The Coroner (2015–2016) User Reviews

Lightweight but entertaining UK mystery/crime drama

[s3276169 · 7/10 · 26 November 2015]

The Coroner is one of those lightweight but entertaining mystery/crime dramas the UK excels at.

Reminiscent of series such as Midsomer Murders, this mystery/crime drama taps into the notion of "polite crime", made famous by authors such as Agatha Christie and Arthur Conan Doyle.

Death is done "nicely" with socially respectable people going about their "who dunnit" business of solving crime in a picturesque seaside town. The main lead is a latter day Sherlock Holmes, a coroner who, with the help of her local police counterpart (with whom she shares an almost romantic connection) uncover the causes of deaths bought to her attention.

As is almost always the case with UK series of this kind, the acting is right on the mark. The characters are convincing, if a little clichéd, and carry their respective roles well. I have enjoyed The Coroner so far and plan to keep on watching. Seven out of ten from me.

Enjoyable mystery suspense that is not dark

[KathleenK22 · 7/10 · 18 June 2016]

The story lines move along; they do not drag. The characters are likable and interesting. Acting is quite good. I was expecting something darker but once I understood not to expect something sinister or mind blowing I settled in to enjoying the pace and lighter nature of the script. Characterisation is good with a range of likable characters who complement each other. Each episode is a complete story so you do not have to wait to find out the outcome. It would appeal to people who do not want a dark or scary tale. It is set in an amazingly beautiful place and that alone earns it an extra point. You are thinking while watching trying to solve the mystery of the death whether it is a crime or not and who maybe the likely culprit. I recommend this series to people who like an English mystery that is not heavy or frightening. Maybe 71/2 rather than just a 7!

A Different Kind of Investigative Series

[gpeevers · 7/10 · 7 May 2019]

Nice detective type story, but this time as the title indicates the investigation is led by the Coroner Jane Kennedy (Claire Goose) although she does work closely with local police in the person of Detective Sergeant Davey Higgins (Matt Bardock).

Jane has just recently returned to her childhood home from London with her 15 year old daughter Beth, and in her role as coroner investigates violent or unexplained deaths to determine the cause. Through these investigations she has become reacquainted with Davey her now married childhood sweetheart. Rounding out the regular cast is Jane's mother Judith with whom Jane and Beth are currently living, Judith's boyfriend Mick who runs the local pub and Clint who is Jane's assistant.

This episodes are primarily about the investigation but there is also time given to family dynamics and usually some humor, the episodes run about 45 minutes each. It's a nice group of characters, the investigations are usually interesting, and the cause of death is not always murder. The series ran for two ten episode seasons.

Another strength of the series is the beautiful backdrops of the South Devon coastal locations.

Deserved a third series

[safenoe · 7/10 · 5 October 2017]

According to the BBC, the series isn't based on (or inspired by) the book The Coronor by M.R.Hall. Now that we've got that out of the way...I grew to like the Coroner as it progressed to series 2, and then the rug got pulled out by someone in TV authority so adios to series 3:( Not happy at all.

Admittedly, the tone of The Coroner was a bit hard to pinpoint. Midsomer Murders? Doc Martin? with a dash of Murder, She Wrote and even Diagnosis Murder? Just add some tonic and you have a semi- quirky coroner living in a coastal town with its own dialect who look askance at urban Londoners if you know what I mean.

Anyway, The Coroner should have been renewed for season 3 and maybe it can be rebooted.

Not sure what the Coroner's verdict for the death of this series is!

[Rupert17 · 6/10 · 25 April 2017]

I accepted that it was lightweight in the first series but it was quite enjoyable and the Jane/Davey potential relationship added some spice to the plain cooking.

The second series is not as good and the story lines are pretty banal in the main and nothing is fleshed out to a believable conclusion. In one episode people are murdered for performing their jobs as sea rescue volunteers. Found that a bit far-fetched. The beautiful scenery of Devon was the saviour and Claire Goose is always worth watching.

