Ridley is yet another of the gritty detective drama's, that are very much the longstanding stock and trade, for UK television.
Its well acted, well produced with a strong lead. The question that needs be posed is, is it doing anything new or different?
For this viewer, the answers "no". Ridley is an off the shelf, formulaic crime drama. A detective with a troubled past, comes back to solve an even more troubling case. Of course, as is the norm these days too, don't be surprised to find political correctness's starchy spectre, lurking in the background.
Is all of this necessarily a bad thing? Well, that depends on what your expectations are. For myself, I like a little inspiration, an attempt to do something a little different. If you are happy with a predictable watch, this will do.
In summary, well acted but bland, Brit crime show.