Murder City (TV series)
| Murder City | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Created by | Robert Murphy (writer) |
| Starring | Amanda Donohoe Kris Marshall Connor McIntyre Laura Main Tim Woodward Amber Agar Geff Francis Alexis Conran |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language | English |
| No. of episodes | 10 |
| Production | |
| Executive producer | Andy Harries |
| Running time | 90 minutes |
| Original release | |
| Network | ITV |
| Release | 18 March 2004 – 26 April 2006 |
Murder City is a British police drama that centres on two mismatched detectives who scour London solving complex cases. The series stars Amanda Donohoe as DI Susan Alembic and Kris Marshall as DS Luke Stone. Murder City premiered on 18 March 2004 on the ITV Network at 9pm, for a series of six episodes. The series returned for a second run in 2006, with a shorter run of just four episodes. The series was not renewed for a third run. BBC America began airing the series on 17 August 2006, and was subsequently released in four disc DVD box set by Image Entertainment on 14 August 2007.
Background
Whilst the premise of the show features a murder squad investigating complex cases in and around London, the drama created is centered around the re-alignment of character team-ups. Although Alembic and Stone are the lead characters and partners, writer Robert Murphy frequently separates them at the beginning of each episode, by providing them with their own case to solve. While Alembic typically partnered with Dumfries, Dumfries also possessed his own cases which the episodes followed. Additionally, character personality alignment frequently varied. Episodes either switched between Stone and Alembic uniting against Dumfries' personality or Dumfries and Alembic conjoining to discourage Stone's theories. However, one episode showed all three sharing a laugh, despite Turner's chagrin. Despite showing the personality failures of each character, the series did not overtly lampoon any character or favour one crime solving style over another. Both the 'out of the box' and the 'by the book' characters contribute to the solution of their individual cases through their unique approaches.
Appearances of main and recurring characters
| Character | Actor | Years | Series | Episode Count |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DI Susan Alembic | Amanda Donohoe | 2004-2006 | 1.1-2.4 | 10 |
| DS Luke Stone | Kris Marshall | 2004–2006 | 1.1–2.4 | 10 |
| DC Alison Bain | Laura Main | 2004–2006 | 1.1–2.4 | 10 |
| DCI Sebastian Turner | Tim Woodward | 2004-2006 | 1.1–2.4 | 10 |
| Frank Craven | Connor McIntyre | 2004-2006 | 1.1–2.4 | 10 |
| Dr. Annie Parvez | Amber Agar | 2004–2006 | 1.1–2.3 | 9 |
| DI Adrian Dumfries | Geff Francis | 2004-2006 | 1.1–2.4 | 8 |
| Dr. Simon Dunne | Alexis Conran | 2004-2006 | 1.1-2.4 | 8 |
| DC Bruce Simner | Tim Dantay | 2004 | 1.3-1.4 | 2 |
– Character has a major role in the series.
Cast
- Detective Inspector Susan Alembic (Amanda Donohoe) - While possibly one of the more talented DIs in her department, she partners with the arguably less experienced detective sergeant, Luke Stone. During the first series, Alembic is shown in a very professional respect, with very few references to her personal life. In "Happy Families", it is revealed that Alembic is married with a child, while in "Mr. Right", Alembic chastises Stone for his inability to balance his personal and work lives. Although by the book, Alembic frequently solves the cases she encounters during each episode. During the second series, Alembic's character shifted slightly externally from the professional business-suited exterior of the first series, to a more business casual attire constituting jeans and t-shirts. Additionally, despite the hints of a solid marriage and congenial parent-child relationship in the first series, it is hinted during "Wives and Lovers" the possibility of her husband's infidelity.
- Detective Sergeant Luke Stone (Kris Marshall) - Although initially used to provide comic relief in the first series, and viewed as impetuous by Dumfries and Turner due to his outrageous theories, he typically provides iron-clad evidence for use against suspects. Dumfries refers to him as Alembic's "monkey", and Turner punishes him by assigning him to lone cases. During the first series, Stone appears as the eccentric genius loner, and frames him as a type of wild canon. Despite a strong connection with Alembic, he avoids long-term relationships and romantically interacting with women outside of sexual liaisons. A recurring joke in the first series surrounds his inability to remember the names of his departmental conquests and his difficulty in dealing with Dr. Parvaz. In "Mr. Right", he becomes obsessed with a female murder victim. Alembic confronts his over dedication to the job, lack of emotional commitment, and usage of the job as a secondary home. However, Stone's 'inspiration' assists him in solving the perfect crime. And his fascination with the 'throwaway' case in episode two brings to light the murder of a murderer. Despite his superiors' seeming disparagement towards his off-the-cuff methods, Alembic encourages Stone to follow his instincts regarding his obsession of the victim. Dumfries assigns Stone's 'instincts' to create a diorama of a crime scene to identify a drive-by shooting's intended victim. In the second series, character remains a strong crime-solver, despite coming on too strong, but the writers do not overtly emphasize his inspirational crime 'genius' personality.
- Detective Inspector Adrian Dumfries (Geff Francis) - He serves as the male counterpart of Alembic and her competitor in the first series. Although his race added diversity to the cast, his character portrayed a 'head boy' personality. He alternates between partnering with Alembic or competing against her for control of cases while barely disguising his disregard for Stone. Despite his grandstanding, he contributed to the solution of the mystery of the week. In "Happy Families", he assists Turner in shifting partial financial responsibility for an out-of-control budget onto the DCI from a competing precinct. Additionally, in "Mr. Right", he separates a violent wholesaler from his family. However, for the final two episodes, his character's case contributions diminished. At the end of episode five, he cedes Alembic the crown and steps back from competing with her for case control. In "Nothing Sacred", his character's ego increased, while his crime-solving capabilities decreased. He cared less about listening to a suspect than attempting to win the 'case-solver' of the week prize offered by Turner. His character did not feature heavily in series two.
- Frank Craven (Connor McIntyre)
- Detective Constable Alison Bain (Laura Main)
- Detective Chief Inspector Sebastian Turner (Tim Woodward) - In the first series, he quietly oversees the covert competition between his two lead inspectors, Alembic and Dumfries. However, in the second series, with the decrease of Dumfries' role, Turner interacts increasingly with his team.
- Dr. Annie Parvez (Amber Agar) - A coroner in the same department as Susan and Luke. Although attracted to Luke, the recurring theme includes her grudge against him when he did not call her after a date. In the second series, her role within the team is expanded by using her as a profiler.
- Dr. Simon Dunne (Alexis Conran)