User reviews

All the stupid Line of Duty comments aside this was a solid police plot well cast and acted. I guess these critics think it is easy to put on these performances. It is a police drama people what you think you was going to see something all original. Never knew Adrian could sing but I loved the songs at the end of each episode. Made for a very nice touch. Hope I can find the soundtrack on Spotify. Why do these reviews have to be 600 characters? For crying out loud I said all I had to say and how do all these other critics get off with two sentences but I am forced to blather on and on and on and.

I enjoyed this series and found some of the storylines genuinely moving (especially the first episode) and was in tears several times. I love UK crime dramas and have watched many others and thought this was a worthy effort.

I also enjoyed the musical aspect. The songs were chosen well and enhanced or reflected the storylines. I also enjoyed the mellow performances in contrast to other reviews.

This may appeal more to older viewers (like me ;)) as it deals with life and loss of mature characters.

There are many familiar and reputable faces in the cast.

I hope there is a follow up series and would happily watch further episodes.

Newly promoted DCI Carol Farman, calls on the help of retired Detective Alex Ridley, who operates as a consultant Detective.

ITV continue to look for another Sunday night drama, one to fill the slot that Endeavour, and eventually Vera will leave, I feel with Ridley, that they have a real winner.

Something almost a little old fashioned about it somehow, old fashioned in a good way, it's less glossy than recent shows like McDonald & Dodds and Van Der Valk, it's slightly more gritty.

It's an excellent show, tightly written, beautifully produced, well paced, and unlike so many recent shows, it's got a bit of grit.

Adrian Dunbar is awesome as Ridley, he has a huge presence, his character is so interesting, he's smart, but haunted by a tragedy from his past. Bronagh Waugh is excellent also as Farman, who'd believe she's not from Lancashire with that accent.

Well done ITV, this is a winner, 8/10.

I love police crime series, and if they are British even better, they are of great quality. The actor Adrian Dunbar does a fantastic job! The whole casting is just great.

It's not the best English series I've seen at all, but each episode embraces you in a mixture of tension and pleasant melancholy, like a bonfire and a glass of red on a winter's day.

Ridley delivers exactly what you can expect from a British police series that consciously does not want to be innovative. You'll probably forget this series after a week, but that doesn't apply to Dunbar's musical talent, and it's real, Dunbar sings in real life.. and I like it! It's a style of singing that I appreciate, and the nice jazzie music gives a relaxing touch to the series, to take a break from crime. The photography is again exceptional.

The plot of each episode is very smooth and beautifully structured scripts. They always start with a murder case or disappearance and are connected by developments in the lives of Ridley and his right hand Carol. In some cases it can be a little predictable, since I guess some things, but each viewer will have their personal experience.

This is another solid police procedure British series! And the low rating surprises me.

It's a smallish point, and I've only watched episodes 1 and 2, but Adrian singing, really, come on. It really niggled me to the point where I got up and made a cup of tea. I like Adrian Dunbar as an actor, and that's how I like to see him. Rant over.

It's a good TV police drama, and apart from the singing, well worth watching. Good plot(s), excellent cast, convincing acting and very down to earth - perhaps too close to home for some maybe. So it's a bit sad to think that - at least story 1, is how the UK is these days.

I enjoyed series 1 (except for the singing) and I'm sure I will enjoy the rest of series 2.

I was a little dubious about RIDLEY, the "singing detective," but after watching all of the episodes available so far, I'm now enthusiastic about it. Each episode contains a good mystery, is beautifully filmed, and packs an emotional punch. And yes, Adrian Dunbar sings in each of them. I think a second season is in the works, and I wonder how they can maintain the premise that Alex Ridley is a contractual consultant; he seems to boss the newly promoted DI who used to be his subordinate. That minor quibble aside, this is an excellent series, one that ranks with SHETLAND and VERA in my mind. Highly recommended!

It's OK. That's all it is. There's a laziness about the idea - a former detective called back to investigate. You know when you play a rail shooter? This is drama in that vein. You know exactly what to expect and you get it, but none of it is that good. It's just all middle of the road. Adrian Dunbar is always great and I can't fault any of the cast. It's the by-the-numbers writing and production. It feels like Vera meets Happy Valley in Ireland, except it's not as good as either of those shows. It's safe, safe, safe. Soap opera level crime drama. That's all I have to say but I need to add this up to 600 characters so will waffle on a bit more here.

