LOVE IN THE LAB
The first series of forensics drama Traces saw a frisson between a professor and a copper – in the second his wife turns up...
With a topnotch cast and a twist in the tail, dark Scottish thriller Traces was a hit when it aired on BBC1 last year. Now its heady mix of murder-mystery and forensic science is back for a second series — with a bit of romantic intrigue thrown in.
In the first series trainee forensic scientist Emma Hedges (Molly Windsor) cracked the cold case of her mother’s murder — and the killer turned out to be the father of her lover Daniel (Martin Compston). Series two opens a few months later with Daniel preparing to testify against his father in court. Meanwhile over at the Scottish Institute of Forensic Science, where Emma works with Professors Sarah Gordon (Laura Fraser) and Kathy Torrance (Jennifer Spence), the team are tackling two new investigations — a series of bombings and a missing person.
‘We’re not sure if it’s the same person doing all the bombings,’ says Jennifer, ‘so we’re looking into the psychology as well as the physical evidence to determine who it is.’
Key to cracking the original case was DCI Neil McKinven (Michael Nardone), but he was also getting rather too close to the married Professor Gordon. Now there’s an added frisson as McKinven’s wife Azra (Laila Rouass), a police data analyst who didn’t appear in the first series, is brought in to help the investigations, causing some awkward moments for her husband. ‘She’s very clever, very good at her job,’ says Laila, who made her name in
Footballers’ Wives. ‘We get to see inside their house, which is interesting as she’s obviously made the most of the money. It tells you more about their relationship.’
McKinven and Gordon’s relationship is about to go up a notch though when they investigate the bombings together. ‘It certainly is awkward,’ says Michael Nardone. ‘For Sarah and him the attraction is still there. The stakes are high.’
For Canadian actress Jennifer, there were challenges when Kathy hauls body parts out of a loch. ‘In one scene I pull out a pulpy head with part of the jaw missing. It made this disgusting noise as the water gushed out and I thought, “Oh, my God, that’s how it would be in real life!”’
The show has won praise for its portrayal of women with professional jobs, complicated home lives and not always likeable personalities. ‘It’s exciting to see more mature women on TV,’ says Laila. ‘It’s the character development that always gets me. That’s what made Sex And The City and Friends, and even Footballers’ Wives, so successful.’
■ Traces, Tuesday, 9pm, Alibi.