I believe the series has been cancelled and I can understand that.

cancelled

[levitt-97156 · 9/10 · 9 April 2017]

good entertaining show,really deserves an evening spot,good plots,nice scenery ,good acting.I've now just heard its been been cancelled.in the words of bbc spokesman ,to make room for new afternoon programmes.probably another dreary soap or cheapo reality drivel.bbc needs a shake up.the coroner was only on 10 afternoons a year.yet rubbish like the doctors and EastEnders are on 5 or more times a week,all year round,droning on and on.why aren't these entertainment free programmes axed.

a relaxing watch,not Scandi,not meaningful just enjoyable.

[ib011f9545i · 7/10 · 28 August 2020]

Typical,I start watching this on cable channel and discover it was cancelled. There is a Canadian series called The Coroner but this is set in the South West of England. As usual in these things the Coroner,or forensic scientist does the police job for them but if we ignore how this is unrealistic you can enjoy the series. Clair Goose plays the coroner in this. Like other tv shows set in pretty locations the setting of this is one of the stars of the show. But the acting is pretty good as well. It reminds me of Wycliffe which was a cop show set in the South West of England made in the 1980s.

the Coroner and the need for season 3

[annaparry-92277 · 10/10 · 14 October 2017]

I really enjoyed the Coroner which was shown here in Australia in the evening 7.30pm on Saturday. I thought it well written with a mixture of seriousness and light-hearted fun. The scenery was stunning and made one want to visit Britain. Inside many ageing women there is a Judith just aching to come out! Jane's expression towards her mother reminded me of my own daughter's expression towards me. Davey tells a great story with his eyes and smile. I like that it is inter - generational. Great cast , great acting, great story lines and great scenery. I would really love to see a Season 3

Trite and typical.

[beresfordjd · 6/10 · 27 November 2015]

Never seen Claire Goose in anything before and do not think I have missed much. She is competent as an actress but that's about it. Created and partly written by an Eastenders writer it has not shocks and not much in the way of excitement. The best thing about it is the location it has been placed in. They should really drop the over-sexed grandmother played by Beatie Edney and her characters boyfriend (Ivan Kaye), dreadful clichés both of them. The truculent teenager daughter of Goose's character could also be dispensed with. All that said it is harmless daytime viewing for people who do not want anything too taxing, the stories are all wrapped up in 45 minutes and occasionally have unexpected twists. I am sure real coroners do not experience any situations much like this series and I doubt if any are as attractive as Claire Goose (though she could do with a good meal!) I would be surprised if it is commissioned for a second series as it has not got that special something that a crime drama has to have.

Detective light in gorgeous scenery (S01)

[Doctor_Dexter · 5/10 · 3 March 2017]

There are quite a lot of female detectives bouncing about nowadays. They're usually single, middle aged, with a complicated family situation and ditto love life. This series takes a leaf from the same book, with the only difference that the 'detective' is a coroner.

It's not very original or serious drama, but then it doesn't pretend to be be either. It's light entertainment and it knows it. On BBC One it's perched between 'Doctors' and 'Escape to the Country' for a reason. It's made for daytime TV.

Within its limits, the better episodes can be entertaining. The investigating duo, Jane and detective Davey (who also have a romantic history together) are rather enjoyable to watch. The gay coroner's assistant Clint is also funny and well chosen.

Some of the steady cast is less entertaining. Especially 'horny hippos' Judith (Jane's mother) and her equally weighty lover Mick (a pub owner sporting a 24/7 'Fat John Silver' persona) are getting rather tiresome after the tenth 'nine and a half weeks' impression in the family kitchen (whereby the 'hilarious' fat-guy-in-a- peignoir gag is repeated every single time). Why flaunt raunchy obese elderly people in every episode? Yes, these people have sex too. Most of us figured that already, so that's no reason to rub our faces in it every single time. Also, Judith doesn't want Jane to move out (she's enraged when Jane looks at a lovely cottage for sale) but never fails to mention it's her house they live in. Sensible grown ups don't live like that. It's hard to imagine a supposedly intelligent and responsible coroner would continue to live like that instead of doing the sensible thing and move out. It's quite obvious drama for drama's sake, and therefore rather boring and annoying.

