ITV viewers said a reluctant farewell to ‘one of the best crime dramas ever’ Vera after 14 years.
The second part of the show’s last episode saw Vera, played by Brenda Blethyn, on the trail of a missing teenager named Chloe, which led her to a high-stakes confrontation during a witch hunt festival in a village linked to her past.
As the detective and her team worked on the case, she experienced flashbacks to her childhood which showed the relationship between a young Vera, played by Marley Emma, and her father, Hector Stanhope, played by Stevie Raine.
On X, viewers described the conclusion as ‘perfect’ and expressed their relief it did not have an overly ‘dramatic’ ending that would not have been faithful to the series.
@rosecoloredchar said: ‘Saying a tearful goodbye to another consistently brilliant tv show and an iconic British character tonight is so sad. There is no other like #Vera. The best of the best and it is going to be missed so much in my house.’
@MICHAELR8745 lamented: ‘ITV can’t just let go of one of the best crime dramas ever. #Vera #itv.’
Echoing their sentiment, @GregInBytes said: ‘Thank you @BrendaBlethyn for your portrayal of #Vera Stanhope over the years… a character that joins Morse, Cadfael, Frost, Tom Barnaby and so many other beloved TV detectives in the hearts of crime drama fans. Perfect ending.’
@Kaz1702 shared: ‘Whilst I’m sad it’s going, I’m so glad Vera ended the way it did. I was worried there was going to be a dramatic ending to get the ratings but the way they’ve handled it was completely in character for both the show and the main character. #Vera #ITV1.’
Agreeing, @DanJBrownMUFC wrote: ‘What a beautiful end to #Vera, an episode so true to the charm the show has always had with some nostalgia and powerful messages. I got into it a fair few years in but have enjoyed Vera so much in the years I’ve been watching, always such cosy, warm and intriguing viewing.’
The final instalment was the first time viewers had seen her father, whose deep connection to Northumberland mirrors Vera’s own bond with her surroundings.
Struggling in the aftermath of the death of his wife, Hector is seen seeking solace in alcohol, leaving young Vera to take on a carer’s role within the family.
Despite his grief, Hector is still seen to be a loving father, with 12-year-old Vera shown as fiercely independent and mature beyond her years, as she balances her own grief with the responsibility of caring for her father, displaying the resilience and strength of the detective she became.
The episode shows how the challenges of her early life drove her to protect the vulnerable and fight for justice, with her father telling her the police is ‘no place for a lass’ during the programme’s closing scenes.
Vera tells him: ‘You’re wrong.’
To which he replies: ‘Am I? You best prove it then pet.’
The action then skips to the present day where Vera packs up her things, including pictures of her father, and leaves the police station to retire from the force, unbeknownst to her fellow detectives.
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It is then revealed she has left her partner DI Joe Ashworth (David Leon) a letter, which reads: ‘Time to spread these wings pet, you’ll be fine.’
Part one of the final episode on New Year’s Day ended with Vera and Joe, on a clifftop where they confronted Imogen Langworth, who had murdered her mother, and her father, Lucas Corbridge, who was falsely accused of killing his wife, Marion.
Vera attempted to get Imogen to reveal the truth about her mother’s death, but her father appeared with a rock and got into a fight with Joe, which saw him almost fall off the cliff, before Imogen fell to her death, leaving the trio in shock.
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Vera is available to stream on ITVX.
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