Granite Harbour (2022– ) User Reviews (60)

Granite Harbour, Wooden Acting

[leslie-murphy · 5/10 · 8 December 2022]

Seldom have I seen such a contrived plot, leaden script and wooden acting. It has the feel of a pilot for yet another formulaic crime series. It feels like an inverted " Death In Paradise " where the quirky Caribbean detective comes to Britain to teach the inept Scots how to do their jobs. The characters are as unbelievable as they are predictable. The conflicts between the characters are straight out of the DIY, Distance Learning writing manual : lesson one.

This is clearly a low budget affair but to its credit, it has given employment opportunities to a mix of apprentice actors. No second series PLEASE!

Poor acting

[stevebrockie-79272 · 5/10 · 3 December 2022]

As an Aberdonian I was interested to see this but as much as it was nice seeing a series being filmed in Aberdeen, some of the acting in this was truly awful. A few good roles in it but some of the supporting roles were poor. The music used at times was amateurish as well. Could have been so much better - just hope it doesn't put off people from making more shows in the area. Storyline was also pretty weak to be honest. No major twists. A poor man's line of duty at best. I severely doubt there will be a 2nd series. They'd need to really improve the peripheral acting. Cinematography at times was also a let down.

Disappointing - but great views of Aberdeen!

[Jockette · 5/10 · 3 December 2022]

As others have said, not great! On the minus side : pretty amateur acting, hackneyed plot, terrible dialogue, forgettable or exchangeable characters. The most diverse police team in Scotland although clearly no local recruitment? Not an Aberdonian accent to be found (maybe the budget didn't stretch to subtitles for the local Aberdeen/Doric accents?). Some interesting geography around the town, time travel almost required to get from point A to point B.

Half my stars are for the fabulous views of my hometown Aberdeen. Lovely to see the beach, and the land up by the Torry Battery. No dolphins in the background though......

3 stars for the views

[RedMars2017 · 19 December 2022]

What a disappointment. It has the performances, script and look of a daytime TV show, but this is supposed to be prime BBC crime drama. Lovely views, though. So if it was a tourist PR video, then job done. But as it is a crime drama, it's seriously, seriously lacking. The plot is not as good as those found in episodes of Silent Witness or Vera. The characters are incredibly poor. The casting is all a bit off. Police who don't look or act like police. Generally, it fails to entertain or intrigue and thus, it fails. But if you want to see beautiful Aberdeen, then it's about as enjoyable as staring at a postcard for 3 hours.

Not as bad as some reviews but nowhere near a 10 either

[andiroids-1 · 7/10 · 29 December 2022]

Fairly contrived and sadly indicative off the "inclusive" BBC of recent times but there is enough to watch if you get past the box ticking casting etc.

Tha acting on the whole is pretty pedestrian and the lead character is more contrived than necessary. A better development of his back story would have made the story stronger but as this looks for all the world like a work in progress there is plenty of time for that in series 2?!

If, like me you are a fan of detective/ police series it's watchable but far from great. A couple of the actors make it a hard watch at some points but I think there is potential if the BBC up the budget and look at the cast for any further series.

Give it a go if there's nothing else to watch if only for the Scottish scenery. OK.

Sack the casting director!

[Britinmiami · 1/10 · 20 August 2023]

In the ever-evolving landscape of television crime dramas, there are some series that emerge as trendsetters, benchmarks, if you will. Series like "Happy Valley" and "Vera", with their rich tapestries of intricate character developments and compelling storylines, have undoubtedly set the bar high. One could also pay homage to the captivating and atmospheric "Shetland". These series not only present thrilling mysteries but also make optimal use of their setting, weaving the environment into the narrative so seamlessly that it becomes a character in its own right.

Enter "Granite Harbour", a mini-series that promised to offer viewers an engaging blend of drama against the backdrop of scenic Scotland. Alas, it feels like a missed shot. The series is an ensemble of performances that range from outstanding to outright subpar. One can't help but wonder how the veteran actors, some of whom have gained significant acclaim in previous projects, felt about sharing the screen with co-stars whose performances were less than stellar. The glaring disparity in acting abilities detracts from the viewing experience, often pulling the viewer out of the story's immersive world.

The blame does not lie solely on the cast. The casting director's choices appear puzzling, and one might dare say, detrimental to the series' potential. With a project of this magnitude and in such a competitive genre, casting missteps can prove costly.

Moreover, the script seems lacklustre when juxtaposed with its peers. Crime dramas, especially those set in locations as picturesque and atmospheric as Scotland, have the dual task of not only providing a gripping narrative but also integrating the locale into the storyline. This is where series like "Happy Valley" and "Vera" shine. Their narratives are so deeply intertwined with their settings that one cannot imagine the story playing out anywhere else. "Granite Harbour" sadly misses this mark, leaving its viewers with a narrative that feels disconnected from its environment.