Adrian Dunbar plays a police consultant who also is part owner of a jazz bar, which unfortunately, he feels compelled to serenade us from through his nose. This show otherwise fits the bill as a good nearly noire detective murder mystery. Ridley always gets his man or woman as the case may be. His costar is a good in her role as the detective chief inspector sidekick and conscience for Ridley. The rest of this review is filler because IMDB never learned about "brevity is the soul of wit", and demands an essay when a sentence will do. Mind you, i don't consider myself the soul of wit, but if forced to keep jabbering on, I may show myself as the soul of nitwit.

After reading the other "reviews" they obviously are all written by millennials or Gen Z's who have no clue on what writing is, that the generations that are so used to blowing things up and having to have everything explained to them pretty much I wouldn't believe that every single episode went over the heads of these armchair, keypad warriors. The characters are wonderful and make no mistake. The scenery and the music are characters unto themselves, which make the show twice is interesting. I don't believe for one minute they knew what was going on from day one I think they missed a whole lot of the show to think it's exactly like everything else out there or it's been done before it's nothing but a cliché, the people reviewing this are the cliché give this a give it a try. I do not want to wreck for you. This is a fantastic show.

Let six stars stand as the designated spot for films that are so bad that they're good.

Adrian Dunbar is a credible character actor, but he's no leading man; yet, there he is: deeply wounded and conflicted, or something. The clues to his condition are contained to moody gazing out the window, the thoughtful appreciation of a fine whiskey, and the moody hipster turn at the microphone in a swinging bar. Will he ever find peace? Of course he will! But will he ever return to the days as a fully-alive hipster, entering the jazz club with a knowing stagger, posing now and then to the admiration of everyone in the room? Will he sing his heart out in the final act? And finally, will his flat and out of tune singing cause you to cringe or laugh? Will the final cliche bring tears of compassion or tears of laughter? Only the bold will watch to the end where these questions await resolution.

It opened nicely introducing Adrian Dunbar as recently retired DI Alex Ridley with a penchant for jazz. A bit of a Yorkshire remix of Bosch.

It was formulaic, broken detective with tragic past on one last case because this time it's personal. Production values were decent, nice score, but direction was quite off and ruined a few scenes. Liked the cast generally but thought DI Carol Forman seemed weirdly uninvested for someone in charge of their first murder case?

Script was so-so with a lot of clunky exposition and static scenes. Overall I found it curiously one-paced, it never really went up a gear and by the end I wasn't that bothered who the culprit was.

Hopefully it will pick up as the series goes on and actors finesse their roles, I wanted more of Adrian Dunbar - or anyone else bossing it. Needed more drama, sharper script and performances and better direction to make the grade.

I see mixed reviews for this which just shows how many different kinds of people with varying opinions and taste there are. For me, I enjoyed Ridley a lot. It wasn't violent and full of hyped up graphic grossness. It was just a good story that didn't need to rely on a dog and pony show to sell it. For people who like grisly horror, move along, nothing to see here.

I particularly liked the jazz, which was a refreshing change in a British drama, and who knew that Adrian Dunbar could sing. It thought that was cool. I'm usually an armchair sleuth, and figure out whodunit half way, but not in episode one. It kept me guessing right until the end, which I like.

The scenery was a bonus - fog, snow, rain, autumn colors in the woods. I won't watch a detective series unless it takes place somewhere that has some of the features. No city dick shows for me anymore. They're too depressing and ugly. This is a beauty!

These British crime dramas are entertaining and Adrian Dunbar is a very good actor. Loved him in Line of Duty as the gaffer. The setting in the north of England is picturesque. Was surprised to see snow on the ground in one recent episode. Bronagh Waugh is very good as the tough female detective, Georgie Glen is fun as the medical examiner, and Julie Graham is good as the bar-owning love interest. Nearly every character has an interesting backstory. I groan, however, when most episodes include a couple minutes of Dunbar crooning on stage. Were these performances written into his contract? He is not a good singer and the songs are lame! If this show is continued, please cut out the sorry singing of Adrian Dunbar and stick with the crime-solving.

There is nothing i can say that hasn't already been said but I have to ask Why is the background music so loud, and becomes louder when people are whispering. I'm getting older and my hearing is not so good but when the music plays, it prevents me hearing what is being said. I can't be the only one with this problem.

I normally have subtitles on to overcome this, but they are not available on the Player, consequently, I have to have the volume turned up, so the whole street can hear it.