Another gripe is the purple haired persona of Beth, Jane's daughter. The kid is all right, but she looks like the impression of a teenager by middle aged people without kids of their own. (They all got purple hair now, don't they? So let's do that every episode). It looks contrived and outdated.

The little stories are (just) entertaining enough. Some reviewers compared it to 'Midsomer Murders', the well known detective series. Whilst both are in the 'detective light' category, the latter is much better made than 'The Coroner'. Both demand some suspense of disbelief, but with 'Midsomer Murders' it's much easier to let go and enjoy the ride, because you know you're in a different realm altogether, whereas 'The Coroner' tries to be 'relevant' and 'realistic' and fails to deliver. You can't be all rustic and piraty on one side, and tackle immigration and women's issues simultaneously. It's tacky and gratuitous, and doesn't do justice to serious issues or light entertainment. Just pick one.

It's a halfway decent time-passer, and can sometimes be entertaining. This review is based on season one. Perhaps season two will bring some needed improvement, otherwise it probably won't last nearly as long as 'Midsomer Murders'.

Love this

[annestaines · 10/10 · 6 December 2015]

I really love this program. It feels like summer-time bottled. I really hope there's another series. I was watching these compulsively until I checked and saw only ten episodes, so slowed down to savour them, like a good book or delicious wine, not to be gulped down.

The views and scenery are beautiful. There's an ease about the whole thing. I love the relationships; people are so civilised! What a relief, I get so tired of depressing - supposedly grown-up realistic telly where basically everyone is just a self serving nasty piece of work.

I enjoy the relationship between between the mum and her partner; all he has to do is raise an eyebrow mischievously and I smile. The plots are good. I like the relationships between all the characters. I like the constant sexual frisson between the main two, but they're not at it all the time like dogs on heat, they've managed to translate it into friendship. There's no complications with the police officer's wife moaning and bitching at him constantly about his emotional unfaithfulness. We don't even know if he has kids, which I love because it makes it able to focus on the main characters and story - which I love ( in case you had missed that I really love this series), instead of getting into loads of depressing nonsense about people's grungy messy jealous untrusting grabby relationships, when I wander why they bothered getting together in the first place.

So to sum up; a light, airy delicious fantasy, with attractive intelligent funny people in a beautiful setting where it seems to be always summer. There are miserable sods, but they are well contained and don't contaminate everything with their psychotic yukkiness.

So please can we gave more of this, I love it.

Good Sleuthing

[ygwerin1 · 6/10 · 30 August 2018]

I'm a newcomer to this program, only watching it out of curiosity, on Drama channel in an evening slot. It's just my cuppa tea, light weight sleuthing, well scripted and acted, set against great scenery. Yes a couple of character rewrites wouldn't go amiss, the Coroners mum for one. She should've been given a better storyline at least. The 'boyfriend' played by the actor I've seen in the Green Green Grass. His characterisation in the Coroner is too similar to my liking. These things are minor niggles, a great thing for me is that its all tied up in an hour. It's perfectly paced for that time slot. A great bane of detective programs for me, is those that are unbelievably given a two hour slot. Another reviewer compared the Coroner unfavourably with Midsummer Murders. Incredible for me, as this programs storey lines are wafer thin, as they are stretched out to fit two hours. As well being scarcely believable, for such a small community, to have so many bodies piling up. In every single episode, how is there anybody left alive?

Verdict on "The Coroner":- Death by overdose of clichés...

