Black Work

This 2015 three-part British miniseries, broadcast stateside on Acorn TV, works best as a star vehicle for versatile actress Sheridan Smith, who plays Police Constable Jo Gillespie, a woman whose undercover officer husband is killed under mysterious circumstances. In the aftermath of his death, Jo discovers much about her husband that she did not know—including his secret high-tech surveillance of her. Complicating matters is the curious manner in which the police department is investigating the slain officer's murder (in an unspecified Yorkshire city), as well as domestic troubles involving Jo's daughter, mother-in-law, and even her late husband's ex-girlfriend. As a police mystery, Black Work is a fairly quotidian affair burdened with elementary plotlines. But Smith, a BAFTA Award-winner for the TV series Mrs. Biggs, exudes an old-school star power that helps give the episodes a sense of energy and purpose. Whether battling with her superior officer (Geraldine James) or displaying a vulnerable side as the truth about her husband becomes common knowledge, Smith turns in a sterling performance that is superior to the material. A strong optional purchase. (P. Hall)