A new television crime drama, "The Crow Girl," is facing criticism for its predictable plotlines and reliance on overused character archetypes, according to TV critic Christopher Stevens.
Stevens specifically calls out the opening scene, a common trope where a stressed female detective juggles breakfast preparations with the news of a murder. He argues this is a "lazy, hackneyed way to introduce the characters," serving as a "cheap shorthand" to portray a capable but overwhelmed woman. The critic expresses frustration with this formula, stating he plans to use the term "cereal killers" for future instances.
Eve Myles stars as DCI Jeanette Kilburn, a character Stevens feels ticks "every cliche checklist." Her partner, DI Lou Stanley, played by Dougray Scott, is also depicted as part of this formula. The series, which aired on Paramount+ for its second season, is based on a Swedish novel by Erik Axl Sund.
The investigation in "The Crow Girl" begins with a naked male corpse found near the home of a dentist, Carl Lowry, who has already been arrested for child pornography possession. A psychologist, Dr. Sophia Craven, played by Katherine Kelly, is introduced to assess Lowry's mental health, a plot point Stevens finds illogical. He contrasts her serene portrayal, in contrast to Kilburn's harried life, suggesting Craven's character avoids the domestic pressures that define Kilburn.
Further complicating the investigation, DCI Kilburn discovers the victim was frozen, an element she apparently missed at the crime scene. A pathologist quips the body was "like a Findus lasagne down the back of a freezer," a reference Stevens suggests is relatable to a busy working mother.
The series is also noted to share thematic similarities with another show, "The Dark" on ITV1, which features a similar stressed female detective pursuing a killer leaving victims across the Scottish Highlands.