Review: The Loch (Loch Ness)

Laura Fraser and Siobhan Finneran in The Loch

The British mystery series The Loch, also called Loch Ness, is available on Acorn TV. It was the first program I watched with my new subscription to Acorn TV.

The mystery involves a sudden series of deaths in a small community near Loch Ness in Scotland. At first it seemed to be only the murder of a piano teacher – a gay man. Then they found a human heart that didn’t come from the dead piano teacher. Then they found some human brain matter that didn’t come from either of those two.

The local police including DS Annie Redford (Laura Fraser) call in outside help. First to arrive is DCI Lauren Quigley (Siobhan Finneran) who is in charge of the investigation from there on.

DCI Quigley calls in a forensic psychologist named Blake Albrighton (Don Gilet) as a consultant on the case. Quigley and Albrighton have a history that is obvious from the first moment. Quigley tries to avoid it and do the job, but Albrighton makes several suggestions that could lead to a renewal of their relationship. Quigley and Albrighton argue over each suspect because they don’t always fit Albrighton’s profile of the killer.

Simone Lahbib plays Mhari Toner. She’s the mother of one of many teenagers involved. Her son Dessie (Conor McCarry), Annie Redford’s daughter Evie (Shona McHugh), a lad named Kieran (Jack Bannon), and several other teens are part of the story. Annie Redford’s daughter in particular messes about in the case and causes her mother all sorts of grief. Evie insists on doing things she shouldn’t and almost gets herself killed more than once.

Many suspects come into the story. These include a local doctor named Simon Marr (John Heffernan). Dr. Marr hides secrets. A tour boat operator named Leighton Thomas (William Ash) is a suspect. Leighton Thomas has a hidden past. A teacher named Craig Petrie (Alastair Mackenzie) is a suspect. You guessed it, Craig Petrie is also hiding secrets.

Annie Redford’s husband Alan (Gray O’Brien) operates a tour boat. He recently bought a drone with an underwater camera that uncovers hidden secrets.

Laura Fraser in The Loch
Laura Fraser is Annie Redford. She absolutely owns this series and is brilliant as the lead character.

The mystery is solved by women. Principally Annie Redford, the local cop who has never investigated a murder before. The visiting DCI Quigley sniffs out the clues and sends police in every direction, but Annie Redford always makes the big finds. I liked that aspect of the story very much.

The story, written by Stephen Brady and Chris Hurford, was outstanding as mystery. Lots of clues, lots of suspects, and nothing revealed until the last minute so you’re guessing all the way through. Brian Kelly and Cilla Ware share the directing credits.

I liked the setting. The loch and the rolling highlands around it were beautiful. I love any film set in the Scottish Highlands. A treat to see. The direction took great advantage of the location and made the loch and the highlands almost a part of the story.

The setting was also a character in the sense that much of the plot deals with the idea of hidden monsters, the human shadow side that is waiting to emerge and do harm.

1 thought on “Review: The Loch (Loch Ness)”

  1. Pingback: So Many Great Foreign Films and TV in English - Old Ain't Dead

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