While there are better mystery/detective shows in my opinion, 'Messiah' is incredibly well done and ceaselessly compelling. It is near blameless and definitely should have lasted longer.It is stylishly and beautifully filmed with a lot of atmosphere, while the locations are also used to great effect. The music is suitably ominous while never being too obvious.'Messiah' is very intelligently written, it is never stilted or clichéd and constantly keeps the mystery elements alive. The stories are gripping throughout with lots of twists and turns and genuinely surprising solutions. The only motive I didn't completely buy was in the first series, which felt implausible and underdeveloped, it didn't seem like a good enough reason to murder all those people in such a gruesome manner.That is my only criticism of 'Messiah' really, as well as more could have done with Frances Grey's character as well. There are some clever and very gruesome murders that never are gratuitous (especially in the first series) but are not for weak stomachs, mine is getting stronger but even it was quite disturbed by those in the first two episodes. The characters are interesting, and the series is constantly well directed and ensures that the episodes never feel rushed or plodding.Ken Stott is exceptional as the main character, and it is some of the best acting he's ever done. He is terrifically supported by Neil Dudgeon (who has never been better), Michelle Forbes, Frances Grey, Edward Woodward and especially a sinister Jamie Draven, in fact everybody is good.In summary, incredibly compelling. 9/10 Bethany Cox

London, summertime, and a serial murderer is at large, killing his victims in brutal ways and leaving a silver spoon in the mouths as his calling card. What links the victims? Detective Superintendent Red Metcalfe (Ken Stott) assembles a top team and attempts to halt the bloodshed as he simultaneously tries to keep the ghosts in his past from submerging his investigation.Directed by Diarmuid Lawrence and co-adapted to screenplay by Boris Starling (from his own novel) and Lizzie Mickery, Messiah is formed in two parts. Firstly is The First Killings, then The Reckoning. Originally shown over two nights on BBC in 2001, Starling's source proves to be excellently unnerving stuff that translates very well to the screen. The comparisons with David Fincher's Se7en were inevitable, though a touch lazy and unfair given the different worlds they operate in, both cinematically as budgets, and as setting and protagonists portrayals.Lawrence's film has so much going for it to make it an essential viewing for fans of serial killer based thrillers. It has all the key elements in place. The murders are most distressing, with us often having to witness the aftermath of the crimes and thus having to fill in the blanks (urgh). The mystery element is constantly strong, with the makers slowly dripping in clues as to the killer's motives, and then for the second half it becomes a race against time before the genuinely surprising reveal and denouement. The acting is first rate, with Stott (playing an interesting and unique hero), Jamie Draven and Michelle Forbes particularly impressive in tricky roles.The investigative group dynamic is a troubled one, which adds spice to the investigation. Metcalfe has a stormy past that keeps rearing its head to affect his detecting, while his marriage to deaf Susan (Forbes) is coming increasingly under pressure, more so the deeper he gets into the case. DI Duncan Warren (Neil Dudgeon) has a gambling problem, at war with his ex-wife and fighting a losing battle to get quality time with his estranged son, and young pups D.S. Clifton (Draven) and D.S. Beauchamp (Frances Grey) have taken an inappropriate liking to each other. Into the mix is the gutter press and Art Malik's Boss Emerson is stomping around like a bear with a sore head.Messiah is not without faults, one of the decisions taken by the killer just beggars belief, while there is one leap of faith (hrr hrr hrr) required to buy into the meticulous aspect of said killer's ultimate goal. But this is great skin itching stuff, a prestigious production that shows the better side of the BBC as Grand Guignol and British drama fuse together handsomely. 9/10

Great acting, great sense of realism, clever plot... somewhat let down by a low-on-logic finale. If the entire audience can see the final twist coming, I think the cop should be able to see it too. If he can't, then he's not really clever enough to be starring in his own show.It's notable that the whole serial killer scenario of Messiah bears a more-than-passing resemblance to David Fincher's execrable 1995 film Se7en. But in its favor, Messiah is a far better handling of the concept, with more-likable characters, more-interesting detail, and a far less annoying resolution. (Stott's also a better actor than Pitt. But then, who isn't?)Overall, a fun waste of several hours, that could have been much more, with just a tiny bit of tweaking.

The DVD release of this superior made for TV BBC drama is a more than welcome addition to my collection. Great acting, gripping story, and wonderful direction all add up to one of the best BBC dramas in years.