ITV's detective drama Vera has reached its tenth anniversary, defying the odds in a crowded television landscape. The series, starring Brenda Blethyn as the eponymous sleuth, averages 7.8 million viewers per episode and is one of the best-selling British dramas internationally.
The show's success is attributed to a combination of factors: Blethyn's Oscar-nominated pedigree, source material from Ann Cleeves' bestselling novels, and a character who is both straight-talking and compassionate. Blethyn notes that audiences initially found Vera unlikeable but warmed to her as they saw her defend her team.
Executive producer Phil Hunter describes the show as a 'trailblazer' for female-led police dramas. 'There's now an appetite for telling stories with really capable women in those positions,' he says. Professor Charlotte Brunsdon from Warwick University places Vera in the British detective fiction tradition alongside Inspector Morse and Rebus, offering closure and satisfaction.
The new series begins with Vera investigating the death of an entrepreneur, a classic crime-of-passion case. Blethyn, who has built a strong friendship with Cleeves, ensures the character stays true to the books. 'It's also good to see a woman of her age in a position of authority,' Blethyn adds.
