Vera

What viewers say

Viewers praise this North East England detective drama for Brenda Blethyn's grounded, no-nonsense lead, the strong bond with her younger sergeant, and a restrained, realistic style with no shootouts or car chases, plus well-built mysteries with red herrings where the killer stays hidden until the end. Critics describe it as pleasingly old-school and character-led. The common criticisms are a familiar formula that some feel has grown repetitive in later series, plots that are sometimes not very thrilling or stretch plausibility, slow pacing in the longer specials, and complaints about the regional accent.

Best for: Viewers who like a character-driven British police mystery and don't need fast-paced thrills.

Summary of public viewer reviews, updated November 2026.