Better cast and writers on inspiration and why it's “not a typical cop show”

Produced by award-winning studio SISTER (Chernobyl, This Is Going to Hurt), the thriller has been created and written by Jonathan Brackley and Sam Vincent (Humans, Spooks).

Speaking exclusively to RadioTimes.com about the new series, the leading cast members and writers underlined this "timeless" drama that is very "character-based" and not like other police-based dramas on TV.

When asked about their initial thoughts after reading the script for Better for the first time, Farzad said that on the face of it, Lou "seems to have it all figured out".

"And then when struck by tragedy, she has to question it all and question her morals and wonder if she can be redeemed for all the terrible things she's done," Farzad added.

"So it was complicated and different and brilliant.”

Read more:

• Better star Leila Farzad watched Happy Valley to prepare for role
• Tense first look at BBC thriller Better from makers of Chernobyl

Buchan said that he thought the drama was "brilliantly written" and had "3D flawed characters whose lives are very intertwined".

He added: "It makes the unravelling of their lives and careers all the worse, as the story progresses, all the harder. You kind of read it and think 'Well, it's not your typical cop show'. And it's not, it's not a whodunnit – so what is it?

"It's this character-driven, character-based, very complex story about two people with many a flaw. Very, very complex lives.”

On what inspired them for this series, Brackley and Vincent explained that this is an idea that's been brewing for quite some time. Vincent said: “This story is an idea that we've had for many, many years and it's changed a lot. It's evolved from a very kind of simple premise.

"I think it sort of comes from somewhere quite deep within me and John, this desire to kind of wrestle with this moral story and this particular way of exploring it. So, in some ways, it's very, very personal and it goes back a long way.

“This kind of timeless story as well... it's a universal thing: good and bad and what these things mean.”

Similarly, Brackley said: “We always wanted it to be a very character-based drama, not procedural. So the backdrop is the police and criminality, but that's not what the show is about. It's about these people."

The series is set and shot entirely in Leeds and West Yorkshire and on making that decision, Brackley explained: "We always knew we didn't want to set it in London – we're both from London – we wanted to set it in a city that has its own identity, that is nevertheless a big sort of bustling, vibrant metropolis, a city that you don't normally see a lot on TV.

"And so when it was suggested that Leeds might be appropriate, we went up there and it's got such a wonderful feel to the place. It's such a visually, arresting backdrop for the show."

He added: "The show sort of came together via pieces of things that we did and didn’t want to do, and it’s all based around this one central idea of morality and goodness.”

Examining the power of human conscience, we follow Lou’s epic journey towards redemption, one that now revolves around bringing down Col, who she has known for 19 years and come to love like a brother.

But he's also the man she struck a deal with and it's a deal that changed their lives forever, resulting in Col now being the head of the Leeds criminal underworld. Will she succeed? We'll just have to tune in and find out.

Better premieres on Monday 13th February on BBC One, with episodes airing weekly on Mondays at 9pm. The series will also be available to stream as a boxset on iPlayer.

If you’re looking for something else to watch in the meantime, check out our TV Guide or Streaming Guide visit our dedicated Drama hub.

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