This is the sixth season of Unforgotten and the British crime drama just keeps getting better. When a torso is found in Whitney Marsh, DCI Jessica James (Sinéad Keenan) and DC Sunil Khan (Sanjeev Bhaskqar) have another challenging cold case to solve. Pathologist Leanne Balcombe (Georgia Mackenzie) manages to extract DNC from the spine. The dead man is identified as Gerry Cooper, who disappeared four years ago, on February 24, 2021. The investigation was badly handled by Ram Sidhu (Phaldut Sharma), a corrupt officer who is now serving time in prison. When no body turned up, Cooper’s death was declared a suicide. Jessie and Sunny have to start at the beginning to solve a murder.
Juliet Cooper (Victoria Hamilton), Taylor Cooper (Pixie Davies) – (C) Mainstreet Productions
In the first two episodes, we’re introduced to several characters who may have known Gerry. His wife, Juliet (Victoria Hamilton), never believed his death was a suicide. For the last four years, she has struggled to maintain her job as an English literature teacher at a local college and cope with her rebellious daughter, Taylor (Pixie Davies), a high school student. Gerry once owned a pub and several flats which he rented out. During Covid, he borrowed money from loan sharks and Juliet believes they were responsible for killing him in such a brutal manner. Juliet is distraught when learning about how her husband died, yet the $400,000 life insurance policy allowed her to buy a new house and send Taylor to an expensive private school, raising red flags with the detectives.
Martin Baines (Maximilian Fairley) Photographer: Sam Taylor – Courtesy of MASTERPIECE and Mainstreet Productions
Marty Baines (Maximilian Fairley, who is hard of hearing and neurodiverse – high-functioning autism) lives with his bedridden mother, Dot (Michele Dotrice). The two are dependent upon each other, but social services fails to supply the extra help they need. Marty hasn’t been able to find work after Gerry fired him from the pub. Marty alleges that Gerry withheld funds he was due under the U.K.’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme. He also blames Gerry for his father’s death during Covid, but denies he would hurt his former boss.
Melinda Ricci (MyAnna Buring), Patrick (Emmett J. Scanlan) Photographer: Lisa Stonehouse – Courtesy of MASTERPIECE and Mainstreet Production
Gerry’s political views skewed hard right. During one event he met Melinda Ricci (MyAnna Buring), and the two had an affair that lasted more than three years, ending right before he disappeared. Mel was given a television contract to create a TV character who would espouse conservative drivel to an audience eager to hear such misinformation. She doesn’t really believe what she’s saying, but with a husband Patrick (Emmett J. Scanlan)seriously injured in a car accident, she needs the job. Gerry was abusive to Juliet, but Melinda denies he ever hit her. However, she tells the detectives he was blackmailing her and on the night he disappeared, she was resigned to giving him some money to keep him quiet.
Asif Syed (Elham Elas) Photographer: Sam Taylor – Courtesy of MASTERPIECE and Mainstreet Production
Asif Syed (Elham Ehsas) worked as a translator helping recent arrivals from Afghanistan who were renting flats from Gerry. He saw up close how Gerry treated his tenants. Most of the apartments had black mold and vermin, creating serious health threats to the adults and children living there. Gerry talked a good game, but rarely made the necessary repairs and when one small child died, Asif was furious. He denies he killed Gerry.
DI Sunny Khan (Sanjeev Bhaskar), DS Murray Boulting (Jordan Long), DC Karen Willetts (Pippa Nixon), DS Fran Lingley (Carolina Main) – (C) Mainstreet Productions
Throughout the investigation, Jessie and Sunny take the lead, but they are supported by a group of talented professionals who dig in, do the research, and follow up whenever necessary. The Brits do police procedure better than most. And what comes through is that a lot of police work is not flashy, but grunt work. DC Karen Willets (Pippa Nixon) spends hours in a dusty file room, all the time sucking on a lollipop. DS Fran Lingley (Carolina Main) tries to nail down the time frame of Gerry’s disappearance and texts and emails that might reveal who he spoke with. And DS Murray Boulting (Jordan Long) manages to get even the most reluctant witness to open up. Solving this cold case is truly a team effort and it all comes together in a very satisfying conclusion.
As the DCI running the cold case unit, Sinéad Keenan faced a challenge taking over for the popular Nicola Walker who starred as DCI Cassie Stuart for four seasons. Fortunately, Sanjeev Bhaskqar continued as Sunny Khan, and while he and Jessie are not as close as Sunny and Cassie were, they are getting there. In season five, Jessie found out her husband had slept with her sister, while Sunny began to date the pathologist, Leanne. Their personal stories are nicely woven into the main plot, bringing home the point that cops have lives, too.
Unforgotten can be seen on PBS at 10 p.m. on Sunday, or donate to PBS and stream all episodes on Passport.
Top: DI Sunny Khan (Sanjeev Bhaskar), DCI Jess James (Sinéad Keenan) Credit: (C) Mainstreet Productions
