Patience, a new crime drama set in York, has aired on Channel 4 to mixed reviews.

Thursday, 9 January 2025 17:34

By Dylan Connell

Press readers praised how York looked in Matt Baker's drama – adapted from French show Astrid et Raphaëlle – but some critics found fault with its portrayal of autism and storyline.

Episode one aired last night (Wednesday, January 8) and follows Patience Evans (played by Ella Maisy Purvis), a young autistic woman who works in the criminal records department for ‘City of York Police’.

Patience Evans (played by Ella Maisy Purvis) Detective Bea Metcalf (played by Breaking Bad star Laura Fraser) spots Patience’s talents for crime solving – believing her efforts are being wasted in the records department – and turns to her for assistance for a case.

She is tasked with looking into the death of a man who set himself on fire after withdrawing £8,000 from the bank.

The death is initially put down as a suicide but further details – prompted by Patience finding links between files – come to light which reveal that there could more to it.

And so the case is reopened.

Detective Bea Metcalf (Laura Fraser) Autism is always in the background of the hour-long episode.

Patience – acted by Purvis who is autistic herself – struggles with social interactions and finds herself overwhelmed when surrounded by others.

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