The Long Call: What the Must Watch reviewers think
Every week, the Must Watch podcasters review the biggest TV and streaming shows.
This week Scott Bryan and Hayley Campbell review The Long Call on ITV. Ben Aldridge and former Doctor Who star Pearl Mackie star in the adaptation of Ann Cleeves' crime novel.
A detective returns to his Devon hometown to grieve for his father and investigate a local murder.
Hayley says: “A bog standard ITV drama”
"It’s basically your normal ITV crime drama but this one feels a little bit more progressive because the detective is a gay man with a husband. And the marriage seems to be going well - which is not typical for TV detectives! The show itself was what I thought it would be: a bog standard ITV crime drama. I know ITV is capable of doing weirder stuff like they did with Des or Quiz but I don’t think this is one of those.
"I don’t really have much to say about it - it’s not one of those that is so bad that I can pan it; it doesn’t move the needle either way. It's fine. The dictionary definition of an ITV crime drama.”
Scott says: "Just too generic"
"I agree with Hayley, I think it is worth noting its inclusivity. You don't tend to see LGBTQ+ leads in crime dramas, especially on ITV.
"The problem with this drama though is that it just feels too generic. The moment that they open up with a wide shot of the sea filmed by a drone, it feels like you have seen this sort of ITV crime thriller hundreds of times before.
"I do admire the softer, slower approach in the storyline, but you can't help but compare it to Broadchurch. Every crime drama set by the sea will always be compared to it, and this drama is nowhere near as good."
All four episodes of The Long Call are available now on the ITV Hub.
Must Watch is released as a podcast every Monday evening from BBC Sounds and all other good podcast providers.
This week, the team speak to Celine Buckens from Bridgerton on Netflix about her latest role in BBC One’s Showtrial and hear from Pearl Mackie about The Long Call. Plus, the team also review The Outlaws on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
