Much-loved BBC series loses none of its charm as it returns with TV ‘reboot’ | Soaps

‘Life changes. It’s how you adapt that matters’.

Wise words from Siobhan O’Hare as she reacted to a number of big changes in the opening of episode of Hope Street’s new series.

But while the local GP was referring to the fictional events in Port Devine between this series and the last, it’s a sentiment that I feel perfectly sums up the new season of the BBC NI series.

It’s no exaggeration to say that it’s all change this year.

From the departure of key faces to the introduction of a bunch of new cast members, plus an expanded police station set, series four feels less like a follow up and more like a reboot.

The serial drama’s charm and attraction, as anyone who has tuned in over the last three years will know, lies in its wonderful characters and the relationships that they share. That soap-like quality of community.

For me, this is the most important thing – even more so than the crimefighting – and it is ultimately what keeps me coming back for more year in and year out.

The thought of any significant changes or alterations to that formula was something I was sceptical about at first, especially considering how much I enjoyed the third season, which saw the BBC series realise its true potential.

But in order to survive you must learn to adapt and grow and, let’s face it, change has always been a crucial component of Hope Street’s DNA. Just look at how well its introduced its new detectives over the years.

Bosses’ unwillingness to allow the series to get stale is what ultimately makes it a compelling watch year after year and you really have to commend them for not resting on their laurels. At the end of the day, change is always a risk and the calibre of changes this season could certainly have backfired.

But, spoiler alert: they didn’t.

I don’t really know how to describe it but there is something electric about the fourth series, pretty much from the get-go. In my review of series three, I mentioned how the show had finally achieved its true potential, feeling less like an experiment and more like a TV titan, operating at maximum power.

Despite all the cast changes, that level of confidence is not only still there, it’s more present than ever. It’s like the show knows exactly what it is now and what it’s capable of and, as a result, it doesn’t falter once.

The plots are, much like last year, more mature than before and of a much higher quality in comparison to earlier seasons, and everything feels fresh and exciting. Having said that, it still inherently feels like Hope Street. All those things I mentioned earlier about what made the show so great are still there.

I did wonder how the series would cope with the loss of Inspector Finn – and by association the entire O’Hare clan – but the whole thing is handled remarkably well.

I was very much a fan of Finn but I also never bought into the notion that he was the main character, as I think the show functions better as an ensemble piece, something which it seemed to realise itself last season, with the Inspector’s reduced episode count allowing the series to evolve to a point where it could go on without him.

But what I did worry about was how the new characters would be introduced. For me, that would ultimately determine whether or not the changes had been a success.

I’m not generally a fan of when TV shows bring in a new cast at the expense of the OGs, who can often feel relegated to the background as a result, but that’s not what happens here at all.

If anything, it’s the opposite.

Hope Street handles the changes slowly but surely, avoiding the aforementioned scenario entirely by drip-feeding the introductions across a number of episodes so that it’s not too much at once, thus allowing us time to get to know each character before we move onto the next.

It really is a seamless transition.

Eve Dunlop taking over as Inspector of Port Devine’s police department at the shiny new headquarters is executed incredibly very well and the newcomer couldn’t be further from Finn in terms of characterisation, which is exactly the way it should be.

Tara Lynne O’Neill thrives as Eve who, despite her stern approach to the job, is just as flawed as everyone else and not quite as sure of herself as she makes out, which provides for some very good moments of character building throughout the season.

I love that everyone still knows everyone in Port Devine and tying Eve to Marlene’s past was a stroke of genius, as it aids in allowing her to slot right in while also providing for an interesting – and occasionally difficult – dynamic between the two women.

Luke Jackson is also another welcomed addition, providing a totally different energy in the station to anything we’ve seen previously. His chemistry with Eve is apparent from their very first scene together, making this a very believable marriage. I feel like we’ve only scratched the surface with him and Marcus Onilude is so good at what he does.

The same can be said for Katie Shortt, who is nothing short of excellent as the firecracker that is Brandi with an ‘I’. Brandi livens things up a bit and her dynamic with polar opposite and yet incredibly similar Nicole makes her a natural for The Commodore. She gives Main Character Energy in every scene that she’s in and the cheeky relationship with Ryan is charming, with actors Katie and Finnian Garbutt working really well on-screen together.

Her debut also affords Ryan the opportunity to grow as a character, who feels a lot more sure of himself in comparison to last year. The cub is growing up and that’s never more apparent than in the back half of the season, with certain developments giving Finnian an opportunity to show what he’s capable of as an actor.

