Posted in: Movies, TV | Tagged: channel 4, entertainment, no offence, tv

No Offence – The TV Cop Show With A Massive Difference

Last night I watched the latest episode of the grim'n'gritty'n'funny cop drama No Offence on Channel 4, towards the end of its second series/season/

It's always been a female-focused cop show, with a detective inspector and her two juniors leading the show. But it was only thinking over last night's episode that I saw how far they had taken it.

Last night we had the commissioner, the detective they suspended now trying to get their job back, the two cops helping the detective do that off the books, the big bad of the series now working with them to take down the villain of the week, the cop going undercover to do so, the snitch under threat from the big bad, and another character being leaned on by the big bad to frame the sacked detective, all women.

I haven't seen that in a cop show before. And at no time did it feel forced, the characters have been introduced and given focus gradually, and none of them have been introduced as genderless. Everyone in those positions has gained that place organically and in a fashion that makes sense. A matriach of a businesswoman-turned-gang boss, an FGM surgeon, and police officers who have risen through the ranks through personality and performance – and just being better. Everyone makes sense as to where they are, why and how soon.

There are male officers, criminals, partners and more. It's not like all the figures in the show are female, and many will have plenty of time for Paul Ritter as Police Doctor Randolph Miller. Just, last night, all the really important ones were, across the board. And I don't think I've seen that before.

The show is by Paul Abbott, who created Shameless, State Of Play and Clocking Off. And while it is clearly an ensemble piece, so much credit must be given to Joanna Scanlan as Detective Inspector Deering, especially when comparing this character to Scanlan's previous, weaker, more subservient characters in The Thick Of It and Getting On. It's hard to see the same actress in this role.

It does not appear to have aired in the US, but DVDs of the first two series/seasons are available here and it can be streamed on Amazon Video.

Americans, don't wait for the inevitable poorer US remake. Get in now. And have something else to bore people about instead of Fleabag.

Oh go on, have some trailers…

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