Criminal Record season 2 begins with high-stakes tension, with June and her team at the heart of a volatile protest operation. The episode quickly establishes a familiar blend of political pressure, moral dilemma, and rising violence that defines the tone of the season.
Death of Protest Operation
June and her team are watching a protest with the aim of arresting its top leader when he commits to causing violence. The plan works at first and the leader crosses the line and the team go in. But then it all goes downhill fast when the far right activists mix with the crowd and the controlled operation becomes a free for all.
A disorderly stabbing of a young boy June runs in and gives first aid, but the boy dies in her hands, crying out for his mother over and over. The incident affects her very deeply emotionally and is the prime motivating factor behind the investigation that takes place in this episode.
Political Resistance and Popular Response
When the boy dies, MP Margo questions Police Chief Maureen for answers. Maureen says the case is being investigated but Margo is not convinced, saying there are no suspects or arrests. Public confidence in the police begins to waver, putting pressure on the department to produce results, and quickly.
June Starts Her Own Investigation
June can’t pull herself away from the case, despite being told to stand down. She visits the victim’s family to offer her condolences, but the boy’s mother, overwhelmed with grief, asks her to leave.
Meanwhile Daniel revisits a case from the past involving Cosmo Thompson, changing his mind and suggesting the situation might be worse than he first thought.
Later, June looks at pictures from the protest and recognizes a masked person she was suspicious of at the scene. She gives this information to Mike’s team, offering to help track him down.
A Separate Investigation Develops
At home, June becomes increasingly obsessed with the media coverage of the case. She starts to unravel an old murder case involving Bill Fielding who, years ago, killed Cerys Jones. Her investigation takes her to Jones’s mother, Ashley, who she visits unannounced.
Ashley is found in a state of terrible neglect and June helps her out, but only for a short time before taking her to the soup kitchen. On the way, June tries to ask her about Bill Fielding’s past without being too obvious but Ashley gets uncomfortable and shuts down the conversation.
Suspicion and Watching
June doesn’t realize it, but Daniel is watching her every move. He hears of her visit to Ashley, and begins to watch her interest in Bill Fielding.
At the station, June tries to find out where Bill is now in prison, but runs into resistance and bureaucratic delays. Eventually she learns from Brian Teller that Bill has been transferred, details withheld for “safeguarding reasons.”
Word of her inquiries soon reaches Daniel and further suspicion of her involvement.
Secrets, Stress, and Therapy
June goes to therapy with Leo, and for a moment there’s light humour that cuts through the tension. But then Daniel calls and asks to meet and her mood changes.
The big development in their meeting is that Daniel tells him Bill Fielding has escaped from jail. He says he’s part of a secret team sent to find and recover him, claiming that the public’s knowledge would ruin the investigation. June is doubtful, but agrees to work with him, convinced that Bill might know something about the protest murder.
Her colleague Sonya warns her not to trust Daniel, reiterating old concerns about his motives. Meanwhile we find out that the victim’s grandfather is heartbroken and has nothing to do with any wider conspiracy.
Escalade and Manhunt
One night a man breaks into Ashley’s home. She calls for help and DS Kim is already on surveillance nearby and responds quickly. Ashley is unharmed, but the intruder escapes.
Soon the authorities might suspect the intruder was Bill Fielding. A coordinated search is launched and police follow him towards a canal. Kim tries to cross after him but falls into the water during the chase. Bill comes back for a quick stint but Daniel shows up moments later.
Bill sees Daniel and knows his name . This would suggest they know each other somehow . Tension builds . Daniel cuts him off immediately, telling him not to speak again.
Episode Summary
Season 2 picks up with a lot of momentum, immediately re-establishing political tension, personal conflict, and moral ambiguity. She is still guided by her empathy and often acts on instinct rather than protocol, which keeps her in conflict with authority figures.
Daniel is acting more and more suspicious and his direct involvement in the operation answers fewer questions than it raises. The Bill Fielding connection seems important and there might be deeper corruption or history to uncover.
The episode balances the procedural investigation with emotional weight, particularly through June’s reaction to the boy’s death and Ashley’s deteriorating condition. Once more, the performances are a highlight, with Peter Capaldi offering a measured, manipulative presence and Cush Jumbo anchoring the story with a nuanced depiction of moral conflict and emotional strain.
Overall, “Is It Him?” sets up a darker, more complicated season where truth, loyalty, and justice are all harder and harder to define.