Another month, another new ITV crime drama.

Chasing Shadows is the latest cop show to hit our screens, boasting an interesting cast and a premise that promises something slightly different from the usual police prodedural.

Following the investigations of a Missing Persons Unit that operates to find the missing before they become the victims of serial killers, the four-part series sees the brilliant but socially awkward detective Sean Stone (played by The League of Gentlemen’sReece Shearsmith) join the Unit, wherein he instantly proves himself to be too cold and logical for the likes of his new partner, analyst Ruth Hattersley (Doctor Who‘s Alex Kingston). Together they find themselves investigating the case of a missing school girl, which leads them to a series of impossible suicides involving young teenagers.

Joined by another Doctor Who alumni, Noel Clarke, the cast are on fine form here, especially Shearsmith, who is spot-on as the awkward DS Stone, his performance constantly suggesting that within this man’s mind, everything is constantly ticking and deducting. The sense of guilt and the need to make up for past mistakes is suggested very early on, and Shearsmith handles everything thrown at him in inspired fashion.

Likewise, Kingston works well with the material she has, even if it is the standard ‘copper/working mother’ routine that has been done to death by ITV, whilst Clarke is excellent as DI Prior, although the character is underused in this opening episode.

Sadly, whilst the performances are great, the plot is nothing special. Slow and clichéd, the mystery is uninvolving, lacking in twists, and pretty much grinds to a halt three quarters of the way in. It isn’t helped by the fact that Ruth’s incredibly annoying and undeniably creepy serial killer-obsessed teenage son Bryan keeps poking his nose into proceedings, even at one point helping to make a breakthrough in the case. It’s the kind of ‘really?’ moment that makes you seriously question the main character’s intelligence.

Perhaps we’ve just been spoiled by recent cop fare such as Happy Valley, Line of Duty and Broadchurch, but regardless, Chasing Shadows’ cast is wasted here.

Airs at 9pm on Thursday 4 September 2014 on ITV.

> Order Chasing Shadows on DVD on Amazon.

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