Criminal Record Season 1 Episode 6 Review: Beehive

The tables turn, and June gets the upper hand on Criminal Record Season 1 Episode 6, “Beehive.”

For five episodes, June’s efforts to expose Hegarty as a corrupt cop have been thwarted at every turn. Hegarty has been consistently either one step ahead of her or able to use the system against June.

That seems to change by the end of “Beehive” after June is able to connect Tony Gilfoyle with an online account making threats against DI Diana Markham.

With Markham’s approval, June is put in charge of the case. She searches Gilfoyle’s home, which leads to the real game changer. During the search, June finds the missing video of Hegerty’s interrogation of Errol.

The video shows Hegarty seemingly coaching Errol through his confession, giving June her first solid piece of evidence of Hegarty’s corruption. “Beehive” ends with June confronting Hegarty and teasing that he is going to tell June everything on the next episode.

It’s another solid cliffhanger that potentially changes all the dynamics of the series. With two episodes remaining, it’s possible the end is just a bit of misdirection. Hegarty might have another trick up his sleeve and isn’t actually about to confess anything. 

If it’s not a red herring, it means that the story is about to go in an unexpected direction, and Hegarty isn’t the real big bad of the series. It’s all quite intriguing. 

Unfortunately, as compelling as the end of the episode is, the rest of “Beehive” is kind of a slog to get through. It’s not that what comes before the end of the episode is explicitly bad. In fact, there is probably a version of Criminal Record where I would be writing a glowing review of this episode.

The problem is that most of the episode focuses on storylines the series has not done enough to earn viewers’ emotional investment in. Without previously built investment, most of the episode is boring despite some pretty dramatic things happening. 

To be fair, Doris’s death is legitimately sad, and her story is the most successful of the different plot points at the center of “Beehive.” She is the supporting character we have gotten to know the most so it’s not surprising that her death is the development that has the most emotional impact. 

Still, it’s not enough to be the emotional gut punch I think it’s meant to be. Perhaps with more scenes or flashbacks of Doris and Errol together earlier in the series, Errol’s devastation at the loss of his mother would be more palpable. 

Speaking of Errol, I should care more about him as a character than I do. There have been two scenes with him all season (three if you count the brief bit that shows his dad coming to tell him about Doris). Neither of the scenes did much to develop him as a character.

I want to see him freed because he’s innocent, and I want June to win. Beyond that, he isn’t much more than a plot point.

That said, I care a whole lot more about Errol than I do about Hegarty’s daughter, Lisa, and “Beehive” spends a lot of time on her. My feelings about this episode would not be nearly as negative if so much of it wasn’t focused on Lisa.

To be blunt, I just don’t care about this character and find her kind of irritating. All the scenes on “Beehive” that focus on her are either boring or overwrought. Even the scenes that focus on her that are really about Patrick and Hagarty aren’t terribly interesting.

Like Errol, she is just a plot point but one that grates on my nerves, too.

The episode improves once June realizes that the online troll is Gilfoyle and gains the upper hand. It’s satisfying to see Hagarty unable to manipulate the situation to his advantage, and the change in dynamics is interesting.

Still, while it’s enough to set up a potentially compelling next episode, it’s not enough to make “Beehive” a compelling episode on its own.

—

What did you think of this episode of Criminal Record? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Critic Rating:

User Rating:

 

New episodes of Criminal Record stream Wednesdays on Apple TV+

 Follow us on Twitter and on Instagram!

Want more from Tell-Tale TV? Subscribe to our newsletter here!