Without Sin is too short with four episodes and therefore hasn't got enough depth. Stella Tomplinson's (Vicky McClure, Line of Duty) life is turned upside down after the murder of her daughter. Her relationship with her husband is over. They still have contact, but that doesn't help with the pain. It is rather the opposite. They only make it harder for themselves. It doesn't help when her ex's new girlfriend turns out to be pregnant. Stella can therefore only fall back on her mother and her job as a taxi driver.
It has exciting and intriguing principles, but ultimately it does not deliver enough.
Stella is asked to meet her child's imprisoned killer. It is in the context of a new project that apparently achieves good results. It helps the victims to better process what happened to them and their loved ones. After originally refusing, Stella agrees anyway. When she meets Charles Stone (Johnny Harris, The Salisbury Poisonings) he tells her something that turns Stella's world upside down.
The series revolves around the question of whether what Charles told Stella is true. Stella investigates and discovers that the world is very different from what she thought. The murder of her daughter is also put in a different light. The ending is surprising but also somewhat predictable. It kind of draws the level of the television series. It has exciting and intriguing principles, but ultimately it does not deliver enough. The elaboration of the story is often too far-fetched. If the writers and creators had put a little more time and attention into it, it would probably have been much better.
It gives, just like the number of episodes, the feeling that this series should not be too expensive.
The level is not due to the acting of the main characters. That is generally fine. However, a number of actors seem to be on autopilot mode. The obvious wig on Vicky McClure's head doesn't help either. It gives, just like the number of episodes, the feeling that this series should not be too expensive. The way in which the plot is rushed helps to maintain that image. Too bad, because if the series had paid more attention to the different points of view and backgrounds, Without Sin would have gained more depth. Now it just doesn't deliver.
