Vigil (2021)

The critic praises the classy, claustrophobic submarine-set thriller as unpredictable and gripping from the start, with strong casting and elegant direction making the police procedural feel fresh. They single out the oppressive use of the submarine's labyrinthine setting and expert cinematography for praise.

The confident and clever opening episode makes for an autumn drama hit with smart detective work amid a tense confined setting. The critic singles out the strong premise, forensic details and promising cast for praise.

The series is a sharp, claustrophobic submarine thriller that delivers solid old-fashioned entertainment with a dense, sharply written script about a murky unseen world. The critic singles out the dense plotting and human elements amid international affairs for praise.

The critic praises the twisty conspiracy thriller with strong performances from Suranne Jones and Rose Leslie, noting the submarine setting adds tension to the investigation.

The critic finds the series one of BBC One's best new thrillers, with riveting pacing, major revelations, and superb weaving of land and sea strands keeping tension high. They single out the unique submarine memorial scene and Suranne Jones's performance in a tense confrontation for praise.

The review calls it a relentless conspiracy drama with strong performances and tension that lives up to 'Line of Duty underwater' expectations through propulsive pacing and airtight cast work. They single out the sumptuous visuals and character-driven doubt-planting for praise while noting minor issues with backstory layering.

The series squanders a gripping premise and stellar cast with a nonsense story, lifeless romance, wasted potential and farcical reveals. The critic singles out the incoherent plot, poor chemistry between leads and squandered tension for complaint.

The critic calls it a perfect Sunday night drama with a strong cast, intricate plot, and fresh submarine setting that twists the classic murder mystery format.

The critic praises Vigil for flipping the traditional British detective drama by setting the investigation in high-stakes, isolating environments like a nuclear submarine, which heightens tension and provides a fresh take. They single out the electric on-screen chemistry between Suranne Jones and Rose Leslie, along with the layered personal storylines and performances, as the beating heart of the series that elevates it beyond standard procedurals.

The critic finds it a solid thriller with Suranne Jones well-cast as the lead, benefiting from the split land/sea narrative and familiar faces in the ensemble.

The critic sees Vigil as a largely standard prestige cop drama elevated by its claustrophobic nuclear submarine setting, which heightens tension and revives the submarine thriller genre for the 21st century. The standout praise is for the innovative use of the submarine environment itself, which makes everything more dramatic through constant activity, claustrophobia, and timeless isolation.