TV and Film | Scott and Bailey - Season 4, Episode 1 | Review

It makes me very happy that ITV's Scott and Bailey is back on our screens. If it wasn't for my love of writing and fear of institutional racism, in an alternative world I would love to work for the police. I have a freakishly good ability to remember and recall facts and I really like paperwork. But, since I don't foresee myself actually traversing that route, I do tend to get overly excited by good police TV dramas. Scott and Bailey is perhaps the best of the best.

 

Featuring essentially all-female leads in Janet Scott (Lesley Sharp), Gill Murray (Amelia Bullmore) and Rachel Bailey (Suranne Jones), the series has long been receiving outstanding reviews. I'm also going on record right now by saying if I do not have a best friend female friendship like Janet and Rachel's by the time I'm in my thirties, I will have failed terribly in life. Just saying.

 

I think that it was makes me enjoy the show so much (and is something I'm investigating later this week, when I pick apart my top TV female friendships). To be work colleagues in what we can appreciate is a challenging work environment, and be really good - if not best - friends on top of that, is what my dreams are made of. I've never really had that unmistakeable best friend status, not since I was a child and boy, do I long for it. It's also not the type of friendship that feels forced - they argue over the big things and are strong enough to tell each other how they really feel. This is something I am spectacularly bad at. Sharp and Jones (which would make just as good a title for the show, by the way) are absolutely flawless as always. I'm so happy the characters are back on positive terms and I thought the way the episode depicted the two of them going up for the same job was handled excellently.

 

We've all had moments where we've been in direct competition with friends and family. It is not a place I, personally, particular like to be. If you "win", there's always elements of doubt, fear of consequence and genuine disappointment on their behalf, as well as relief and excitement. If you "lose", you have to learn to deal with a confidence knock, jealousy and envy. We had known from the teasers and trailers that Janet and Rachel were both going for the sergeant's job and though I predicted both would pass the board, I was expecting Janet to get it. Purely because I thought she killed the interview. That was A class writing in that scene, not just for the drama itself but for the media and TV industry. Turning 50 is not when women should be gearing down and it was so good to hear that voiced out loud. I may not even had reached half way to 50 yet but once I get my feet firmly planted in my career path, I'm planning on sticking with it way past my 60s.

 

I have to admit, I do tend to favour the rebel though. In terms of temperament, I am Janet through and through but like with every drama I watch, I always lump in favour of feistiness. Something Rachel Bailey has in abundance and I lack almost completely. The wardrobe department are also hitting the nail on the head for this show; again I love the way they dress Rachel and I wish to death I could pull off work clothes that well. I think both Lesley Sharp and Suranne Jones are some of Britain's best actresses and I can't wait for the rest of the series to unfurl. This Mandy Sweeting storyline is already setting up to be a good one and I'm intrigued once more to see how such career-strong women balance a life at home too.