Vigil

A missing Scottish fishing trawler and a suspicious death on board the Royal Navy submarine HMS Vigil set off a tense investigation that crosses from icy shorelines to the cramped, silent world beneath the waves. Detectives Amy Silva and Kirsten Longacre must piece together fragmentary evidence while dealing with obstruction from naval officers and intelligence services. As layers of secrecy and procedure complicate every step, the case exposes competing loyalties and high-stakes political pressure, pushing the investigators to question who is protecting whom. The story balances police procedure on land with claustrophobic submarine scenes, keeping the focus on character choices rather than on sensational twists or a neat resolution.

Created by Tom Edge and George Aza-Selinger, Vigil premiered on BBC One in 2021 and was filmed with a mix of on-location coastal shoots and detailed submarine sets to convey the contrasting environments. The series stars Suranne Jones and Rose Leslie, and its production emphasized realism in naval procedure and atmosphere.

The show attracted significant attention in the UK awards circuit, with critics singling out lead performances, particularly Suranne Jones, for praise. While it did not sweep major international prizes, Vigil was frequently mentioned in year-end discussions about British drama and earned nominations and notice from television critics.

Vigil made an immediate cultural impression because of its unusual setting, bringing submarine life into mainstream TV drama. Its tense, enclosed sequences and confrontations between police and military leaders sparked discussion about naval authority and oversight, and it became a common talking point on social media and television forums during its run.

Critics and audiences generally reacted positively, reflected in an average user score near 7.2 out of 10 from online voters. Reviews highlighted strong acting, a moody score, and an effective sense of place, while some viewers found the pacing uneven and the plot occasionally reliant on exposition. The series centers on themes of institutional secrecy, the balance between security and accountability, and the personal costs of pursuing truth within powerful systems.