In conclusion, while there have been numerous successful TV series shot across the UK - from the rugged coasts of Scotland and Ireland to the bustling streets of England - "Granite Harbour" seems to have bypassed the key elements that make these series resonate with audiences. The show lacks the authenticity, atmospheric setting, and compelling performances that are paramount to its genre. For enthusiasts of crime dramas, especially those acquainted with the standards set by the aforementioned classics, "Granite Harbour" may prove to be a disappointment.

Annoying, but would like to see an improved second season.

[Franklie · 6/10 · 31 March 2023]

We really wanted to like this.

We're always rooting for mystery shows to be good, but this one had some of our biggest pet peeves.

One of the biggest being unlikable main characters. We liked the main character okay, but the rest were non-stop annoying. Especially DI Mallick. The police were so bad, we started hoping they were getting everything completely wrong and would be proved idiots at the end. The supposed requirement that the cops be snarky really has to go.

Despite all that, we appreciated that the script went classy rather than crass with the vocabulary and the visuals. Cinematography was great.

Would love to see an attempt at a second season maybe with more stories that are shorter. 90 minute mysteries are perfect.

A woeful series, with some shocking acting.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 3/10 · 28 December 2022]

DC Davis Lindo arrives in Aberdeen with the hope of becoming a Detective, he is instantly caught up in the murder of a businessman.

This was a major disappointment, I was looking forward to this quite a lot, but ten minutes into episode one, its major flaws were exposed.

It reminded me of The Sister Boniface Mysteries, a cop arrives in town from The Caribbean, and had to adjust to life in The UK, it also felt like a cosy afternoon drama, offering zero grit. Unfortunately whereas most afternoon shows offer light entertaining, and a little humour, this lacked any charm, it was impossible to engage.

The story is wafer thin, by episode two, my focus had gone, and I was struggling to associate who, what and why, it was just so dull.

Worst of all, the acting, despite some experienced, capable names, the acting was shocking. The characters were like cardboard cutouts, none of them, not even Gary Lewis offered anything. The chip on Mallick's shoulder can be seen from Bolivia.

A major disappointment, they got this badly wrong, 3/10.

Edit as of 2024.

Series 2, a total game changer, I stand by my 3/10 review for the first series, and I don't think it would be right for me to change it, but the second series is worlds apart, it's an 8/10 in my book, superior acting, writing, tense and exciting, it just goes to show that sometimes shows need time to develop.

Good mystery, somewhat different angle

[revchristodd-138-985726 · 8/10 · 6 August 2023]

Contrary to some of the later reviews, this is a decent mystery. Yes, we have a rookie whose instincts put him at odds with his superiors but he actually has 10 years experience in the Royal Military Police. Yes, he has Daddy issues but they don't paralyze him. It may not be absolutely unique, or groundbreaking, and I cannot judge just how regionally accurate the accents are (apparently nobody from elsewhere moves to Aberdeen), but the mystery is good and there are plenty of red herrings. The lead is appealing and the police, while not ready to follow his instincts, are not shown to be evil or incompetent. Enjoy!

Casting

[patriciabrand-46718 · 1/10 · 3 May 2024]

For Goodness sake! The BBC will have to stop this. I know Aberdeen very well, and like all BBC programmes the casting is a big tick box job.

I really do believe in equality but am finding this and other programmes being unrepresentative of, or proportionate to the population of these Islands.

Sadly this programme leads me to believe that the casting is: Disproportionate; Disingenuous; Discriminatory, and Devisive.

Haven't got to much to say about the acting ability of the cast. It appears that the parts were given based on looks and ethnicity rather than acting experience. Such a shame, as I would like to see a believable representation of The Granite City.

Great little watch

[RasputinsREVENGE · 10/10 · 3 December 2022]

The other reviews are just negative for the portrayal of Aberdeen and the comparison to Shetland (series) I've heard of neither so this is purely based on the show.

Three episodes and a simple whodunnit case.

Very easy watch and I genuinely didn't guess the end when i usually do at shows like this.

My only issue is lack of character background, I think one more episode would have been better so they could have added backstory throughout the series.

Romario Simpson is also another good reason to watch, extremely easy on the eye.

Fingers crossed for a series two, preferably a little darker ✌🏾

Bitterly Disappointing

[macduffthegaul · 4/10 · 2 December 2022]

Like many Scots I had high hopes of Granite Harbour, only to have my expectations dashed within the first few minutes. To say the script is creaky is an understatement - it is a prime example of how a lack of continuous re-writing at the pre-production stage results in a disaster. This is certainly not helped by a narrative which is wholly unoriginal, and a bunch of lead actors who are clearly out of their depth. It takes an old pro like Dawn Steel (Monarch of the Glen) to show that you can indeed polish the odd t**d if you are experienced enough. Most of the cast here are not, and therefore cannot wring any conviction out of dud dialogue. It was like watching painting by numbers. On the plus side it was pleasant enough to see Aberdeen, shot both on the ground and from the air. But good technicals are not going to save this car crash. In rating it 4 out of 10 I'm being generous; it could have been so much better.

