DS Sean Stone (Reece Shearsmith) is an excellent detective who cracks a serial killer case in the first episode. However, to say that Stone lacks social graces is a vast understatement and he greatly embarrasses the police department during a press conference following the killer's apprehension. Stone claims that the last murder could have been prevented if only the police would have coordinated with Missing Persons. As punishment, his superior changes his assignment to Missing Persons permanently. He is partnered with Ruth Hattersley (Alex Kingston, Arrow), an analyst who isn't even a cop, so needless to say, it's a step down in his career.
Ruth is delightful and open, although Stone is closed off and basically leaves her in his wake as often as possible, driving off to investigate something whenever it strikes his fancy, not bringing her along or even telling her where he is going. Soon, the pair work out a way to function as a "team," although Stone always seems to be interfering with DI Carl Pryor (Noel Clarke) and his cases, and the pair previously clashed heads on the case that cost Stone his last position. The fact that sparks fly between Ruth and Pryor doesn't help matters.
Two cases consume the pair in this season and each one plays out across two episodes. The first case involves a missing teenager named Taylor Davis. Stone is the master of data and doesn't believe this young girl is simply a runaway. As he and Ruth dig deeper, they discover she was frequenting a suicide website for teens, along with several other teens who have recently been found dead. As they investigate the case, the pair discover that these so-called suicides may be murder after all, but can they get to the killer in time to save Taylor's life or is it too late already?
The second case involves the disappearance of an attorney named Steve Eli. His son holds out hope that he will return, as everyone just attributed his disappearance to stress on the job and the need to get away. When Stone realizes Eli went missing from the same area that two previous murders were committed, he determines to speak to the mentally ill man who claims to have killed them, convinced he also killed Eli. After talking with Leonard Vance, the confessed serial killer taxi driver, certain things don't add up and Ruth and Stone must do more digging. What links all of the victims and could the wrong man be incarcerated in a mental hospital?
In addition to working cases, both Ruth and Stone have things going on in their personal lives. Ruth is a single mom raising her young son Bryan (Alfie Field), who is obsessed with serial killers and is really excited about Stone as her new partner. Ruth has little time for a social life, but Carl Pryor just might change her mind. On the other side of the coin is Stone, who lives a spartan and quiet life. He has a housekeeper named Adele Rivera (Myriam Acharki), who truly cares for him and seems to be the only person who tries to understand the man behind the mind. Although Stone is oblivious, Adele is going through some problems of her own, asking for an advance on her week's salary, and then asking if Stone could keep her young daughter for a few hours. He finally realizes something bad may have happened in the final episode when Adele's daughter turns up at his door late at night, her mother having gone missing. Now, Adele is on the Missing Persons' board and Ruth and Stone must work her case and bring her back. Here's to hoping they continue the series so we can find out what happened to her.
I really enjoyed Chasing Shadows, although there is very little levity in the show. Stone's interactions with those around him will bring a smile to your face, simply because of his supreme social awkwardness, but the subject matter is most definitely dark in nature. If you enjoy a good mystery with enjoyable characters, check out Chasing Shadows.
