One of my favorite shows; Ripper Street began its new season on February 22nd and I have been meaning to write about it and how much I love this show, but somehow it has escaped me. Since the first episode, the excellent writing, compelling stories and extraordinary acting captured my heart. I have to confess that I have had a long time crush on the actor who plays Inspector Reid, perhaps I should specify, I am crushing on Matthew’s voice; his calm manner of speaking, his calm demeanor where a passion lies underneath, smoldering and you never know when it will erupt. I am speaking of the actor Matthew Macfadyn; my crush started back in 2005 with the production of Pride and Prejudice, his portrayal of Mister Darcy is my favorite. Colin Firth is a wonderful actor, but I would take Matthew’s Darcy any day of the week. I think that it’s his voice that does it for me and when he plays Inspector Reid with his deep, caring voice, I can’t help but be riveted to everything that he has to say.
The character of Inspector Reid is luckily surrounded by his two most trustworthy colleagues, Captain Jackson the medical examiner and Sergeant Drake, his faithful man and muscle.
All of the characters that you are introduced become integral to the entire tapestry of the show. You are introduced to London set in the 1880’s near WhiteChapel here we see the populace living in abject poverty. The looming poverty everywhere informs much of the drama that color the police station and the challenges that face Inspector Reid, Sergeant Drake and Captain Jackson.
The list of characters of the female variety include Miss Susan, Miss Rose and Madame Jane Cobden, a city council woman, who works diligently on behalf of the poor and the working poor. These female characters are complex, beguiling, strong and are important in driving story.
As you can tell, I love this show and I highly recommend it.
laurieanichols 