Scottish drama Shetland is back, with a twist – there’s no more DI Jimmy Perez and plenty of DI Ruth Calder. And the pair, at first glance, couldn’t be more different.
Fans of the BBC One show will know that Douglas Henshall quit in 2022. After almost 10 years, he said goodbye to his iconic detective character in a heartbreaking storyline. And, to be honest, I’m still pretty gutted.
Yes, I know there have been plenty of other TV shows where the lead characters have been replaced – Midsomer Murders, Silent Witness, and Death in Paradise to name a few. But, I thought Perez was the glue that kept the show together. Now, I watch a LOT of detective dramas, but there are few lead characters I’ve loved as much as Jimmy Perez.
He was kind, he worked his arse off, and he rocked that navy peacoat like no one before or since. Incase, you haven’t clicked yet, I had a crush. And him leaving the show felt like a real loss. Many tissues were needed…
No one can replace DI Jimmy Perez in Shetland
First, let’s get something out of the way. No one can ever replace DI Jimmy Perez in Shetland. There will always be a Jimmy-shaped hole in the BBC series.
He was the first. And, for some, the best. There will undoubtedly be haters who will never accept Ashley as DI Calder. But I have become a surprising convert! Hear me out.
I watched the first episode quite convinced I wouldn’t like DI Ruth Calder. Don’t get me wrong, I adore Ashley Jensen. Have loved her ever since she first grabbed my attention in Ricky Gervais’ Extras. But, well, she’s not Douglas is she?
However, the scriptwriters haven’t tried to fit Calder into Perez’s role. Like in ITV hit drama Unforgotten, DI Jessie James is a totally different character to the beloved Cassie. And that’s why it works – Perez and Calder are incomparable.
What is Perez replacement DI Ruth Calder like in Shetland?
Like DI Jessie James, DI Ruth Calder‘’’
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