Based upon two seperate novels, Dublin Murders follows two investigations. A young girl is found dead in the woods, also the murder of a young woman who bears a striking resemblance to a police officer. Over-arching both cases is an intriguing twenty year-old mystery which seems to be connected to both crimes.
The main investigation, the body in the woods case, might have made a lower-tier two hour Prime Suspect story. After several hours of digressions and red-herrings the identity of the culprit is however entirely arbitary. Armchair detectives will have better luck solving the case by thinking like an airport novel writer than a sleuth.
Mid-series the plot sharply digresses to different case (clumsily bolted on from another novel). An undercover operation involving an impersonation and an Agatha Christie style country house mystery (without the mystery). The doppelganger trick, which may have been believable in the novel, stretches audience credulity on film. The case, as someone later admits, "Could have been solved in the interrogation room easily".
While the flawed (yet brilliant) cop is a genre staple, Dublin Murders offers lead investigators who are flawed yet incompetent. The characters themselves each acknowledge both cases could have been resolved much sooner if they weren't so inept. One wonders if their slowness is because broadcasters require a minimum number of series episodes to fit their business model.
During the past couple of decades TV shows have realised that, as long as the audience keeps watching, they needn't bother resolving a story. It's unlikely these two cases would hold viewer attention over eight hours without the promise of a resolution to the older much teased mystery. Viewers who have sifted the clues during multiple flashbacks will feel conned.
The main investigation, the body in the woods case, might have made a lower-tier two hour Prime Suspect story. After several hours of digressions and red-herrings the identity of the culprit is however entirely arbitary. Armchair detectives will have better luck solving the case by thinking like an airport novel writer than a sleuth.
Mid-series the plot sharply digresses to different case (clumsily bolted on from another novel). An undercover operation involving an impersonation and an Agatha Christie style country house mystery (without the mystery). The doppelganger trick, which may have been believable in the novel, stretches audience credulity on film. The case, as someone later admits, "Could have been solved in the interrogation room easily".
While the flawed (yet brilliant) cop is a genre staple, Dublin Murders offers lead investigators who are flawed yet incompetent. The characters themselves each acknowledge both cases could have been resolved much sooner if they weren't so inept. One wonders if their slowness is because broadcasters require a minimum number of series episodes to fit their business model.
During the past couple of decades TV shows have realised that, as long as the audience keeps watching, they needn't bother resolving a story. It's unlikely these two cases would hold viewer attention over eight hours without the promise of a resolution to the older much teased mystery. Viewers who have sifted the clues during multiple flashbacks will feel conned.
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