BBC Vigil returned on Sunday, August 30, for its third season after a three-year wait, and the opening episode quickly escalated when a British soldier was killed in Svalbard, Norway.
Unlike the previous two series, MI5 did not approach DCI Amy Silva (played by Suranne Jones) to fly out and investigate. Instead, her wife DI Kirsten Longacre (Rose Leslie) was deployed to the region.
Creator explains the shift
Creator Tom Edge said this decision will cause problems for the couple. He explained: "This choice is discomforting for both Amy and Kirsten. Kirsten doesn't want to let Amy down; Amy struggles not to micromanage from afar."
Edge added: "The choice exposes issues of trust, ambition and power-imbalances between them just as Kirsten's maternity leave comes to an end, a threshold that already prompts questions of career and family life balance."
Strategic reasons hinted
There is also a practical reason for Kirsten's assignment. Edge continued: "There is a practical reason for Kirsten to be assigned the foreign-soil gig; they need the investigation to appear low-key."
He noted that sending a DCI, especially one with Amy's track record, would risk announcing the UK's interests. Edge then hinted: "But as the series progresses it may be that there is a more strategic reason at play as to why Kirsten is selected over Amy..."
First episode challenges
While Kirsten is on the frontline, the first episode also proved challenging for Amy, who was injured in a laboratory explosion and witnessed a politician's kidnapping.
The second episode airs on Monday, August 31, at 9pm, as Kirsten and Amy delve deeper into the murder investigation. The first two episodes are already available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
The remaining episodes of the six-part series are expected to be released on Sunday mornings on BBC iPlayer and on Sundays and Mondays on BBC One. Vigil is available to watch on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
