ITV’s police thriller Gone concludes, exploring psychological depth
In ITV’s police thriller Gone, which concluded last night, the storytelling focused on both silence and spoken words, culminating in a complex narrative that kept viewers engaged. “I’ve done thrillers before, but I’ve never done a psychological thriller – where everything they’re not saying is so vivid and so visceral,” says Eve Myles, who portrayed Detective Annie Cassidy. “With Annie we certainly end up somewhere unexpected,” she adds. “Viewers don’t expect to get to know the different layers of this character in the way that they do,” reports BritPanorama.
The plot begins with the investigation into the disappearance of Sarah Polly, a teacher at St Bart’s boarding school, where her stern husband, Michael (David Morrissey), served as headteacher. Sarah’s body was later found in nearby woods, leading to Michael becoming a suspect. Although initially relegated to the role of Family Liaison Officer, Annie leveraged her access to Michael and his daughter Alana (played by Emma Appleton), ultimately unraveling the case.
Inspired by real-life detective Julie Mackay, Annie’s character evolved through the six episodes, revealing layers of depth. “The first thing I wrote on the script at the top was, ‘How do I make everybody see the ghost?’” Myles explains, likening Annie to a ghost navigating her own path while appearing detached.
The narrative’s tension rose as Annie’s personal struggles intertwined with the investigation. Her tentative attempt to rekindle her abusive marriage to fellow officer Craig Stanhope (Peter McDonald) highlighted the dangers imposed by intimate relationships. Myles commented, “I loved how we dramatised that coercive, damaging, controlling, ugly relationship. It was done with such nuance, and it really creeped me out how normal it almost seemed.”
As the storyline progressed, Annie’s character grappled with her desire to see good in flawed men, which clouded her judgment regarding Michael’s innocence. “David [Morrissey] and I talked about it, that they didn’t need anything from each other, and so they become very equal,” Myles elaborated, noting that this dynamic allowed Annie to uncover the truth.
The true killer was revealed to be Rory Bowman (Rupert Evans), another teacher obsessed with Sarah. This turn in the narrative underscored the entitlement and emotional struggles that accompanied the privileged lives of characters from St Bart’s. Myles remarked, “What was really prominent to me was, a lot of [the story] was about privilege, how that affects and defines us – especially our young people.”
Notably, Michael, despite not being Sarah’s killer, internalized a blame for her death stemming from his emotional distance. Annie, similarly burdened by the unresolved case of a past disappearance, was driven by a profound sense of shame, illustrating how both characters were haunted by their respective failures.
Ultimately, as Annie faced her personal battles alongside the case, the emotional weight of her experiences came to a head when she confronted Craig with newfound strength, marking a powerful transformation in her character. “She finds that strength for the first time, really, in her life – and that’s the influence that Michael has given her,” Myles noted.
The series closed with Rory’s apprehension and Annie’s rejection of Craig, yet it left lingering questions about unresolved tensions, particularly regarding Tina’s case. Myles expressed optimism for Annie’s future, saying, “Annie is somebody that could just keep on going, because what they’ve set up there in that world, and that character, is a brilliant thing that has endless possibilities.”
Gone is currently streaming on ITVX.
