Review based on Protection episode 1 – spoilers follow.
Within the first 15 minutes of its premiere episode, Protection offers up two dead bodies, a suspicious police officer (also on the verge of death) and a dead dog. Yet despite these dramatically high stakes, this new ITV crime drama feels like it's lacking.
After the runaway success of the BBC's award-winning Happy Valley, many have been excited to see Siobhan Finneran back in a police procedural – and this time, she's got a badge of her own.
But beyond her involvement, the comparisons really need to stop there.
The accomplished actor leads the charge well, inviting an immediate intrigue of her character DI Liz Nyles. Not only has she got a high-stress job protecting witnesses, Nyles is also caring for her sick father and is engulfed in a secret affair with her married colleague (who, for added mystery, turns out to be the aforementioned wounded officer). She is equal parts fierce and empathetic, which is everything you want from a detective that's literally running the show.
The introduction of Katherine Kelly's DCI Hannah Wheatley brings about another layer and a delicious rivalry, with the promise that these two capable and headstrong women will be going head to head. The rest of the characters are left to somewhat fade into the background, but that's of no fault to the performances from the rest of the cast (which includes Chaneil Kular – who you are definitely left wanting to see more from).
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Protection begins with a security breach that puts the family who are living in a safe house under police watch, as the star witnesses in the trial of a scary bigwig at the top of organised crime, in danger.
The decision to springboard the story using witness protection means that Protection has the tall order of setting that scene, as it's an area that's not been explored much before in on-screen drama. As a result, the dialogue becomes a little clunky in places in order to explain certain protocols or processes to the audience.
Where Unforgotten has cold cases, and After the Flood has, well, a flood, this angle does at least serve as Protection's USP in what some might say is an oversaturated genre. Even if the jury is out as to whether or not it's been done successfully.
Protection's first episode feels much more like a vessel for painting the scene, and setting up what's to come, rather than providing a moment to really grip you or draw you in. In fact, if you've seen the trailer there won't be much here that you didn't go into it already knowing – which isn't so much a criticism, but more an observation for those that have kept up with the pre-release marketing.
There is an overarching central mystery, which hints at a deep-rooted conspiracy, and this treads more familiar ground. But that thread actually swallows up the witness protection-element of the storytelling, resulting in the show feeling more generic than you might have initially expected.
You are also thrown straight into the deep end when it comes to the character of the 'big bad' crime boss, meeting him for the first time outside the court house and with very little context of what brought him there. Tommy Lee Royce, he is not.
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This means you end up with little to no investment in the idea of seeing him get his comeuppance, and so your stake in the show is entirely dependent on whether you care about Nyles and her untangling of the increasingly messy web she finds herself in.
In short, it is Finneran that carries the show – and that might be enough for some, not so much for others.
Protection is an average, middle of the road, crime drama; it doesn't reinvent the wheel or particularly stand out from the crowd. It's not event TV, but it is watchable Sunday night viewing.
Protection is airing on ITV and is available to stream on ITVX.
TV Editor, Digital Spy Laura has been watching television for over 30 years and professionally writing about entertainment for almost 10 of those. Previously at LOOK and now heading up the TV desk at the UK's biggest TV and movies site Digital Spy, Laura has helped steer conversations around some of the most popular shows on the box. Laura has appeared on Channel 5 News and radio to talk viewing habits and TV recommendations. As well as putting her nerd-level Buffy knowledge to good use during an IRL meet with Sarah Michelle Gellar, Laura also once had afternoon tea with One Direction, has sat around the fire pit of the Love Island villa, spoken to Sir David Attenborough about the world's oceans and even interviewed Rylan from inside the Big Brother house (housemate status, forever pending).
