By Will Barber Taylor

Witnesses – The Frozen Dead begins with the discovery of 15 frozen bodies of men in the north of France. Lieutenant Sandra Winckler  (Marie Dompnier, The Tunnel) uncovers that all 15 men are connected to Catherine Keemer (Audrey Fleurot, Spiral) who went missing three years ago.

The determined Sandra Winckler leaves no stone unturned to find Catherine Keemer. When Sandra finds her, Catherine can’t remember her past – except that she gave birth to a child, who has disappeared.

Believing that Catherine is innocent, Sandra needs to find out who else had a motive to kill the 15 men and what happened to Catherine’s missing child.

Despite being a second season, Witnesses – The Frozen Dead is a standalone series telling a brand new, intriguing mystery.

Witnesses is the sort of drama that you need during the cold, dark winter nights. It is filled with twists, turns and thrills. Murder mystery dramas are so often predictable in how they will use tease and build up the  tension. They often begin with one murder, then several more occur during the course of the plot before the killer is caught. However, the second series of Witnesses is bold in opening with the discovery of so many murder victims. Rather than easing the viewers into a slow realisation as to how many killings occur, Witnesses’ impactful and dramatic opening reveal ensures that the audience is instantly hooked. Combining the scale of the murders with the frosty landscape of Northern France is a stroke of genius on behalf of the show’s writers and ensures that the audience is captivated by both the plot and the stunning cinematography.

Marie Dompnier’s star turn as Sandra Winckler is a thing to behold. The energy she injects into the part is awesome to witness. She gives Winckler a brooding intensity that demonstrates that she is not to be messed with and will get to the bottom of the mass killing, one way or another. Winckler is strong in any scenario – interrogating suspects, talking to colleagues or attempting to lead a normal life whilst the murder investigation becomes all consuming. Yet, her scenes with Audrey Fleurot’s Catherine Keemer is the centrepiece of the drama and there lies Dompnier’s strength. She knows that Keemer is involved and throughout the series the evolution of their relationship is key to drawing the audience back in for more.

In conclusion, Witnesses: The Frozen Dead is a startlingly different sort of drama that is energetic, mysterious and with a sense of the power it has over its audience. I would highly recommend purchasing it to watch during on a dark evening, for it is addictive viewing that is best consumed when the dark is all encompassing, like the series’ thrilling mystery.

With thanks to Nordic Noir and Beyond. You can purchase Witnesses: The Frozen Dead Season 2 here.