Identity Episode One on ITV1

Identity fraud's a bit of a hot topic these days, as more and more of our lives goes into electronic (traceable) transactions and we're increasingly encouraged to shred documents with personal details on them, just in case. As buying and selling becomes more impersonal, thanks to the rise of the internet and the credit card, so it becomes easier to interfere with the process and remove a person's humanity.

So ITV's drama about a new police unit tracking down identity thieves feels quite pertinent. Modern and highly relevant, in fact. DSI Martha Lawson (Keeley Hawes, taking another high-powered policewoman role focusing on the psychology of criminals, cf. Ashes to Ashes) leads a team that, to be honest, is in danger of merely following a paper trail. In this first episode, they're dealing with a former soldier who claims to have had his identity stolen by a mysterious man known only as Smith. But to be honest, that's not the interesting bit – the episode really gets going about halfway through when the team start to uncover previous victims and the chase hots up. Until then, they're basically following an electronic paper trail, and there's only so much dramatic interest that can be mustered by the coincidence of two people using a Nectar card in the same shop ten minutes apart.

Aiden Gillen (Queer as Folk, The Wire) is on Lawson's team, as John Bloom (yes, he's Irish and called Bloom, get over it Joyce-fans), an ex-undercover copper – see what they did there? He knows all about pretending to be someone else. Hopefully, that explains why he's able to make so many sharp remarks that cut straight through any psychological barriers people try to build up. And why he's so rude... The beginning of this episode sets up a nice tension between him and his new boss (ie. as an undercover copper, he's not used to having a boss), but their relationship takes a bit of a back burner. It's a shame, because this first episode – our first chance to meet the team – doesn't quite make them seem human for a long time. Bloom is also by far the most interesting of the team, and you'll see why in the last four minutes of this first episode. Apart from the fact that he's the only one with a history (undercover with drug smugglers) and something resembling a personality, there's definitely something shifty going on. Whose birthday is he turning up to, and who is that woman in the green dress?

The rest of them, ironically, don't seem to have much in the way of individual identities. Watch out for Shaun Parkes (Small Island, Moses Jones) and Elyes Gabel (Casualty, Apparitions), as the DS and DC respectively, when the younger rebels against this impersonal attitude – it's the first time (hopefully the first of more) that the show opens up the debate around identity theft, justice and the way the state handles such things. More, ITV, more.

Best moment:
Ex-squaddie Curtis: Are you calling me a coward?
Ex-undercover copper Bloom: I'm calling you a big...fat...girl's blouse.

The episode may still be available to view on itv Player here.