Originally published b y L.S.Media. February 13th 2012. 
L.S. Media Rating ****
Cast: Rupert Penry Jones, Phil Davies, Steve Pemberton, Claire Rushbrook, Sam Stockwell, Ben Bishop, Hannah Walters, Jacqueline Roberts, Camilla Power.
Series three of Whitechapel continues with the gruesome premise of a murderer and the brutality of dismemberment. The scene is set by that other act of social discourse and interaction that some can find squeamish and sends shudders down the spines of the strongest of police officers, namely the spectacle of a family christening attended by those family and friends who you never see except when there’s free drinks on offer by the host. Given the choice I think I’d rather investigate another of those historical patterned murders, no matter how insidious, than ever have to wipe new born baby sick of a freshly ironed shirt.
It is isn’t long for any relative peace that the residents and members of the law enforcement of Whitechapel to be scattered by the howling of a fox signalling to its mate that it has found a supply of food. As the biker’s headlights focus on the fox, the viewer is left in no doubt that this particular crime investigation is not going to be pretty.
This episode focuses on the dichotomy between science and lab-based work of Dr. Llewellyn and the dogged spade work of the passionate Ripperologist, Edward Buchan. Dr. Llewellyn of course is a name from the past as one of the first men to see the infamous Jack the Ripper’s handiwork at one of the autopsies. It’s a wonderful nod to the macabre past of the East End of London.
Dr. Llewellyn was played with a wonderful feminine and passionate fresh outlook that can melt hearts but also have you wonder if the character is capable of murder also by the ever reliable Claire Rushbrook. This wonderfully talented actor has been knocking at the door of main leads for many years and its inspiring to see that she finally gets her teeth into a meaty role, even if for the moment still slightly underused.
The way that both these distinct and polar opposites’ characters are filmed shows the idea of modern police work to its fullest effect. No longer confined to the basement or an empty yet putrid cell of a police station, science behind capturing a criminal is no longer done in secret, it’s in the light and it is sterile, there is no room for second guessing and mistakes of human error to be taken into consideration. As a wonderful aside, when Dr. Llewellyn gives the investigative team seemingly nothing to on and presents the team with yet another piece of bad news, D.C. Miles, played with warmth and likeability by the great Phil Davies remarks to her “You’re going to have to come up with good news soon or we’ll have stop coming here!” was priceless.
The real conjecture of detective work, the wafer thin theories and tenuous links are left to Steve Pemberton’s Edward Buchan. Deep in the lower confines, hidden away like a trussed up sage, the Ripperologist doles out historical facts behind murders of a different age in the vain hope but supremely well executed manner that there is a pattern behind it all. The dark corners are his friends and ultimately the viewer can make more sympathetic overtones of trust to him, even if the thought of trusting him completely leaves you feeling slightly at odds with it all.
This fascinating programme shows all the hallmarks of well written and well researched drama and in a month of television which is akin to the good Doctor’s lab, sterile and unloved, it is the unchartered reaches of the basement where we find this excellent visual treat.
Part two of this story continues next Monday.
Ian D. Hall