25 Days of Crime-mas Day 6: Ripper Street for British period dramas
There’s something about British period dramas that offer some new insights into the crime drama world. That was certainly the case with Ripper Street.
While there are many TV crime dramas set in the modern-day, there’s something special about period dramas. That’s especially the case for British period dramas, considering the history that comes with it. Ripper Street is one of those dramas that capitalized on history.
The series ran from Dec. 30, 2012 to Oct. 12, 2016. What makes it one of the shows on our 25 Days of Crime-mas countdown? Let’s waste no time and take a look.
Ripper Street‘s cast
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Matthew Macfadyen took the lead role in the series, as Detective Inspector Edmund Reid, the head of H Division in Whitechapel. He’s aided by his Detective Sergeant, Bennet Drake, played by Game of Thrones‘ Jerome Flynn.
The two team up with Captain Homer Jackson, played by Adam Rothenberg. It’s not an easy team-up, though. While a skilled surgeon, he refined his skills through the U.S. Army and is a Pinkerton. His brash ways and clear lack of respect for authority make things extremely difficult.
What also doesn’t help is Jackson’s connection to the Tenter Street brothel, run by madam Long Susan, played by MyAnna Buring. She came to London with Jackson, but their relationship becomes strained throughout the season.
Along the way, we’re introduced to various guest roles, including Reid’s wife Emily (Amanda Hale), newspaper reporter Fred Best (David Dawson). Game of Thrones‘ Joseph Mawle played Inspector Jedediah Shine, a ruthless inspector who was out for blood against Reid.
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What was Ripper Street about?
The series picks up six months after the last Jack the Ripper killing. The man has gone underground, but London is still scared about the attacks and looking over their shoulders. Reid was leading H Division, the team tasked with finding Ripper, but failed and now he has to make up for that.
When there’s a new murder on the streets of Whitechapel, the people immediately wonder whether the Ripper has returned. That kick starts the first episode, but we’re soon taken through a number of mysteries and murders in each episode.
Along the way, there are personal storylines that come up. One of those is about Reid and his wife. They are struggling through their marriage after the loss and presumed the death of their daughter, Mathilda. It took place during the hunt for the Ripper, and there’s a chance that she may be alive.
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Why you need to watch
Ripper Street is one of those shows that brings the gore of the time. It doesn’t shy away from the realities of police work, especially in the 19th century. This is something the series was praised for, although fans did request for it to air a little later instead of before dinner. I can respect that!
At the same time, the writing is on-point. While Reid may be the lead character, he’s not always the inspector you can respect or want to win. There are times that others have the better plan or Reid allows his personal circumstances to get in the way.
He’s not the only one, though. We see each of the lead males allow personal situations cloud their judgment or get in the way of cases. Yet, they also find ways to work together or gain new respect for each other.
The development of the characters and storyline are certainly reasons to watch every single episode. Don’t scroll on Twitter at the same time. You want to pay attention to the clues.
Which episodes are the best?
This isn’t something that’s hard to say. The way Ripper Street is created is offer a full story arc. While there are murder cases of the week, there’s a bigger mystery that takes up an entire season. In fact, the fourth season links into the last season, meaning you can’t skip anything.
However, the best suggestion is to start with the first episode. You meet the characters and get a sense of the setting.
Next. See the entire Crime-mas schedule. dark
What do you think of Ripper Street? What are you watching in the runup to Christmas? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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