[ianlouisiana · 5/10 · 19 November 2015]

..and the standard BBC "country" accent,the use of which here is even more widespread than in the infinitely superior "Doc Martin". Oh,and overacting,with the coroner's mum and her appalling pub landlord fellah who rolls around the set gurning as if he is auditioning for the part of Long John Silver in a panto version of "Treasure Island",setting the pace.. How wise Miss C.Goose was to not attempt the West Country vernacular. Three generations of women in the coroner's family are present so far,without a male member in sight(oops!) which is a pun aimed at the same level of humour on show so far. A gay undertaker in episode two,had he turned it down a bit,might have been played by Dick Emery 40 years ago. In place of a plot we have a tired old piece of hackwork involving the coroner and a detective who used to be her lover and who has a penchant for winking at inopportune moments that is rather annoying.Mr M.Bardock,last seen burning to death in "Casualty" - I name and shame you! Miss Goose looks extremely elegant when she is all coronered up,but the enigmatic qualities her face is capable of portraying are put on the back - burner for the duration. The coroner's officer,who,back in the day, used to be a PC, is a surfing dude who looks as if he has washed up on the wrong side of the Atlantic. Oh,and he is averse to dead bodies,not perhaps the best career choice then. Guest stars abound,mostly from other soaps,do their familiar thing take the money and run. But......for all that,there is something endearing about "The Coroner" perhaps the Herculean task Miss Goose has taken on to lift it above the primordial soup of afternoon soaps that makes it passable afternoon viewing while your I -pad charges up. It doesn't aim very high,bless it,and it just about reaches it's target of refugees from Freeview who are fed up with adverts for ambulance chasers and PPI recovery.

Great series

[lucasarts-88947 · 7/10 · 23 August 2022]

This was a great little show just finding its feet in the second series and then the BBC cancelled it. Don't understand why. Typical lack of foresight from them. Big shame. Worth a watch all the same.

Trite and typical - YES!

[creekdogs · 23 September 2017]

I TOTALLY agree with another poster on here ('Trite and typical') - he wrote EVERYTHING I feel about this show! I think getting rid of the three characters he suggested (the mother and her boyfriend, daughter) would have vastly improved this series. The over the hill sex kitten crap was WAY over the top (the mother of the Coroner)and totally ruined the show for me. One episode found Jane looking for a house of her own - and it was gorgeous! So what does she do? She decides to continue LIVING WITH HER MOTHER. Utter nonsense . . they should have had her buy the house and get more involved with her ex. The scenery is just beautiful however.

Wanted to like but....

[candib131-988-996374 · 6/10 · 25 December 2019]

I wanted to like this series because I love crime dramas, however Davey's constant doubt and negativity towards Jane is so annoying. Why ask for her assistance if you're not going to listen? Also the killers became obvious towards the end of the 1st season.

I've really enjoyed this show. Only two problems.

[grandmabrat · 8/10 · 11 February 2018]

The first problem is I do not understand their Coroner system and they don't explain it. I like learning from British shows. The second one is that this is only 2 seasons! I wanted a couple more. The scenery is lovely and more current than some British shows. The characters are humorous and subtle at the same time. I like the fact that the violence is a lot less than in other shows and it is more intellectual, as if you were solving the murder/death yourself. I'd live in that village any day.

Completely watchable....but

[rayc441 · 7/10 · 29 July 2023]

This is an entertaining show. But Matt Bardock may be the worst television actor I have seen in a long time. He overacts almost every scene. He will be sitting at his desk reading something on a computer screen -but he has exaggerated eye movements and expressions and dramatic hand movements over the mouse. If he is playing the egotistical male to the coroner's cerebral female, then he is certainly way over doing it.

His character cannot spend 30 seconds with a suspect without yelling or pushing papers off a desk. I dread watching him.

Claire Goose is phenomenal. She is subtle and understated and has great command of facial expressions. She makes the show more watchable than he makes it dreadful.

Great Cast

[Johnny_West · 10/10 · 12 February 2024]

This is an excellent show. Sadly, it was only around for 2 seasons (20 episodes). Claire Goose plays the coroner of Devon. She is very warm and friendly, but also very professional. She has a great mix of determination to get things done, and yet she treats people very nicely. I am very impressed with her ability to give such a balanced performance.

