Shetland fans may want to add this Douglas Henshall thriller to their watchlist
Douglas Henshall may be best known to many viewers for playing DI Jimmy Perez in Shetland, but fans of the Scottish crime drama can also find him in a very different detective thriller: ITV’s Black Work.
The three-part drama, which first aired in 2015, stars Sheridan Smith as Leeds police constable Jo Gillespie. After Jo’s husband, undercover officer Ryan Gillespie, is killed in suspicious circumstances, she begins to question how much she really knew about his secret work and sets out to uncover the truth herself.
With Douglas Henshall among a strong ensemble cast, Black Work combines a murder investigation with a deeply personal story about grief, secrecy and trust within the police.
What is Black Work about?
At the centre of the story is Jo Gillespie, a Leeds police officer whose life is shattered when her husband Ryan is murdered.
Ryan, played by Kenny Doughty, is also a police officer, but Jo discovers that he had been working undercover without her knowledge. His death leaves Jo struggling to deal with her grief while caring for her daughter Melly and stepson Hal.
Senior officers DCS Will Hepburn and Chief Constable Carolyn Jarecki lead the official investigation and initially urge Jo to let her colleagues handle the case. But as investigators begin uncovering secrets surrounding Ryan’s undercover operation, Jo starts to wonder whether the people around her are telling her everything they know.
Unable to accept the unanswered questions, she begins investigating Ryan’s death herself with the help of her friend and colleague, DC Jack Clark.
The deeper Jo goes, the more complicated the case becomes. Her search for answers eventually puts her own safety at risk. ITV’s episode descriptions similarly frame the three-part story around Jo’s attempts to understand Ryan’s life as an undercover officer and the growing realization that his killer remains at large.
The series was created by writer Matt Charman and directed by Michael Samuels. It was filmed in locations across Yorkshire, including Leeds, Otley and Huddersfield.
Sheridan Smith leads the cast
Sheridan Smith takes the central role of Jo Gillespie, a police constable whose personal and professional lives become increasingly tangled following her husband’s death.
Kenny Doughty, known for Vera, plays DS Ryan Gillespie. His undercover work becomes the key to the mystery surrounding his murder.
Matthew McNulty plays DC Jack Clark, Jo’s friend and colleague. Jack is also involved in the investigation into Ryan’s death, leaving him in a difficult position as Jo begins pursuing her own line of inquiry.
For Shetland viewers, Douglas Henshall is one of the most familiar faces in the cast. He plays DCS Will Hepburn, the senior officer overseeing the investigation into Ryan’s undercover operation.
Geraldine James plays Chief Constable Carolyn Jarecki, while Andrew Knott appears as DS Lee Miekel and Ace Bhatti plays DCI Jahan Kapoor.
The wider cast also includes Sharon Duce, Phil Davis, Vinette Robinson, Andrew Gower, Carla Henry, Honor Kneafsey and Oliver Woollford.
A compact three-episode mystery
With only three episodes, Black Work moves quickly and keeps the investigation closely tied to Jo’s personal search for answers.
The opening episode establishes the central mystery: Ryan is killed, and Jo learns that he had been working undercover. The second episode digs further into Ryan’s secret life, while the final chapter raises the stakes when another body is discovered and Jo realizes the danger surrounding her husband’s killer has not gone away.
That short format also makes the series easy to watch in a single sitting. Reviews of the drama have highlighted Sheridan Smith’s central performance, while some critics have taken issue with the show’s pacing and supporting characters.
What did viewers think?
The original article highlighted several positive reactions from viewers who discovered the drama on Netflix, praising its cast, writing and performances.
The response to the series has remained mixed but generally includes appreciation for its central mystery and cast. Viewer reviews have particularly noted the performances from Sheridan Smith and the supporting ensemble, while some have found elements of the story predictable or uneven.
That combination of a personal murder investigation, police intrigue and a compact three-episode structure makes Black Work a natural option for viewers who enjoy British crime dramas.
Where can you watch Black Work?
Black Work is available through ITVX, where all three episodes are listed.
The drama also became available on Netflix in the period covered by the original article, giving viewers another opportunity to catch Sheridan Smith at the centre of the mystery and Douglas Henshall in one of his earlier crime-drama roles.
For anyone coming to the series because of Shetland, Henshall’s presence is an added reason to take a look, but the story ultimately belongs to Sheridan Smith’s Jo Gillespie and her increasingly dangerous attempt to discover the truth about her husband’s death.