Is Shetland Jumping the Shark? Midway Through S8, Fans Lost Interest
It doesn’t have anything to do with Jimmy Perez but makes us miss him more.
Summary:
- Shetland is a Scottish crime drama produced by ITV Studios.
- The show has been airing since 2013, however, this season may as well become the last.
- Fans were expected to be disappointed with the show after the departure of a fan-favorite character, Jimmy Perez, however, they are more dissatisfied with the writing.
All good things must come to an end, and no one knows this better than the fans of certain television shows. Although there are some series that manage to hold the attention of viewers for years, the majority turn out to be a complete mess by the middle of the decade and tend to get worse with each passing year.
Unfortunately, this is the case that viewers in Shetland are now experiencing as they watch Season 8 of the Scottish crime drama. Even though the team behind the story manages to perfectly capture and prolong the same atmosphere that was there in the very beginning and got so many people interested, the writing doesn't seem to match the picture anymore.
According to even the most loyal fans, Shetland is turning into a background show rather than a gripping mystery. If it continues on the same path, it will end up playing on mute in doctor's waiting rooms. And that is not a good look for a television show.
What Happened To Shetland In Season 8?
The most obvious reason for fan dissatisfaction with the show would be the departure of Douglas Henshall, who portrayed fan-favorite character Jimmy Perez. As is often the case with long-running shows, there is a chance that some actors will want to move on from such a long storyline.
Perez was given a quick exit with the possibility of a happy ending with his girlfriend Meg. Ashley Jensen's DI Ruth Calder was announced as his replacement, and as good an actress as she is, her character has so far failed to interest viewers.
“Now, a couple of weeks ago I was saying #Shetland was less ludicrous than before. I’m delighted to report its gone proper bonkers now,” the X user campervanwoman said about one of the latest episodes.
Fans aren't rushing to blame anyone in the cast, but rather are disappointed with the writing choices. The story of Ellen Quinn's murder, which now includes some traces of religious motives, has become too predictable. However, the overall story that the show presents is too complex and massive to digest.
It seems as if the writers, in an attempt to bring back the suspense, are piling one thing on top of the other, waiting for a moment when it all falls apart and the viewer's interest is completely lost. By then, some are already too confused to care.
If you haven't given up hope on Shetland yet, you can catch up with new episodes for free by streaming them on BBC iPlayer.