Films shown on TV are the same, but we are told this is because of the way sound is programmed specifically for Cinemas, and sound separation is different on a TV.

Why then, do programmers try to emulate the sound produced for films, knowing that the standard TV system cannot separate the sounds.

This is becoming a problem with most Drama programmes available on TV these days.

It's got so many detective cliches I don't know where to start. Retired detective, personal tragically, a troubled soul with all the usual detective story vibes. He just needs a hat, a dark office and a background voiceover. And the main actor's singing, oh my, it reminds me of Vogon poetry from the The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Except that it adds no value or purpose to the protagonist's character or the story line at all. But despite all that, I still found myself enjoying the show. The production quality is pretty good and there are some redeeming qualities that make it worth the watch. So if you can embrace the cliches, the depressing singing, and enjoy the highly emotional themes, maybe you'll 'kind of enjoy' it too.

I thoroughly enjoyed this series and hope there are more seasons to come. Well thought out plot lines and "Ridley's" singing was the icing on the cake!

I prefer English police programmes as they are, in my point of view, well thought out with no guns shoot outs, extreme violence and irrelevant parts of a show that can be shown from different countries aka USA. Even though American television shows in the mystery murder categories-they actually do have some good shows but there is just something more natural and realistic about English produced murder mysteries. Midsommor Murders, Vera spring to mind as does Broadchurch. Also it goes without doubt Morse then the following Lewis. I absolutely love all of the above but am finding it hard to have a few shown here in New Zealand.

Overall, not a bad cops/crime series.

BUT - Who in the heck decided to have this guy sing? God, he's awful! Saw review where this was pitched as some kind of bonus feature for the series. It was actually a turn-off. I learned to grab the remote & mute when he took the mic at the club.

The crimes and solving them were OK. I think it's really a stretch for us to believe they would beg him to come back from retirement as a consultant and then let him run rampant through these cases.

The lesbian detective was a refreshing addition, although the tension surrounding whether she and her wife should have another child seemed forced and distracting.

... great start to this British police procedural drama in four standalone stories... the first of this four-part mini-series is longer than many movies, yet it plays exceptionally well for its 120 minute length... all the cast is very well selected and to a man (or woman) perform admirably

... Adrian Dunbar has been in several well-known-heralded series: Line of Duty, Broken, Blood, Five Fables.. to name just several in his long illustrious forty-plus-year-career... his work stands on its own merit... another good one, Ridley looks to be a most entertaining addition to his long body of achievements.

This is an all right series. Nothing special. The first two episodes were good. The third one as ok, but I thought the fourth one was just terrible.

Felt the writers mid way through suddenly lacked ideas and lost any interest after the second episode. The last one especially has everything I hate about some investigative series, like Ridley being the only guy who knows everything, is always right and gets away with doing whatever he feels like doing.

Adrian Dunbar was great as always. Can't complain about his performance within the limitations of the script. Bronagh though did not have a lot to do. They had to bring in her personal life more often, to give her some relevance. I think she was wasted. Among the rest, I liked Julie Graham in the small screen time she had.

Oh dear ! Adrian Dunbar what have you done ? This is bad , and not in a good way - it's just bad . Every single cliché in the TV detective handbook is brought out . Our hero is very troubled , he's known personal tragedy , so tragic it's made him drink and move to a strange cabin in the woods so he's very difficult to track down . He co-owns a bar and just drops in to talk about the meaning of life with the owner , he plays the piano when he's not playing music at home - of course it's jazz played on vinyl records on a turntable. His boss doesn't really want him and they clash . Literally every scene puts you in mind of other programmes that you've seen a thousand times . In fact the most fun you can have watching this derivative tripe is to play a game where you name the old shows the writers of Ridley have stolen ideas from , so far I've got Bosch , The Killing , Morse , Endeavour , Vera , Broadchurch , The Bay and Dublin Murders . Maybe you can add to the list , it's more entertaining than watching this unoriginal show .

Basic competence in following the obvious leads, unlike say Monk or Professor T, he does not have a lateral way of connecting clues that regular cops could be forgiven for missing - the force he left behind is a sorry one indeed with 3 of the 4 episodes involving the solving of a "cold case" in the passing. He also seemed to move from making a semi-resented comeback in the opening episode to being the "go to guy" remarkably easily.

As others have noted it's a formulaic but not unpleasant watch, apart from Ridley & his snitch the characters were two-dimensional, worth a second series but there's plenty of room for improvement.