Excellent series, good casts
Watch soon as may disappear
This Episode
When security foreman Gary Mallon is fatally wounded during a robbery at a Blyth container port the evidence points to an audacious heist that went awry. Vera begins to suspect an inside job. But the investigation takes an unexpected turn when Gary's ex-wife contacts police with the news that their 13-year-old son is missing. Gary Mallon was acting under duress - the victim of a tiger kidnapping. His son was being held as collateral - but where is he now? In order to rescue the missing boy, Vera first needs to work out who was behind the robbery. Further complications ensue when she finds herself forced to collaborate with an NCA Officer who is working on a covert surveillance operation with links to organised crime. As Vera closes in on the kidnappers a misstep in the investigation leads to tragic repercussions, and she finds herself taken off the case.
The Series
Vera is a British crime drama series based on the Vera Stanhope series of novels written by crime writer Ann Cleeves. It was first broadcast on ITV on 1 May 2011, and to date, eleven series have aired, with the latest debuting on 29 August 2021. The series stars Brenda Blethyn as the principal character, Detective Chief Inspector Vera Stanhope. In 2021, Ann Cleeves confirmed that the character of Vera was based on a neighbour of her maternal grandmother. The neighbour had been something of a busybody and her personality was the basis for Vera.
Vera is a nearly retired employee of the fictional 'Northumberland & City Police', who is obsessive about her work and driven by her own demons. She plods along in a constantly dishevelled state, but has a calculating mind and, despite her irascible personality, she cares deeply about her work and colleagues. She often proves her superior skills by picking up small errors in her team members' thought processes. Vera forms a close relationship with sergeants Joe Ashworth (David Leon) and Aiden Healy (Kenny Doughty).[1]
On 27 August 2020, it was confirmed that the show had been renewed for an eleventh series. Its first four episodes aired in December 2021 and January 2022, with a further two episodes expected in later 2022.[2] In March 2022, it was confirmed that a twelfth series had been commissioned and had begun filming
