The series of acclaimed murder-mystery BBC drama Shetland centres on a historic murder, which will forever change the lives of those connected in the present day. As hidden secrets are stirred up from a watery grave, the ripple effects are felt in the community and beyond.
The team makes a grim discovery when a car is dredged from the water and skeletal remains of an unknown male are found in the boot. The car belongs to Dr Raymond Linden, a respected local GP who fled the isles 9 years ago. Then unfolds an investigation to track down Dr Linden and uncover the victim’s identity.
Tosh and Calder meet Linden’s formidable mother Martha (played by Stella Gonet) and brother Eric (John Wark). Martha is convinced that something terrible happened to Raymond, forcing him to leave. But Eric isn’t as convinced.
In contrast, Linden’s ex-wife Emily (Christine Bottomley) gives a very different recollection of her missing husband. Calder and Tosh learn that the doctor was troubled and in turn made her and their son Jonah’s (Jude Bain) life a living hell.
Elsewhere, Sandy meets Donald Pierce (Gregor Fisher), a lonely and overzealous old man, who finds himself unwittingly embroiled in the investigation.
As Calder and Tosh dig deeper to identify the victim in the car, they must delve into Raymond Linden’s state-of-mind and the lives of the loved ones he left behind. The investigation takes them to unexpectedly dark and dangerous places in their quest for the truth.
Last time around we saw Ruth come to terms with her past as well as her family’s connection to religion. In Series 11, Ruth finds herself with a new house guest in the form of her brother Alan, who has moved in with her whilst work is done on the manse. Although she pretends to be annoyed, Ruth is secretly coming to enjoy living with her brother. But peace between them is short lived. When the case forces her to look at her behaviour towards those she loves the most, will Ruth be able to let her walls down enough so as not to lose her relationship with the only family she has?
Where do we find Calder as the series begins?
We find her in quite a happy place. She’s settled, and she’s got her brother Alan staying with her. She pretends to be annoyed about it, but I think she’s secretly delighted he’s there. He cooks wonderful dinners and looks after her, even though he’s the wee brother.
At work, she’s comfortable. She knows what she’s doing and has a good relationship with Tosh. They work differently, but there’s a mutual respect and they complement each other. They’ve got a good cop, bad cop approach that works really well.
What is the storyline for this new series?
It all begins when the remains of a man are discovered in a car dredged from the sea. And so begins the investigation — who is he? Who do these bones belong to? It takes the team on a journey through lots of different characters, and everybody’s got a secret to hide. Calder and the team begin to question whether any of these secrets are connected to the victim. As it turns out, they’re all intertwined.
What challenges does Calder face this year?
I think one of her biggest challenges is feeling abandoned. It’s nobody’s fault, but she’s finally allowed herself to relax. She might even have quietly admitted to herself, “I’m actually quite content. I’m happy.” And then her whole world is shaken again.
There’s Alan’s news, what happens with Tosh, and the sheer weight and scale of her job.
Calder and Tosh are both caught up in their own investigations and personal journeys. Calder becomes more emotionally involved this year, and that can affect her judgement. She loses it from time to time.
Calder’s relationship with her brother Alan takes a turn this year. What happens?
They’ve grown really close. Ruth’s quite a solitary character, and it’s taken them a long time to get to a place where they finally have a proper relationship. Just when she thinks they’ve found something, they hit a bump in the road.
She’s genuinely happy in her own company. She doesn’t need a man to validate her or make her feel complete. She lives life on her own terms.
This series sees the exit of Tosh. What impact does this have on Calder?
It’s huge, and not just for Calder. Tosh is such a stalwart of that incident room, and she leaves an enormous hole. For Calder, it almost confirms her belief that she’s better off not getting too close to people, because ultimately they leave. She and Tosh have reached a lovely place in their relationship. They’re comfortable with each other, they have a laugh, they wind each other up, but they really get each other. They complement each other at work, so Tosh leaving changes everything. How will Ruth react? Well, she can be quite emotionally dismissive, which sometimes comes across as brutal. Only time will tell.
What was it like to say goodbye to Alison?
Oh, it was so hard, but really lovely too. For her last scene, the crew all came in wearing Tosh jumpers. There were tears!
Shetland has been such a huge part of Alison’s life, and she absolutely owned it. She was so welcoming when I joined, and we’ve got on brilliantly ever since. I completely understand why she’s leaving, but it’s bittersweet. I’ll miss her terribly.
You have a comedy background, as do two of the guest cast, Gregor Fisher and Gavin Mitchell. What was it like working with them?
Magical. I worked with Gregor many years ago, so it was wonderful to be reunited with him. And Gavin was an absolute joy to have on set. I think comedy actors can move into drama far more easily than people realise. They’re often much more versatile than they’re given credit for. Gregor and Gavin both play gritty, emotional roles that have a huge impact on the story.
And that’s what I love about Shetland. Nothing is black and white. There are so many grey areas with these complex characters. The law is the law, of course, but as an audience you’re aware of the human element behind these crimes. That’s what makes it so compelling.
The Shetland team are famous for their theme-night parties. What was it this year, and what did you dress up as? You’re always so creative!
They’re legendary! This year the theme was “Vikings & Queens”, and I think I may have surpassed myself. I made a fine Viking!
I walked into the party and nobody recognised me. I was standing next to the make-up girls when I heard someone say, “Who’s that guy?” So I just wandered around, had a wee dance, and eventually announced, “It’s me!” I loved my beard so much I even did a little photoshoot before the party.
These nights are always such fun. We’re all away from home, so we really throw ourselves into them. I think it’s important never to lose your inner child or your sense of playfulness.
What do you think is the enduring appeal of the show?
In one word — Shetland. The location is ultimately the star of the show. But the characters are so relatable too, even the suspects. The police have lives beyond their investigations, and we’re allowed into those lives, so we care about them.
Calder, for instance, is brilliant at her job, but she fails a bit at life. She’s not perfect. She’s human. I mean, she even eats a crisp sandwich at work! She can be quite undignified and messy, which I love.
For me, Shetland has it all — colourful, complex characters set against this extraordinary, beautiful landscape.
What do you love most about location filming on the Shetland Isles?
As an actor, it really helps root you in your character. You walk the streets, you get to know the landscape, and you feel part of the place. There’s something magical about being up there. It unifies the cast and crew, and I think we all feel drawn to it. We’re genuinely excited to go back each year. We make our own entertainment too. Some of the crew go wild swimming. I don’t, because I’m convinced I’d get hypothermia if I started regularly throwing myself into the sea!
There’s a slower pace of life, which is lovely. And I think the guest cast feel incredibly lucky to spend time there. It’s such a lovely job.