Lynley star argues why BBC drama's class dynamic makes it stand out from other detective shows

Inspector Lynley has returned to screens with a new spin on Elizabeth George’s books, drawing from later novels in the series as it kicks off with A Place of Hiding.

The reboot finds Thomas Lynley and Barbara Havers at the very start of their working relationship, which the stars of the series, Leo Suter and Sofia Barclay, explaining why they believe the reboot stands out from other detective shows.

“So, there are all those bits that we love about detective shows. We have the suave car, the tweed coat. We have the twisted, painted, tangled, complex family lives that surround these murders in the beautiful British countryside," Suter told RadioTimes.com.

“What’s interesting about ours is that, yes, this class dynamic between the detective and the sergeant is central to our thing," he added.

"What’s interesting about it is that class changes so much. I think that’s why doing it in 2025, with the knowledge of it previously existing 20 years ago, is interesting — because it’s a way to witness how class has changed, and how England and Norfolk have changed.

“There’s that element that’s unique to us in our show, but also all those wonderful detective things we have and, in some respects, leaned into — because people like them. They’re good.”

Read more:

• Lynley review: '00s detective series gets a subtle reimagining
• New Lynley stars on honouring the past – and making the series their own

Barclay also highlighted how the varied landscapes and blend of urban and rural settings help keep the series feeling fresh.

“I think also what’s amazing about the different episodes is that it allows you to dabble in different kinds of circumstances. There’s a kind of particularity in episode four — the realities of different parts of the country and different kinds of criminal setups that you can find.

“You can find crooked people whether that’s on a private island or in the streets that you walk every day. I think that was quite fun to see across the four episodes.”

"Tommy Lynley is a brilliant police detective but an outsider in the force – simply by virtue of his aristocratic upbringing," reads the the official synopsis for the show, which was written by Steve Thompson (Doctor Who, Vienna Blood). "He is paired with Barbara Havers, a sergeant with a maverick attitude and a working-class background.

"With seemingly nothing in common and against all odds, the mismatched duo of Lynley and Havers become a formidable team, bonded by their desire to see justice done."

Lynley premiered on BBC One and iPlayer on Monday 5th January.

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