In the world of television, new colleagues rarely take time to settle in, a stark contrast to the cautious first days of a real-life job. This is the dynamic immediately established in Channel 5's newest crime drama, Cooper & Fry, which launched with a case as dark and twisted as the relationship between its two leads.
A Rocky Start in the Peaks
The series introduces Diane Fry (Mandip Gill), an ambitious detective constable who has mysteriously transferred from Leeds to the Edendale police station in the Peak District. From her first moment, Fry is charmless, self-important, and rebuffs all friendly overtures, even going so far as to refuse a slice of welcome cake.
She is swiftly partnered with DC Ben Cooper (Robert James-Collier), an easy-going local and the son of a murdered sergeant from the same station. ‘We’re a close team here,’ he advises her, to which Fry snootily replies, ‘I like to keep my work and private life separate.’ Her standoffish nature is compounded by ominous text messages from a stalker known only as Dave, hinting at the reasons for her sudden move.
A Grisly Case of Folklore and Meth
The new duo's first case together begins with the discovery of a body at a remote farm, which quickly escalates into two bodies—one missing a head, the other a hand. The investigation plunges them into a world of local superstition involving a ‘Screaming Skull’ believed to fend off evil spirits, tarot cards, and the chilling revelation of a farmer keeping his brother's head in a wardrobe.
Fry's city methods frequently clash with Cooper's local intuition, and her insensitivity is highlighted when she bluntly asks an elderly, confused farmer in a care home if he was ‘aware that human remains were buried on your farm.’ Despite her arrogance, the motive proves to be brutally worldly: a care home nurse and her farmer father were operating a crystal meth factory. The case reaches a climax as the murderous father is about to shoot Cooper, only to be knocked out by Fry wielding a plank of wood, solidifying their volatile partnership.
Secrets Set the Stage for Future Episodes
The closing moments of the episode promise more mystery to come. It is revealed that the killer of Cooper's father was never found, leading the young detective to maintain a detailed evidence wall in his flat. Simultaneously, Fry's stalker, Dave, threatens to find her ‘wherever she is,’ a task made simpler when the local papers splash the headline: ‘Newcomer Fry helps crack headless body mystery.’
With its clashing detectives, a backdrop of personal secrets, and a gruesome first case, Cooper & Fry establishes itself as a classic British crime drama with ample room for its characters and their hidden pasts to unravel.
