Missing ‘Killing Eve’? Then It’s Time to Binge ‘Marcella’

If there’s one thing that British television knows it’s that you can’t beat a lady-led crime drama. Happy Valley, Broadchurch, The Fall — all are filled with whip-smart and exhausted female detectives who just want justice, dammit. But if Killing Eve‘s masterful blending of murder and mentally unstable leading ladies left you wanting more, then boy do I have a show for you. You simply must watch Marcella on Netflix.

Written and directed by Swedish screenwriter Hans Rosenfeldt and starring Anna Friel, on the surface Marcella looks like a typical crime drama. The series follows the life of Detective Sergeant Marcella Backland (Friel), a skilled investigator who’s in the middle of a complicated serial killer case. But Marcella has a secret that turns the entire premise of this series on its head. When she’s intensely stressed, she sometimes experiences violent blackouts. By examining and trying to explain these moments the series constantly questions whether its hero is actually a violent, unstable villain.

Marcella’s internal struggle and how her blackouts effect her husband, kid, and career play in between the crime drama’s twisting cases. It’s this duality that makes this good series great. Not only do viewers get complicated mysteries about serial killers, rich people with too many secrets, and the occult. There’s also a darker, more humane element to Marcella because of its constantly morally faltering leading character. Pursuing these horrifying crimes is likely the reason why Marcella has been blacking out and attacking the people she loves, but she can’t stop. Working on these crimes isn’t just her job. It’s a passion bordering on obsession she can’t shake, and it’s tearing her apart.

Detectives, reporters, and cops becoming dependent on the crimes that consume and ultimately ruin their lives is a very real thing. Though this cycle of abuse almost never manifests into rage-fueled blackouts, Marcella portrays this complicated relationship well and Friel’s performance elevates this interesting character to something extraordinary. Friel is a master of expressions. From scene to scene the actress’ face can shift from chilling hard stares to wide-eyed looks of terror. It’s never completely clear what Marcella is thinking or what she’s going to do next. Not only does this allow Friel to explore her wide range, but it adds to the unsettling tone of this show. There may be someone you can trust in Marcella, but our hero certainly isn’t it.

Without revealing any major spoilers, Season 2 dives into this complexity even further, forcing Marcella to deal with her alter ego in a more direct way. This new season gives Marcella a more direct foe in Detective Constable Leanne Hunter (Sophia Brown). Marcella and her unstable past have always been challenged by her optimistic and well-meaning partner Detective Inspector Rav Sangha (Ray Panthaki), though his approaches and condemnations have always been admittedly delicate. But the sharp and no-nonsense Leanne sees the detective’s double life perhaps more clearly than Marcella herself sees it. And she has no time for it.

Marcella has no business being as good as it is. It could just be another scandalous crime drama filled with crazy twists and mysteries, and would still be good. The straight crime drama elements of this British series are always solid. But beneath the investigations is a character we can never fully trust and who is consistently more interesting than the bad guys she pursues. If you’re craving an excellent weekend binge, Marcella’s two eight-episode seasons are your cure.

Stream Marcella on Netflix