Sophie Rundle returns as Jo Marshall in the second series of the Yorkshire-set crime drama After the Flood, but while the lead remains luminous, the show struggles to break new ground. The first series, which aired in 2024, followed Jo, a heavily pregnant police constable investigating a murder that exposed deep corruption in her department, set against the backdrop of a devastating flood. The finale was a tour de force, blending personal and professional climaxes.
Now, a year on, Jo is a detective, separated from the father of her child, Pat (Matt Stokoe), but determined to bring down the corrupt cop running the town. When a body is found on the moors, Jo must untangle a web of possible connections: a chemicals company dumping waste, heather burning for grouse shooting, and fly-tipping on farmland. Meanwhile, someone is daubing red X on buildings in protest.
Rundle is as compelling as ever, embodying sympathy and curiosity in a town where most are either villains or victims. Her relationship with her mother Molly (Lorraine Ashbourne) adds depth, with Molly now on the local council, highlighting environmental failures. However, the second series treads similar turf to the first, relying on familiar tropes. The murder case—a body full of shotgun pellets—echoes the first season's drowning-that-wasn't, but feels less inventive. Jo risks becoming just another TV cop following clues.
Despite these shortcomings, After the Flood remains above average, but the premium genre piece must be careful not to overindulge its tropes. This series lacks the standout set piece of the flood itself, leaving viewers with solid but unspectacular drama.
