‘Dalgliesh’ Recap: ‘Death of an Expert Witness, Parts 1 & 2’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the Season Two Premiere of ‘Dalgliesh’. To revisit the Season One Finale, click here.

​It is definitely safe to say that season one of the Acorn TV crime drama, Dalgliesh, was quite refreshing in nature. In large part, because of its setting. Because traveling back to the 1970s to explore the world of crime that Inspector Adam Dalgliesh deals with on a regular basis absolutely livened up the genre, since it took us back to a time where cameras could not enhance an image to catch a killer, and where DNA evidence was not a thing. This was when investigators had to do incredible, iron-clad work with their cases. To prove that a crime was committed by their suspect and that added a real level of humanity and intensity to these stories that we don’t often receive in crime dramas, and thankfully… the time has come for us to enjoy more of this dynamic series.
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For season two of this saga made its debut on Acorn TV yesterday with quite the incredible tale. One that explored the vulnerable nature of our institutions when matters of the heart are involved. A feat that ‘Death of an Expert Witness’ accomplished, by having Adam and Miskin head out to the community of East Anglia. A place where one of the top forensic labs in the country was housed and sadly… this important institution was rattled by murder. For a senior forensic biologist was found murdered by the murder weapon of another case one fine day and well… that forced Adam and Miskin to try and understand who would cross that line and rattle an institution in this manner, and that brought forth a case filled with fascinating commentary on the theme at hand and how small towns… blur lines. 

Simply because… there was no separation between state and civilian in this place. After all, the late biologist was feuding with his cousin over family fortunes, and they both worked at the lab. Plus, the victim was having a wild affair with the superintendent’s sister, and there were feuds between he and another forensic expert. Making this case nothing less than a deadly soap opera really. One that truly pointed out how little matters from a decorum standpoint in small towns since everyone is inside everyone else’s business and that made solving this case damn near impossible. Because one thread would lead to more drama and little else, and that pushed Adam and Miskin to confront the drama to get answers, especially when another body turned up.

But cutting through the nonsense and the drama was the right call, for that got us to the core theme as we came to learn that it wasn’t family feuds or sour intentions that led to this unfortunate death. It was as it oft is in this world, matters of the heart. For the two experts were embroiled in a love triangle with that very sister, and in order to win favor, the deceased tried to blackmail his competition and that… led to his end. Since that would have sent children packing to a divorcee mother, and deeply wounded said competition, and that was why he snapped, and well… that made it clear that there is no institution that can stand tall when its internal workings are mired in love affairs and jealousy and all the drama that makes life pure chaos. But order was restored, and lessons were learned, courtesy of the hard work put on display here and the arrest made.

If anything, this was just… a magnificent premiere when all is said and done. Simply because it perfectly reintroduced us to this world after a lengthy hiatus for the show. In fact, the story even took the time to remind us of Adam’s wondrous work with words via his poetry before plunging us back into an intense case filled with fear and insecurity and all the emotions that tough times bring our way. Which was how we were reminded of the humanity of this series and the gravity of murder, and what it means to have a decent man handling such cases in a decent manner and well, it is just great to be back in Adam’s world. Where justice prevails the right way and where the importance of the fallen is never forgotten and it will be interesting to see what we learn from this new year of cases as season two continues along. Until next time.

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