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Season 1 – Karen Pirie

Play trailer 1:00 Poster for Season 1 – Karen Pirie Sep 2022 Crime Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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91% Tomatometer 11 Reviews 87% Popcornmeter 100+ Ratings
After being promoted to Scotland's Historic Cases Unit, DS Karen Pirie reopens the cold case of a murdered barmaid; her investigation unearths flaws in the original 1995 inquiry.
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Karen Pirie — Season 1

Karen Pirie — Season 1

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Critics Consensus

Clever and twisty, Karen Pirie refreshingly revamps the traditional grizzled detective procedural by putting a young woman on the case.

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Critics Reviews

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Anita Singh Daily Telegraph (UK) 10/04/2022
4/5
You could say Kenny is having her cake and eating it here... So it’s quite smart, but the best thing might be to just ignore all of that stuff anyway and concentrate on McDermid’s tightly plotted story. Go to Full Review
Ben Dowell The Times (UK) 10/04/2022
4/5
Without ramming the social and cultural disparities down our throats, the show makes the Nineties — that optimistic and happy decade for so many — feel like the Dark Ages. Go to Full Review
Sean O'Grady Independent (UK) 09/27/2022
4/5
This Tartan Noir drama lifts itself above the usual run of these cold case thrillers because the story is told in a refreshingly cohesive way -- there are relatively few annoyingly random flashbacks and bewilderingly disjointed series. Go to Full Review
Joel Keller Decider 10/26/2022
A solid, twisty case and the title character is refreshingly young and not grizzled. Go to Full Review
Matt Roush TV Insider 10/25/2022
While Karen understandably has a chip on her shoulder, demanding to be taken seriously, she’s nonetheless a chipper presence. Go to Full Review
Peter Martin ScreenAnarchy 10/25/2022
An altogether satisfying plunge into police work that is never less than gripping. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Tom W @TexOracle Jan 2 Season 2 much better. This season predictable from early on, obvious treatment fumble revealing the major plot element and also possibly the killer (was, in fact). But even though appears another unlikely DEI woke production with an unlikely casting, it still delivers a good run. Again season 2 was much better, with better plot and unfolding investigatory progression that seems credible. See more Suzanne T Dec 4 Great editing. The switch between current time and the original time of the crime is more skilled and clever than most editing technique. Story is intriguing. Welcome breaks of comic moments. See more Molly A. @holymoly Oct 16 Refreshing, honest and mostly believable premise. Pirie is awkward, quirky and unapologetic. Storyline was fun to follow; lots of twists and turns with so many possible outcomes. Loved watching Season 1 play out. Another great detective series from across the pond. See more Aileen A @leenin Oct 8 Karen Pirie is a more realistic detective than most shows with characters much more like the people I worked with for 36 years. Even though I enjoy other police/detective shows the main character’s signature quirk/idiosyncrasy can get tedious. I laughed when she laid on the floor of her office, I did that too. See more Peter C @pecpec Aug 29 Enjoyed it - nice touch to show her blowing off steam once in awhile in a youthful honest manner - not suffering fools and BS easily. Subtracted one star for editing issues - no reason this couldn't have been 20-30 minutes shorter per episode. See more Jamie W Jul 22 It was a good watch up until I saw the girl with the rifle which wasn't a rifle, it was a pop gun with a scope that a Marine Commando sniper would use. That's embarrassing. Don't they have researchrrd? See more Read all reviews
Karen Pirie — Season 1

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Episodes

Episode 1 Aired Sep 4, 2022 When a historic murder case in St. Andrews becomes the subject of a provocative true crime podcast, fearless detective Karen Pirie is tasked with heading up the cold case review. Details Episode 2 Aired Sep 11, 2022 With suspects under attack, Karen's cold case review becomes a live investigation. Details Episode 3 Aired Sep 18, 2022 When fast-thinking investigator Karen Pirie is promoted to Police Scotland's Historic Cases Unit, she is tasked with reopening the investigation into a murder. Details
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Season Info

Director
Gareth Bryn
Executive Producer
Simon Heath, Val McDermid, Emer Kenny
Screenwriter
Emer Kenny
Network
ITV
Genre
Crime, Drama
Original Language
British English
Release Date
Sep 4, 2022