I’ll be honest — I’d never seen an episode of Scott & Bailey until three weeks ago. Not one. Didn’t know the plots, didn’t know who got bumped off, and couldn’t have told you the difference between Janet and Rachel if you’d offered me a pint.
Fast-forward to now, and I’ve binged the lot. All five series. No breaks. Just one big blur of smart coppers, dodgy blokes, emotional carnage, and a very specific kind of Northern brilliance.
It’s not flashy. It’s not showy. It’s just real. And at the centre of it all? Suranne Jones, somehow managing to be chaotic, razor-sharp, and vulnerable — often in the same sentence.
Series 1 (2011)
We meet:
- Janet Scott (Lesley Sharp): methodical, smart, quietly hanging by a thread
- Rachel Bailey (Suranne Jones): wild card with the instincts of a great detective and the decision-making of someone who shouldn’t be left unsupervised
- Gill Murray (Amelia Bullmore): the boss, juggling everything with half a grimace and full authority
It’s gritty but not grim, clever but never smug. You start thinking you’ve seen this before — but you haven’t. Because it’s not about the murder. It’s about the people who have to solve it.
Verdict: I was in. And not just because of Suranne. (Well. Mostly because of Suranne.)
Series 2 (2012)
Rachel’s personal life is a car crash (same throughout the full series really). Janet’s trying to stay married while doing two full-time jobs. Gill’s under pressure and trying to keep the whole department afloat with grit and instant coffee.
Cases are darker. The dialogue’s sharper. And suddenly it feels like the show’s lived in. You’re not just watching these characters — you’re right there with them.
Verdict: The moment it stops being just good and becomes something better. Jones, Sharp and Bullmore are an absolute masterclass.
Series 3 (2013)
Rachel’s dodgy love life explodes. Janet faces family fallout. And Gill’s dragged into a storyline that gives her serious weight.
What’s brilliant here is the pacing. No filler. No theatrics. Just raw, clever, emotionally tough telly.
Verdict: The characters feel so real, you forget you’re watching actors. Jones is flawless — brittle, furious, brilliant — and Bullmore gets a script that lets her show teeth. Plus, an astonishing cameo from Nicola Walker.
Series 4 (2014)
This is it — peak Scott & Bailey. Bullmore’s behind the writing desk, the performances are pitch-perfect, and the show runs like a well-oiled emotional machine.
Rachel’s barely holding it together, Janet’s in full eye-roll mode, and Gill? She walks away. No death. No melodrama. Just a proper “I’m done” moment that lands beautifully. Well, there’s the dip into alcoholism, but I wanted to give her the fairytale she deserves.
Verdict: If you only watch one series, make it this. Tightly written, emotionally satisfying, and led by three women who absolutely nail it.
Series 5 (2016)
Just three episodes to wrap it up. Rachel and Janet finally let all the built-up tension fly. It’s sharp, painful, and absolutely spot on.
There’s no big finale trick. No returning villains. Just two brilliant coppers having to face what their jobs (and each other) have done to them.
Verdict: A perfect ending. Quietly powerful. And the final scene lingers longer than most dramas manage with a full series. I got to the end and want to change my mind. Three episodes wasn’t enough. I want more.
Final Thoughts
Three weeks ago I’d never seen an episode. Now I’m fully converted. This isn’t just a great crime drama — it’s a show about what happens when you try to stay good in a job that makes you hard and possibly bad.
Lesley Sharp is superb. Amelia Bullmore is a force. But it’s Suranne Jones who anchors the whole thing. She doesn’t shout for attention — she just gets it. Rachel Bailey is one of the most compelling, complicated characters I’ve seen in years. And Jones plays her with absolute precision.
No gloss. No padding. Just sharp writing, smarter women, and stories that stick with you.