Shetland’s Ashley Jensen teases potential romance for Calder – but “there’s a conflict of interest”

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While Shetland is known for its dark and serious crime stories, it also has moments of humor, like the scene at the start of season 10 where Calder amusingly recounts a bad date to Tosh.

We were finishing up dinner, chatting about the typical things you talk about on a first date,” she explained. “Then I glanced up and…

Calder’s date had fallen asleep, in the middle of his tiramisu.

“So what did you do?” asked Tosh.

Calder paid the bill and left, chuckling to himself. He didn’t seem bothered by how the date went, suggesting he was actually pleased with it.

Alison O’Donnell quipped that life in Shetland isn’t exactly packed with activities, so why not go on a date?

She’s not wrong…

You know, watching her, I get the sense she’s at that stage in life where a simple connection, a spark with someone new, means everything. That’s what really drives her, I think – not grand gestures, but just that genuine, intimate connection. Ultimately, that’s what she’s searching for, and what she’d choose above all else.

Calder then goes on to say that she’s “done with all this dating lark”.

“Well, for a while, anyway.”

Or so she says…

When the body of retired social worker Eadie Tulloch is found, detectives Calder and Tosh begin investigating her murder, hoping to discover both the killer and the motive.

According to the official description, the investigation will involve a deep dive into the victim’s life – both her history and current circumstances – and the lives of people who were close to her.

And one such person is Eadie’s estranged son, Ed, to whom Calder breaks the news.

When Calder and Ed first meet, there’s no hint of a connection forming. However, Calder quickly learns that Ed has been estranged from his mother for over a year, a situation Calder understands, as she also had a difficult relationship with her father who has since passed away.

That evening, Calder went back to Ed’s pub, hoping to discuss his mother’s money while they were having a poetry night. Their conversation changed the way they interacted, though only slightly.

Since he’s Eadie’s closest relative, he’s been asked to confirm her identity. He then asks Calder if she’ll go with him.

It’s nice to meet you. I used to know Cal – we were bandmates a long time ago, so we were friends then.

Cal Innes was someone Calder dated in the past, and when she came back to Shetland, it was obvious there were still feelings between them. They ended up spending the night together.

They never got to see if a relationship was possible between them, because Cal died in a car accident while intoxicated by alcohol and drugs, leaving the detective heartbroken.

After Ed asked, Calder paused, considering his link to Cal, but ultimately agreed to be there when Cal tried to find his mother.

He looked grateful, or at least that’s what it seemed like. But this is Shetland, where people often have more complex reactions, so it was hard to be sure.

Instead of leaving, Calder chooses to stay and listen as Ed shares a poem he wrote at a friend’s request. Her reaction hints at a developing connection between them.

Jensen explained that when the son is introduced, it feels significant. There’s a connection because, like Calder’s relationship with her father, the son and his mother had a difficult and distant connection. This shared experience creates a sense of understanding between them.

“Plus, I think she probably just fancied him as well… so there is an energy there, shall we say.”

But O’Donnell was quick to point out that “there’s a conflict of interest there”.

I completely agree with Jensen’s assessment. What’s really compelling about this series is how everything starts to get tangled up – in ways that feel deliberately unsettling and maybe even wrong. It’s not a neat story, and that’s part of what makes it so gripping.

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I’m so excited for the new season of Shetland! Season 10 is coming to BBC One and BBC iPlayer every Wednesday at 9pm. If you’re like me and can’t get enough, all nine previous seasons are already available to stream on iPlayer. And if you want to dive even deeper into the stories, you can buy Ann Cleeves’ original Shetland novels too!

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2025-11-06 01:35