The Identity Unit is an elite police body formed to combat the explosion of identity-related crime and tackle the darker side of reinvention: murders who literally take other people’s lives, criminals who create new personas to escape evil pasts and impostors who look, talk and sound just like us but would kill you in a heartbeat. The unit, lead by DSI Martha Lawson, works in situations where making an identification plays a significant part of solving the crime by outsmarting, hunting down and unmasking the modern day Jekyll and Hyde...

Identity is a six-part ITV 1 drama that follows the five members of the recently set up Identity Unit. DSI Lawson is the founder of the unit - which she fought long and hard for - and its perilous fate is a constant source of anxiety to her. She knows she took a gamble in hiring DI John Bloom - the secret weapon of the Identity Unit. Crucially, Bloom is an ex-undercover cop so he knows firsthand what it’s like to pretend to be someone you are not. He’s also only too aware of how easy it is to lose your own identity when you’re living a lie...

Other members of the team include Tessa Stein, IT expert in everything from trawling databases to cracking security codes; DS Anthony Wareing, who has his eye on promotion and a stance on cases that can err on the self-righteous; and DC José Rodriguez, cocky and self-assured yet with a seriousness and sensitivity that gives him insight into cases. As the series unfolds, DS Wareing becomes more and more concerned about Bloom’s methods and frustrated by what he sees as Martha’s blind and foolish indulgence of him.

I have to admit that I thought this was going to be a hard show to pull off. Sure everyone knows about identity theft, but could the production really come up with six interesting identity cases that were different enough and original in order to keep the viewers interest over the course of the series. Thankfully they do a remarkable job.

Interwoven between the episodes is Bloom's double life. He's still involved with the people he betrayed during his last undercover operation, and leading a double life is not going to be easy. Sooner or later one or both of his lives will be exposed to those he cares about.

Highlights in this series include:

Second Life, which follows the team as they try to track down a mysterious identity thief who chooses his victims carefully and seems to be enacting some sort of revenge against them. However, none of the victims have a clue who would want to target them and with no obvious common link the Identity Unit must try and think one step ahead of their prey.

Pariah, sees the team having to protect a woman who was once involved in the kidnap and murder of a young girl. Someone is out for revenge... but who and why?

Tomorrow Comes Early, is the final episode in the series and sees everything comes to a head for Bloom and his two identities.

Of the five main cast there's only Tessa (Holly Aird) José (Elyes Gabel) whose characters are never really explored. All the other cast members have at least one interesting story arch and their moment to shine. And to be honest even Martha (Keeley Hawes) and Anthony (Shaun Parkes) only really have their moment in the final episode.

There are no extras at all on this two-disc collection.

An enjoyable drama series that's well worth picking up.

8

Darren Rea