Shetland’s Alison O’Donnell: ‘Refresh has given it a new lease of life’

As a long-time fan and avid viewer of Shetland, I must say that the recent revamp has truly breathed new life into this captivating crime drama. Alison O’Donnell’s insights on the behind-the-scenes changes resonate deeply with me, as a fellow admirer of the series.


Alison O’Donnell, the longtime cast member from Shetland, commented that the changes made after Douglas Henshall left brought a fresh vitality and new lifeline to the BBC crime series.

Dougie is extraordinarily intelligent; he excels at comprehending the overall context of situations, and it seems to her that he believed deeply that he had conveyed Jimmy Perez’s tale in his departure.” (This version attempts to simplify the original sentence while maintaining its essence.)

Over the course of seven exceptional seasons, he delved deeply into various aspects of his personal life, including grief, family background, and numerous crime tales. I believe he sensed that this was the story’s conclusion. It’s important to leave audiences wanting more without overstepping the point where they are truly invested, and this decision seemed perfectly logical in that context.

Initially, when the thought arose to renovate and change the show’s direction, I realized that certain aspects still had potential for further development. I believe this decision was spot on. There was enough substance to rethink everything. So, yes, the revamp has certainly breathed new life into it.

Additionally, O’Donnell mentioned that the casting of Ashley Jensen as DI Ruth Calder attracted “novel viewers” to tune in to the series.

“That was the sense I got, that some people were discovering it for the first time,” she added.

Some individuals told me they rewatched Season 8, then went back to the start. It certainly revitalized their interest in it.

In Season 9 of Shetland, it becomes especially tough for Tosh as a friend of hers disappears, creating a gray area where her personal life mixes with her professional duties.

Jensen hinted through the BBC that the new series has numerous interconnected storylines,” suggested a refreshed take on the statement. “We’ll move around in time – there’s a historical mystery, as well as personal relationships within households. The narrative is woven from many diverse threads and it’s quite intricate, forming a complex tapestry for this series.

Jensen went on to say that she chose to remain in the dark about “who the murderer was” so that she felt like she was “really in Calder’s shoes”.

She commented, “I found myself observing others as if from the character’s perspective, wondering ‘What are you showing me?'” Then, she would depart the scene and promptly glance back to check if anyone was secretly doing something they shouldn’t have been doing once the police were no longer present.

In addition to the two main detectives and some recurring acquaintances, there are also a number of fresh actors joining the cast. One of these newcomers is Ian Hart, who may be recognized from his roles in Mr. Bates vs The Post Office and The Responder.

1-8 seasons of Shetland can be streamed on BBC iPlayer.

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2024-11-02 01:04