Joe: He may already have allies in this station. So uh, I'm giving you a choice. This one's a matter of conscience, you uh, do what's right for you and your families.
Miles: [smiles] Well, someone's gotta hold your hand.
Joe: [smiles] Just us then, probably safer that way.
Fandom: Whitechapel (TV)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Relationships: Edward Buchan/Joseph Chandler/Ray Miles
Characters: Edward Buchan, Ray Miles, Joseph Chandler, Other(s)
Additional Tags: Whump, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Edward Buchan Needs a Hug, Hurt/Comfort, Panic Attacks, Blood and Injury, Crying, Trauma, Pre-Poly, Restraints, Angst with a Happy Ending, Title from a Poets of the Fall Song, Season/Series 04, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Edward Buchan Whump, One Shot
Summary: After dozing off in the archive, Ed wakes up with his hands cuffed behind his back. His restrained wrists bring back horrible memories of being kidnapped by Diggory, sending Ed spiralling into a panic attack. Luckily for Ed, Joe and Miles are the ones who find him.
It’s finally done!!
Decicated to @4th-make-quail and @80aidy80 for being so enthusiastic during the writing process!
Here's my thoughts on a show that both started airing 17 years ago and doesn't seem to have a large fandom on Tumblr.
TLDR: I started cause of Steve Pemberton stayed cause this show is fucking insane (/pos). If you like procedurals but with slightly more horror vibes and some crazy (/pos) editing choices this is the show for you.
Light spoilers below the cut
Seasons (or series if you want to be proper British about it):
1 & 2: Both direct copycats of historical Whitechapel crimes. Series one feels like oh this is kind of an obvious straightforward idea with some late 200s editing, but the characters make it interesting. But then you get to series 2 and you realize just how hard the show commits to its aesthetic choices. Like they completely changed the office but don't really acknowledge it diageticly, it's just to match the case's vibes. To be completely I think there are some clunky moments writing moments in every season but they are more noticeable in series 1 as you're not yet as invested. There is less personal drama but not zero.
3 & 4: instead of series long they switch to two episodes per chase which I do feel like is better pacing. They invest more in the characters so more personal drama but it's pretty good stuff even if that's not always your thing. They lean horror vibes but they extra lean horror in the final series. Religious imagery also goes hard especially in the last two episodes.
Main Characters (and a little about ships cause I just can't help myself):
D.C. Sanders: respectfully who? He's one of the guys from series one. The one who doesn't read very much. Mostly just their to be one of the guys tm
D.C. Fitzgerald: Fuck this dude. All my homies hate him for his betrayal of the team and intimidation of Kent.
D.C. John McCormack: I really felt bad for the guy in the end, but he was victim to series 1&2 not having as much character development.
Commander Anderson: kind of an asshole but he came through for Chandler in the end.
Now on the big guns
D.C. Finlay Mansell: in real life I would hate the guy. I mean he's a repeat cheater and he might have some issues with alcohol. In the show though he's compelling, kinda like a train wreck you can't look away from. Once he started dating Kent's sister it got extra juicy. I do feel like the show didn't highlight him as much as Kent or Riley.
D.C. Megan Riley: My queen! I love how kind but not soft she is if that makes sense. Like she is just a normal woman not insanely competent or hypersexualized she is just normal. In fact I think she's the most normal and balanced person of the entire team. I hate that she has to deal with patriarchal bullshit.
Dr Caroline Llewellyn: She is so no nonsense in a show where all of the people put up with or create nonsense.
D.C. Emerson Kent: oh my sad little gay boy. It was fun to watch him grow in some ways and shrink in others. Crushing on the boss/coworker is somewhat of a trope, but I felt like this was a fun little twist on it with seriously unhealthy levey jealousy happening. Toxic as it may be I was kinda here for it. Don't get me wrong I did at times find him frustrating. Particularly with Mansell like stop baiting each other for like 5 minutes. I do kinda ship him and Chandler because they probably would be very sweet together but thinking about it they do have some just absolutely crazy (both good and bad) moments in the show. There is probably an essay to be written about Kent's place in the state of LGBTQ+ representation in this era and genre.
Edward Buchan: I came here for Steve Pemberton and he didn't disappoint. What a sweetheart. He works for tea and biscuits. To be honest I'm not sure the show really truly justified his presences after series one but I don't really care. I too would love to hide in a basement surrounded by history. He really needs to learn to give himself some slack, like every time he feels responsible for more people dying and it is always 0% his fault. His crush on Riley was pretty awkward but otherwise I think their relationship was really sweet. I think the relationships he ad with Miles and Chandler were also really good. Miles in an antagonist to tolerate. Chandler in an instant ride or die but also an awkward way, maybe also in a gay way.
D.S. Ray Miles: the father figure is father figuring. Also I love that he clearly loves his wife and kids and has a good relationship with them. He is the people person but also kinda gruff. He is the salt of the earth type of dude to balance out Chandler and lead our rag tag gang of D.Cs. He really is the logical amount of sceptical of Buchanan even if it feels mean cause we love Buchanan. The theory/reveal, depending on your interpretation, that the little old lady/ the actual devil(?) cursed them feels so much more real cause he's the one to pitch the idea. He is supportive, if not always in the best way, of Chandlers OCD episodes and the possibility that Chandlers is LGBTQ+.
D.I. Joseph Chandler: My OCD king. I don't actually know that much about OCD so I'm not gonna comment on the accuracy of the representation but it is very compelling TV, and if someone does have more knowledge I'd love to hear your thoughts. I think that there is such a balance between him and miles and the rest of the team that makes the show work. I do think he is definitively the main character just cause he goes through the most development and we learn the most about his backstory. In the last series especially he has so much religious imagery about him which is crazy. I know the 2000s & 2010s are still in the era of Metrosexual being a popular term but this man is also crazy queer coded. To me he's giving Ace-spec in addition to gay/bi but regardless the man definitely has something going on. Even with the women he actively pursues he doesn't seem like actually interested, and narratively those interactions often result in him choosing a male friend over them. I can't be the only person who feels like he just has a crush on Buchanan, especially in the first two series. Just insane behavior to trust someone so quickly and so deeply. His relationship with Kent also lives in that space of otherness that makes me see it as a good ship. Their relationship is so different from his relationship with the other D.Cs and he might be a bit oblivious but he did agree to get drinks with Kent (and the rest of the team).
