The Mermaids Singing: Part 1

Episode aired Nov 14, 2002
TV-MA
49m

IMDb RATING

7.5/10

481

YOUR RATING

Crime Drama Mystery Thriller

A police psychologist pursues a serial killer who tortures homosexual victims in increasingly gruesome ways.A police psychologist pursues a serial killer who tortures homosexual victims in increasingly gruesome ways.A police psychologist pursues a serial killer who tortures homosexual victims in increasingly gruesome ways.

Director
- Andrew Grieve
Writers
- Patrick Harbinson
- Val McDermid
Stars

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.5/10

481

YOUR RATING

Director
- Andrew Grieve
Writers
- Patrick Harbinson
- Val McDermid
Stars

See production info at IMDbPro

Photos

Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
The title "Wire in the Blood" is a phrase that comes from T.S. Eliot's "Four Quartets": "The trilling wire in the blood / sings below inveterate scars / appeasing long-forgotten wars." It is also the name of the Book by Val McDermid that is the second in the Tony Hill/Carol Jordon series. As for the meaning, in an interview Robson Green said the phrase was taken to mean a genetic kink, something impure and unusual in the blood, that leads to the kind of psychosis Dr. Tony Hill might deal with. Series writer Val McDermid says: "Who knows what Eliot really meant by that line? Robson's explanation is as good as any. For myself, I've always taken it to be a metaphor for the thrill of adrenaline surging through the bloodstream. But we'll never know for sure".

Quotes
Dr. Ashley Vernon: Cause of death, cut throat. Carotid severed. Whatever blood was left was drained pretty quick by the excision of his penis.

Soundtracks
Wire in the Blood
Written and Performed by The Insects

User reviews1

Review

Featured review

6/10

The Mermaids Singing: Part 1

Adapted from the books by Val McDermid. It is another cop show by ITV. The first story features a grisly serial killer.

Set in the fictional northern town of Bradfield. It must lie somewhere between Leeds and Manchester. The police are grappling with three male deaths, all of them tortured and mutilated.

There is a serial killer on the loose. Detective Inspector Carol Jordan (Hermione Norris) wants the help of wayward psychologist Dr Tony Hill (Robson Green) but he is no profiler and has issues of his own.

Jordan's boss Tom Cross has no time for Hills but is forced to accept him. When the fourth victim turns out to be a serving policeman. Cross plans to fit up the suspect they have in custody. Gay gym owner Stevie McTeer knew the dead men.

Both Jordan and Dr Hill are not convinced about McTeer. The real killer is playing a game with a purpose.

The first episode emphasises the horrifying graphic nature of the deaths. However I got the feeling ITV were looking for the next Cracker with a touch of Prime Suspect. Let's not forget The Silence of the Lambs.

The killer might be a monster, but Wire in the Blood is Frankenstein's monster made up of other sources.