Davey (Matt Bardock) plays the local police detective, and they often collaborate to investigate deaths that turn out to be murders. Davey has a smooth personality and has chemistry with everyone.

The odd thing is that the actress that plays the coroner's mother (Beatie Edney) is only 13 years older than Claire Goose. She looks more like an older sister.

The main characters all have good chemistry. You never see anything but a friendly family warmth between them. That is very impressive, and yet the show was only on for two years.

The mysteries are solved without anyone trying to look like a genius. People are interviewed, evidence found, questions asked, and it falls into place by the end. I like this show a lot. It feels like real people doing their jobs.

Entertaining but lightweight

[qui_j · 5/10 · 8 May 2018]

This is an entertaining series with the gorgeous landscape of Cornwall and Devon as a backdrop. Unfortunately, the dots are not always well connected in some of the episodes so it does leave the viewers scratching their heads at times, wondering how an incident in one scene is connected to the previous one. As long as it's not taken too seriously, the characters make it great fun and one feels that the best thing in life would be to go and live in the picturesque little village there.

Best thing around at the moment...

[rosalindbond · 10/10 · 29 November 2016]

This program is so refreshing I feel vitalized after watching it ....a young girl from a zany family moves away and comes back to her home town years later as The Coroner.... her basic nature has not changed she is still her Mothers daughter but now has a daughter of her own and the whole family muddle along well together. Its so nice to watch a happy family in operation........yes of course she is the coroner and there will be dead bodies but it is pleasant to watch not too gory and you get to take in the scenery of Devon/Cornwall by the time you have watched it you feel better about life its invigorating. I do hope this is a series that runs and runs I am so enjoying it. It also shows you that when you have success in life it does not need to change you balance and harmony can still be yours. Fantastic I would recommend it to all ages. x

Nice Scenery, Terrible Show

[callladd · 3/10 · 21 January 2022]

Love the setting of this show but that's the only positive.

Lead actress, or maybe it's the character and not the actress, is painfully dull. She has no chemistry with anyone. Her daughter, mother and mother's boyfriend are ridiculous as are many of victims and suspects in each episode. It's as if the coroner is in a serious crime show and everyone else is in a slapstick comedy.

Lightweight and Enjoyable Drama

[jocousins76 · 8/10 · 8 December 2015]

It's interesting to read other reviews, the more negative one's I would take with a pinch of salt. Firstly Claire Goose was, as in all of the many shows she has starred in, Fantastic. Yes granted she didn't have the gritty scenes which she can play with passion but as an afternoon show the stories need to be more lightweight. The story lines were nice & compact I especially liked the verdict ending. The "love story" is building between the leads, perhaps a little rushed but again as it's a 45 minute afternoon show so it's difficult to get that intensity but it is likely that will be improved. The main supporting cast brought humour & added dynamic. The individual episode cast could be improved for Series 2 their inexperience did show compared to the recurring cast experience. The scenery & filming location was wonderful. I look forward to Series 2 but make sure you advertise if it wasn't for Sky Plus I'd have missed it.

Simply excellent!!

[veillefran · 10/10 · 2 April 2017]

Hi, I love this show, just discovered it yesterday. It's so good can't wait to next Saturday. I just love this little coastal town. And last but not the least...he's got gorgeous blue eyes that Davey!! Don't you think so ladies.... Miss Goose, I've read her IMDb review, has a long career as an actress and so I m glad she now has her own show....congrats to everyone working or acting to make this show the marvel it seems to be.

A Coroner in the field?

[nickjgunning · 3/10 · 22 June 2019]

Never heard of a coroner in the UK doing fieldwork- anything necessary is usually done by the Coroner's officer. His/ her role is to review reports and examine witnesses, certainly not personally detecting crimes. Most UK coroners are to busy handling mountains of paperwork maybe it's made for the Australian or American markets. The law relating to coroners seems not to have appeared in the writers' bookshelves.