery novels of the British writer Cleeves. The series is further benefited by a great talented cast. Detective Sergeant Aiden Healy (Kenny Doughty, Stella) is her new assistant recovering from an on-the-job trauma as he awkwardly copes with Vera's challenging demands. Also in the wings is the ever-ready Detective Constable Kenny Lockhart (Jon Morrison).
The four full-length crime mysteries in Vera: Set Five are as follows: Episode One: "Changing Tides" when fire at a seashore vacation park on the windswept North Sea coast suddenly ignites in a deadly blaze and destroys three cabins, leaving behind the charred remains of the park owner's sister. After investigation, it is discovered that the deceased lady had been partying with a group of younger people the night before, including her niece's fiance. D.C.I. Stanhope discovers that the victim had been locked in her cabin from the outside and suspects the fire was set deliberately.
In Episode Two, "Old Wounds," the discovery of human remains partially buried in the woods leads Stanhope and Healy back to the disappearance 30 years earlier of a young schoolgirl during a coal miners' strike. After initial probing, it is ascertained that the young teen had run off to London after problems at home. Since there were strained feelings between the police and the coal miners during the strike, it was believed that the police paid little attention to the case at the time. Relentlessly diligent Stanhope must discover if the protests and the discovery of the teen's body were related to her death.
In Episode Three, "Muddy Waters," Stanhope and assistant Detective Sergeant Healy investigate the horrifying death of a unidentified man dredged up from a slurry pit on a remote Northumberland farm. The farm owner admits that he uses illegal Serbian workers, but is reluctant to reveal a long-running dispute with a nearby community of Irish travelers. Stanhope, Healy and the team must untangle this mystery and find out what happened to the man put in the "Muddy Waters."
In Episode Four, "Shadows in the Sky," a loving family man plunges to his death from atop a multi-story parking lot. The question for our capable investigators arises: did the victim jump to his death or was he pushed? Discovering that the family was in the process of adopting a young teen foster child that had been in their care reveals some estranged bitterness from the foster teen's natural father. With knowledge that the victim was unpopular with his co-workers because of a recent work-related fatality, and the fact that he anticipated attending a secret birthday dinner with a mysterious young lady, Stanhope has to unravel the web of secrets the dead man was hiding.
Vera is a compassionate person as she sorts the clues and qualifies the nature of what has occurred to not only the victims, but their families. The stories may be deep and dark, but Stanhope uncovers the truth and reality of the human nature. These are crime stories and parents with teens and small children are cautioned that some scenes may be disturbing and the title is appropriately Not Rated. Subtitles are an option and a cast Photo Gallery is included in the Bonus Features..
Vera: Set Five is an intriguing and compelling crime series, making a great addition to your DVD library and leaving you anxiously awaiting the next set.