Hit and miss !

[isw-15403 · 2/10 · 2 December 2022]

I'll be honest I gave up after 40 mins of episode one I so wanted this to be a hit , showing off Aberdeen, it's citizens and police force to a uk audience What I got was some good acting, some bad acting and some frankly woeful scriptwriting !

What could've been an interesting subject (outsider starts new job in a new city and a new country) moves on to a by the book tv cop show with the standard 1 in a million chance that the main character sees the murder victim threatened to be killed by someone then argue with his own brother all in a quiet city centre street (how lucky was that ?) where for some reason they were announcing a merger by two major companies to a crowd of about 50 extras who waved placards and politely clapped !

I may give it another go, but only if I'm really bored

The drone footage was good though, at least it had that going for it !

Oh dear

[jr-43966 · 2/10 · 2 December 2022]

A series of ludicrous events in a terribly written tv police procedural. : Caribbean ex military policeman bizarrely pitches up in his MP uniform to suddenly become a detective in Aberdeen (explained by a leaflet he hands out, so that's ok then). He is embedded in team of several senior detective officers in a force who presumably has no Detective Constables, working from a Gucci modern generic office with Ikea up lighters (not some 60s dump full of unwashed mugs and overflowing bins in an underfunded police service). Despite being in a provisional Scottish city it seems all Aberdonians have been kidnapped - perhaps this is where the story is going. CID drive a BMW, not an Astra with 300k on the clock, They have all their investigation paperwork on an iPad They don't carry radios, wander around a murder crime scene & the worst foot chase scene on TV history, cumulating in a school drama class quality arrest scene, presumably because the budget didn't extend to stuntmen. Then whilst trying to intervene in a kidnapping our hero oddly manages to fall into a van sort of locking himself in. I literally cannot wait to see what happens next but not for the reason the makers intended.

Kind of feels like a bunch of 6th formers have been given a budget to make a tv show with a really expensive HD camera.

Nice cinematography though, so the cameraman has done a good job. The lead actors I can see are good, the lead actor is very likeable and capable, but he has some awful material to work with. Zero budget for props etc.

They could have gone for something gritty dark and compelling, with interesting issues around racism, prejudice, and green issues / corporation corruption etc, but what this is is so lightweight and patronising to the audience. Ironic it is so lightweight as Aberdeen so windy, maybes they had a decent script that got blown away.

Think The Wire, think NYPD Blue, think Taggert. Then go 1 million miles in the opposite direction and you'll find Granite Harbour. Actually they could easily have edited this into a bit of a spoof comedy TBH. I've give it 2 stars for the laughs.

I was so glad to see Aberdeen feature in a TV drama. Shame, a real missed opportunity for everyone.

Entertaining

[lynnkear-30604 · 8/10 · 7 August 2023]

I binged this entertaining three-part show in one day. The bad reviews appear to be a concerted, organized campaign to hurt the show because it doesn't have enough old white men in it. Thank goodness for that. I liked the talented cast and found the writing to be clever. It's refreshing to watch shows that feature diverse casts. I lived through a time where there were ZERO shows like this. So let the immature dinosaurs write their bad reviews. Hopefully, it'll occupy their time and keep them out of trouble. Meanwhile, I enjoyed the Aberdeen/Glasgow setting and hope there will be a second season.

Three episodes and it never got any better.

[Avidviewer-02847 · 2/10 · 8 January 2023]

It was nice to have a crime drama set in Aberdeen and in Scotland, but this isn't a Shetland or Taggart or Vera or across the pond, a Bosch. It doesn't have the quality that starts with the script which wasn't good, the plot and dialog were poor. Simpson was poorly cast as the lead, the two best actors were Gary Lewis and Ross Anderson, the rest of the cast was mediocre.

I watched all three episodes thinking it would eventually improve, but it never did. The plot of a "rebel detective" who solves the crime is so cliched. The last thing that a police service wants is a rebel, someone they can't control who ends up costing them in lawsuits. It's not reality.

Loved this new series.

[aufo-91281 · 10/10 · 2 December 2022]

I was enthralled with this new series. I just binged the 3 episodes and really hope it's renewed for a second series. It was a great choice to set it in Aberdeen- yet wasn't full of the North East cliches you often get when something's set in Aberdeen.

I lived down at Aberdeen Harbour for years, and it was great seeing it like I remember it- rather than seeing the gentrification that's already taken place.

It would have been nice to see a replica version of PeepPeeps.

The pub where you wiped your feet on the doormat as you were leaving.

I don't understand the critical reviews-and wonder what sort of shows the critic's actually like.

