Lynley series 2 hopes after ambiguous ending about the future of DI Lynley and DS Havers
Lynley ended up with a bruised face and a bruised heart :(
Lynley series 1 came to a bittersweet ending, with DI Thomas Lynley and DS Barbara Havers proving that the criminals of Norfolk were no match for them, but will they be back in a series 2?
Pitched as a mismatched duo, they actually had a lot more in common than they first realised. The pair started with a touch of frostbite, but their relationship soon turned into a warm hug. And the ending of Lynley left the door wide open for them to return…
So what do we know about a possible series 2 of Lynley, and where did the series 1 ending leave us?
***Warning: spoilers from the Lynley ending ahead***
What happened in Lynley episode 4, With No-One as a Witness?
Lynley and Havers investigated the death of homeless teenager Kimmo Thorne, a day after Havers reluctantly arrested for petty theft. The investigation led Lynley and Havers to a church with ties to a local drug gang, but they soon discovered connections to an unsolved murder investigated by their retiring colleague, DI Horwood. They were subsequently confronted with the uncomfortable reality of corruption from within the precinct.
Lynley discovered his predecessor DI Derek Horwood was corrupt. For the right money, he had turned a blind eye to some of the drug gangs in the area. And Lynley strongly suspected that his boss DCI Brian Nies was also complicit (more on that below).
When a third victim was discovered with the same wound pattern as the first two victims, Lynley and Havers sought advice to understand the psychological profile of a potential serial killer…
Meanwhile, tensions erupted between Chief Inspector Nies and DI Lynley and they finally addressed the betrayal that plagued their relationship. In a gripping finale, a terrifying abduction “rattled everyone’s faith”. In fact, two murders were committed by brainwashed church youth Ryan, who believed he was doing God’s work – “a mind corrupted by religious fantasies”. He later kidnapped Lynley’s girlfriend Helen in a bid to lure the DI into a trap.
The third murder? Well that was committed by the very person Lynley and Havers had gone to for advice about the first two murders – Professor Hamish Milne at Norfolk University!
Did DI Thomas Lynley get together with Helen?
In the final episode of Lynley on BBC One, Lynley and Helen had a tricky conversation about their relationship. Having reconnected in episode 2 of the series, they became intimate pretty quickly.
And in episode four, they had a chat about their future. Meeting one evening after work, she told him: “I’m assuming if we do start dating, there’s going to be a lot of this – snatching moments at the end of the evening. As long as I know what I’m getting into.”
When Lynley replied: “It’s tough maintaining a relationship. Believe me, I’ve tried.”
At that, Helen nearly made Lynley spit his crisps out when she blurted out: ‘We haven’t talked about monogamy. I’m just putting it out there. I was going to sort of work up to it, but you keep having to dash off, so I thought I would just broach it. I see other people and I’m assuming you do too. So do you want to keep going like that, or are you looking for something a bit more permanent.”
A shocked Lynley replied: “I don’t see other people Helen. I don’t really see anyone at all. I haven’t really dated in a while. And, to be honest, I’m not really comfortable being on a slate. So I guess I like the idea of a commitment.”
Lynley series 2: Did they stay together or break up?
But sadly, having decided to give their relationship a go, their commitment to each other didn’t last long. When she became collateral damage in Lynley’s latest case, she realised the relationship was too risky. She told Lynley – after he saved her life no less – that she “didn’t think she could do this”.
She said: “Tommy, I thought I could go this but I can’t. I’m not sure we can be together. It’s the way that you live; the risks that you take. I’m not sure I can fall in love with someone who does what you do. And I’m sorry. Because I know you gave up everything for this life. But I’m not sure that I can share it with you.”
The series ended with Helen not wanting to see Lynley for a while.
Just another sacrifice Lynley has made for his career, including losing contact with his family. Viewers know that Lynley’s dad is the Earl of Asherton, but Lynley has refused to take over the family ‘business’.
What happened between Nies and Lynley?