And speaking of actors, Eleanor Methven is an absolute powerhouse as the brilliant Lois Dunlop, who was vying for the top spot in my favourite characters list within her first ten minutes on screen.

I was particularly taken with how believable this character is. The script never fails her but the credit goes to the way Eleanor delivers her dialogue, which just rolls off her tongue in the most naturalistic fashion.

It’s just so unbelievably believable. A flawed Northern Irish grandmother who always thinks she’s doing the right thing – even when she’s not – and her development throughout the season makes for such a great watch. The queen of the offended facial expression I fear.

Ross and Chloe are delightful new additions, with actors Jonny Grogan and RhéAna Kamalu having such a believable chemistry as siblings and they both hit the ground running, respectively shining at different points during the eight episodes.

I was a bit apprehensive about the shorter season length. With all the new character introductions, plus a long-running crime story as well as the weekly plots, I feared that there simply wouldn’t be enough time for all the characters and stories.

But I really like how the season is paced, with gaps in time to allow stories to ferment and characters to grow. What’s more, the balance between the newbies and the OGs is just right.

Last season increased the focus on the likes of Callum and Nicole, two of the series’ greatest offerings, and it set the scene beautifully for both characters and their respective storylines to take centre stage in series four.

And boy do they deliver.

Callum has always been the heart of the show for me and, with bosses having essentially taken the training wheels of him last series, he’s gone from strength to strength, proving capable as a leading man rather than simply the comic relief.

Word of Nicole’s pregnancy provides him with a deliciously brilliant dilemma as it calls into question whether he can have the life he pictured with one true love Jo Lipton, leaving him with a big decision to make.

Thankfully, he doesn’t leave Port Devine. I hope he never does. He’s such a great character and the introduction of his dad Seamie provides the long-awaited backstory to explore why he is the way that he is.

His dad’s presence also juxtaposes nicely with the prospect of Callum himself becoming a father, grounding the character more and giving him a nice new shoulder to lean on in Finn’s absence. This is such a great dynamic as well, with Paddy Jenkins feeling like he’s always been there.

Much like he did last series, actor Niall Wright rises to the challenge, with an opportunity to showcase just how great he is at drama, which says a lot about how far Callum has come given that the character provided much of the humour in earlier seasons.

The same can be said for Nicole, whose pursuit of becoming a mother has largely defined her entire journey to date on the show, meaning that this season is both a conclusion and a beginning for her.

Niamh has always been a scene stealer, but there’s another quality to her performances this year. A subtlety in the way she portrays certain emotional scenes, making it hard to know what Nicole is thinking, which – given that this is a person who always lets you know what she’s thinking – is a truly brilliant take on a character at such a pivotal time in her life.

Niamh’s on-screen chemistry with co-star Aaron McCusker is as wonderful as ever, with Nicole and Clint getting their finest material to date this year, which just aids in further cementing them as one of TV’s best duos.

Marlene’s storyline this year is also really great, with Kerri Quinn – who was a little underused last year – shining as the tough no-nonsense police sergeant. She just gives off main character vibes this year in a way we’ve not seen previously and I hope that continues if the TV gods are so kind to grant us another season.

The decision to include a long-running story in the historic disappearance of Shelley was another welcomed change. The stakes just feel higher. Much higher than any crime we’d seen previously. And a number of twists and turns throughout make for great telly as it all builds to an incredible finale, which is quite possibly the best hour of Hope Street to date.

I also loved that, while setting up the future, series four is still very much in touch with its history. This season begins by revisiting the disppearance of Al Quinn, whose return to Port Devine has our police officers on a mission to put him behind bars.

I was really happy to see this narrative re-visited so that it could get a solid resolution and having Callum – who was previously arrested due to Al’s scheming – be the one to snap on the cuffs was pretty perfect. A true chefs kiss moment.

There is a lot of looking back this year and that reflection largely stems from an upsetting event later in the season, which sparks quite a few returns.

The outing in question serves as the closing of a chapter, tying up a number of loose ends and offering a resolution of sorts for certain characters and dynamics, before the show fully commits to its new era.

And commits it most certainly does.

Hope Street knows exactly what is is now and that’s just so wonderful to see. I did worry that it couldn’t match up to the heights of series three but it somehow manages to exceed them this year, with a blend of old and new – coupled with stronger stories and focus on all the right characters – making this season its best yet.

More please!

Hope Street returns Friday November 1 at 2pm on BBC One or stream the whole series now on BBC iPlayer. 

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