Sherwood

Wat made Sherwood so brilliant and painful is still here. .... And perhaps it is more of a standard crime drama than the first series. But what a crime drama – the final minutes of episode two will have your heart leaping out of your chest.

Like the original, it’s stuffed to the gills with brilliant performances. The old guard – Manville, Morrissey, Ashbourne – remain immaculate. And the new introductions, from stalwarts like Harewood, Dolan and Dillane to relative newcomers like Huntingdon – who radiates a mixture of pain, need and dangerous fury that has you watching in horrified anticipation of the moment of combustion – join them seamlessly.

Sherwood might not feel quite as original and arresting this time around, but it’s still a magnificent thriller.

Sherwood didn’t need a second series, but Graham makes a compelling case for its existence. His intricate plotting of multiple strands is masterful and mirrors the many-rooted complexities of a community that had been manipulated, divided and neglected. New director Clio Barnard (The Arbor), snakes nimbly around the many moving parts – her fabulous tension-building bodes well for the rest of the six–part series.

Sherwood season 2 has all the makings of what is already shaping up to be a stellar anthology series. Not that it necessarily needed it, but new characters, storylines and dynamics breathe new life into the series which is set in the present-day and hones deeper into some of the family rivalries that seek to tear this Nottinghamshire community apart.

Just like in Season 1, there’s a lot going on, but it’s not as clear that these stories will flow together as well as they did during season 1.

The series remains quite serviceable, though it would be hard to claim that Sherwood is a truly enjoyable watch. It’s an oppressive, grimdark detective series, through and through.