BBC One described Chief Inspector Nies as “a clever, analytical, and politically astute career officer”. But he sure did hate Lynley. However, his aversion to Lynley was born of his own insecurities about class and because he knew he was no longer the smartest person in the room…
In the earlier episodes, Nies tried to drive a wedge between Lynley and his new partner Havers. However, Havers was too clever to be manipulated.
We know Nies and Lynley worked together years ago in the Met, and it had ended badly. In the present day, when Lynley implied Nies knew about Norwood’s corruption, Nies turned nasty. Tensions finally erupted between the pair and they finally addressed the betrayal that plagued their relationship.
Nies told Lynley: “It’s all happening again, isn’t it? Exactly like it was between us in London. You walk in like you own the place, and start trying to question my authority. Are you going to go to my superiors again, are you? Deliberately to try and undermine me?”
Itching to suspend Lynley, the pair were forced to come to an uneasy alliance. Nies reluctantly admitted: “Like it or not, you get results.”
What is a CHIS?
Anyone who has watched Line of Duty will know the meaning of CHIS. CHIS is an acronym for Covert Human Intelligence Source. In less police-y talk, that means an informant or undercover operative used by the police or intelligence agencies to gather info on serious crimes.
In Lynley, DI Derek Horwood had an informer – a CHIS – who fed him information about the drug operations in Norfolk. Of course, not all informants were volunteers. Some are coerced to feed information or infiltrate gangs in exchange for having their own crimes forgotten.
Criminal gangs might call a CHIS a grass.
Lynley series 2: What happened to Lynley’s brother?
We know Lynley and Havers have something in common. Both lost their brothers. Talking about it, Lynley admitted his brother had died as well, but that he “wasn’t very good at talking about it”. He told Havers: “We’ve been through the same things you and I.”
Although it has not been addressed in the new series, fans of the books will know that Thomas’ younger brother Peter struggled with drug addiction.
As for Havers, her brother died from cancer.
Is there a series 2 of Lynley?
Neither BritBox, where the series first aired, nor BBC One have confirmed a series 2 of Lynley. But the door was left open for more episodes.
The “contemporary update” of the mystery crime series is based on the best-selling novels by Elizabeth George – and there are plenty more to adapt. So far, we’ve seen adaptations of A Place of Hiding, This Body of Death, Careless in Red, and With No One as a Witness. But there are many more.
The OG series, called The Inspector Lynley Mysteries, first aired in 2001 and went on for seven years until 2008. It ran for six series and 24 episodes, and was incredibly popular.
So there’s plenty of potential for a series 2 of Lynley in the future.
Lynley reviews
Well, here at TVGuide.co.uk, we embraced the series for being more like a cosy crime drama, with a fittie detective, and a charming friendship growing. Add in the beautiful filming locations, and it felt like a warm bath to delve into, perfect for a stress-free Monday night. Lynley and Havers grew on us, and we’d love to see more of them in a possible series 2.
The Guardian’s Lucy Mangan called it “the ultimate undemanding telly”, while The Independent described it as “a great comeback for the detective show” despite the “wooden acting and clunky scripts”.
Meanwhile, the Radio Times called it “refreshingly straight-forward storytelling” with an “abundance of old-school charm”.
Viewers were divided, with some calling it “disappointing”, and “dull”. One disappointed BBC One viewer said: “Lynley was very disappointing. Looked cheaply made. Was it filmed on a phone or something? Characters no charisma. Left it half way. Rather watch an old #Morse. Now that was brilliant filming.”
Another said: “I don’t know much about #lynley original series, but everything about this new series is terrible. The acting is terrible and the camera work is just strange. Too many clichés. It just feels cheap.”
However, there were plenty of fans, too. One wrote: “#Lynley was quite enjoyable for a Monday. Old-fashioned fun.”
Another said: “Seems to be a lot of silly complainers on here, but I really enjoyed the first ep of #Lynley.”
A third added: “#Lynley – accepting that this is an updated adaptation of the Elizabeth George characters and that the old actors aren’t coming back, the first episode was head and shoulders above a lot of the crime series we’ve been served up over the past year.”
Read more: Lynley on BBC One: DI Thomas Lynley’s vintage car is ‘star of the show’, but what model is it?