WOW!

[Stone-Author · 1/10 · 2 December 2022]

Well, where do I begin?

The acting: awful Story: awful

Forced doric accents by actors from every part of Scotland apart from Aberdeen. The cliché storyline was awful and predictable.

I will take a punt that it was written by an American with lines like "homicide" and "first degree murder".

The story is slow and dragged out which is a shame, it could have been good. I feel really sorry for Romario Simpso who plays the main character, he was definitely sold a lemon with this 'drama'.

By all means watch if you want to be sent to sleep or comatose for days then crack on, it is mind numbingly boring.

Just awful

[salice · 1/10 · 7 December 2022]

This has to be the worst detective series ever in the history of Detective series. Terrible acting, terrible plot line. There was no cohesion to the story, the characters were unpleasant and if that's a reflection on Policing it's poor. The way they go about solving this murder is murderous in itself and I cannot imagine any Police Force behaving in this way. It's criminal.

The Actors are well known, but even with that, it doesn't bring it back. The sweeping scenery is reminiscent of Shetland but the bizarre music is odd choice for this arena.

It was a predictable ending, predictable from the start.

Enjoyed the series

[seeuatdamovies · 9/10 · 21 August 2023]

Not sure I watched the same series as the other reviewers but I found the storytelling, performances, cast and mystery-solving an enjoyable watch. No fluff, straightforward story that didn't waste my time stretching it to 5-6 episodes so I appreciated that. It sorta started off a bit comedic but once it settled in, the 2 main characters were likable and had good chemistry. Lindo's backstory is interesting and in further seasons I hope they explore that a bit. Someone said this show ticks all the right boxes, I don't really keep score that way, I watch for the storytelling, interesting ideas and characters, production value, a theme or message delivered without a heavy hand, and an emotional thread woven in that helps to elevate a mystery/crime drama.

I hope series 2 is on the way!

Did anybody read the plot before filming started?

[richard-58642 · 3/10 · 6 December 2022]

Other reviews have already mentioned the some of the acting and the witing. The director made so many of the characters unlikeble and talking cliches!

I really should have stopped watching when one of the characters jumped in the back of a big white van that is driving away - and his partner standing 30 meters from him instead of giving chase in the BMW she is standing next to, instead runs towards the van and phones the police!

There are a half dozen other examples of just bad plot lines.

I just don't understand how programs like this get funded without someone going - "Let's make the story a little bit credible"

Great show

[rhosea-06606 · 10/10 · 22 August 2023]

We love everything about this show, the storyline, the characters, the interaction between characters, the twists and turns. Highly recommend this show.

There are many moments of smiling at the conversations and the interaction between characters. It is also a joy to follow the storyline and try to anticipate the actions and results.

All of the actors and actresses are great. They really make the characters believable and are very realistic

We are waiting with baited breath for the next installments. Also, 3 episodes a season is not near enough - give us more. Season 2 can't come soon enough.

Looks amazing, everything else just bad

[tucotherat · 3/10 · 14 December 2022]

Imagine a Children's Film Foundation production shot by Kubrick with access to drones.

Bad plot, bad script, bad acting, terrible pacing. What were they thinking?

Seriously, even the music is egregious.

It's just a series of events linked together with improbability. I'm guessing it was conceived by someone who loves police pseudo-procedurals and clichés.

I think the producer saw a rough cut and said "cut half the plot and dialogue and replace it with montages of grey buildings" and it was the right decision.

Maybe it gets better, I couldn't get through a whole episode.

To see Aberdeen looking fantastic watch it... just with the sound off.

Granite Horror

[mv-58265 · 1/10 · 17 August 2023]

I simply could not get past the first episode, the acting (from usually excellent actors) was horrendous. The character "development" lacked credibility and oh, the coloniality of a trainee detective who turns up in some ludicrous uniform to declare that Jamaica is no place for him. The incredulity of announcing, with pride, that he has a military background but then sets about to defy and ignore every senior officer as a means of moving the plot along- huh?! I have long since tried to understand the dynamics of gathering together brilliant actors, stunning filming location and nonetheless still producing mediocrity, where does the fault lie? Please don't produce a second season, simply because we need to free some of the cast to go apply their craft to another project with better directing and a stronger production/writing team.

started mildly interesting ,sank fast

[mickwenlock-10254 · 3/10 · 12 August 2023]

The story sounded like it could be if interest and for the first 15 or so, it was. Kind of a novel start as a way to introduce a character of colour without making it as blatant and pandering as the BBC usually does.

The story work turn out to be woeful - some of the character Dawn Steel and Bhav Joshi) were so badly written as to be unactable or the actors were too wooden to be able actually play them.

The last episode is just confusing. A major character just disappear from our view, never to heard from again several minor character get a mention and again, get their quietus with never a mention.

Don't bother with this series.