Perhaps it's the sadness around the unsolved murder of a young girl that makes this so special? The sense that, not only have "we" not been able to keep a child safe, but that "we" have not been able to bring the murderer to justice.
It also feels perfectly paced, giving the investigation the time it needs to work its way to a conclusion. (And the gentle and terse final exchange between Morse and Lewis, seems a perfect note on which to end the episode.)
There's some wonderful writing here and some wonderful performances. I especially enjoyed the performances of Kenneth Colley as Detective Chief Inspector Patrick Dawson and Helena McCarthy as Rose Lapsley (the grandmother of the murdered girl). (I didn't rate the performances of Christopher Eccleston and Pat Heywood, who played Terrence Mitchell and his mother. I thought they were a little too theatrical.)
It also feels perfectly paced, giving the investigation the time it needs to work its way to a conclusion. (And the gentle and terse final exchange between Morse and Lewis, seems a perfect note on which to end the episode.)
There's some wonderful writing here and some wonderful performances. I especially enjoyed the performances of Kenneth Colley as Detective Chief Inspector Patrick Dawson and Helena McCarthy as Rose Lapsley (the grandmother of the murdered girl). (I didn't rate the performances of Christopher Eccleston and Pat Heywood, who played Terrence Mitchell and his mother. I thought they were a little too theatrical.)