‘Mrs Sidhu Investigates’ Recap – ‘On the Ropes’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Meera Syal as Mrs. Sidhu in Episode 104 of ‘Mrs Sidhu’ Investigates’ – ‘On the Ropes’. (Photo Courtesy of Laurence Cendrowicz/Acorn TV.)

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the Season One Finale of ‘Mrs Sidhu Investigates’. To revisit the previous episode, click here. Also, this piece was written during the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike. Without the labor of the actors currently on strike, the series being covered here wouldn’t exist.
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It is definitely safe to say, that cozy mysteries and crime stories in general, follow a relatively comfortable formula. Wherein the crime is committed, usually a murder, and the intrepid hero, be it a wily independent gumshoe or brilliant investigator, must follow the clues and surprises that await them in their quest to bring evil to justice. And well, we love that formula, simply because its comfortable, it tells a great story and allows for everything to unfold in a dynamic manner. Which is why it is always jarring to run into a crime story… that opts to shake things up. Because it does indeed take us out of our comfort zone and forces us to lean toward the edge of our seats since we don’t know what lies around the corner. But now and again, you need to shake things up, and well, shaking things up is top of mind today… simply because… that is precisely what the season one finale of Mrs Sidhu Investigates took part in.
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For ‘On the Ropes’ was a story that offered little familiarity. For there was no murder to be found here, and it also went deeper into the character’s lives and what they mean to one another than ever before, and it accomplished that feat… through a boxing match. For Mrs. Sidhu and her son were contracted to cater a private fight at a boxing legend’s posh estate and well, while the evening went well, and an old friend/underdog named Lenny won the day… the ending of the night was a total disaster. Because Lenny was kidnapped out of the blue, and of course, it wasn’t long before ransom demands came into play. And well, since Mrs. Sidhu doesn’t mess around with any crime in Slough, she injected herself into this madness and that led… to more surprises… beyond the fact that we weren’t dealing with a murder.

Because as she inched closer to answers, disaster struck. For DCI Burton was hit by the kidnappers’ van on his way to follow a lead that Mrs. Sidhu discovered, and that put him in the hospital straight away and put him out of commission for the rest of this investigation. Which meant it was up to Sergeant Mint and Mrs. Sidhu to uncover that this was nothing more… than a twisted revenge and possession ploy. One designed to bring Lenny’s wife back into the possession of a man that trafficked women, and once trafficked her, and he was so hellbent on having what he wanted that he was willing to bring harm to Lenny’s family as well. But the tenacity and resourcefulness of Mrs. Sidhu and Sergeant Mint, allowed for Lenny to be free and for a monster to finally pay the piper for his crimes. Giving rise to a happy ending (one complete with Burton’s recovery) to a very unconventional crime story.

For this really was a case that was off the beaten path from what we normally see, and it dealt with some topics that are slightly taboo in this day and age, such as trafficking, and the surprises didn’t end there. Because there was mention of the fact that the characters had some powerful moments here and well… loss and the potential for loss brought that forward. Since Mrs. Sidhu reflected upon her lost father in a powerful manner, one that spoke to how we never forget those we love and how the pain never quiet fades, it just transforms. And of course, we had a legit scare with DCI Burton. Since he was badly injured in this story and there was worry about what would come next for him depending on how he healed. But thankfully… he was fine in the end, and that brush with death, brought everyone closer together and helped them to appreciate the ragtag family they’ve chosen to be part of, and that’s just beautiful. 

Which makes this, a supremely satisfying season finale. Just because, it found a way to offer up an epic story that took risks and took us down a different path to wow us, and wow us it most certainly did. For every single second of this story was engaging and powerful, and the stakes were amazing. But most important of all, this is a story that informed us, of how quickly we have come to love these characters, and how badly we want to see them succeed at all things and find peace and joy and a path that fulfills them and well… that alone leaves us eager for more of this brilliant show, so we can see that take place. So hopefully, Acorn TV commissions another season (and more) of this series, so that we can all enjoy more refreshing crime stories and more of the characters that we’ve grown to love.

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