'D.I. Ray's Second Episode Brings Family Drama, Therapy & Murder
PBS’ new series, D.I. Ray, took its sweet time setting up the characters in last week’s premiere, introducing Rachita Ray (Parminder Nagra) as a tenacious officer promoted to Homicides investigating the murder of Imran Aziz, who was feuding with his girlfriend Anjuli’s family and caught up in some shady business. But as Ray regains consciousness after last week’s cliffhanger with PS Khatri (Maanuv Thiara) by her side, Episode 2 starts to pay off with plenty of interpersonal conflicts as a backdrop for Ray’s investigation. Ray wants to continue investigating despite her injury until her boss, Henderson (Gemma Whelan), arrives and tells Ray to lay off the case.
Ray: “They don’t rate me, none of them do.”
As is becoming standard, Ray refuses; unstoppable force meets immovable object. She complies with Henderson’s demands that she go to the hospital, even though the interaction feels less about Ray’s health and more about a power trip for Henderson. At the hospital, Ray looks young and vulnerable, alone in her hospital gown, the first time she’s seemed less than fully capable. It’s refreshing to see her with her guard down. Ray’s parents, Dev (Ezra Faroque Khan) and Debo (Shobu Kapoor), and her fiance Martyn arrive, friendly, united in their love for Ray, but Martyn notices silently Ray isn’t wearing her engagement ring. (Ray hasn’t told her parents, and she hasn’t met Martyn’s.)
