Identity Episode Three on ITV1

Aiden Gillen continues to be both the most watch-able part of this series, and the person with the worst dialogue. So much of what he says sounds wooden, but his on-screen charisma is enough to mean it doesn't matter too much.

This week a false identity on the witness protection scheme is breached – and some poor lad has bricks thrown through his bedroom window. It's not his fault; his dad abducted and murdered a little girl a few years back. Someone's after payback, and there's a £3m reward floating around while Gillen chases a man on a motorbike and trying to find the little boy. Meanwhile, Gillen's also checking into a prison as Brendan Shea (to see his Turkish mafia boss) and – the same day? – as DI John Bloom (to see the child-abductor)...this seems bad practice from a copper who's been undercover for fifteen years.

On the plus side, this third episode finally burrows under the skin of the identity theft team and gives them some depth. Tessa (Holly Aird) and Martha (Keeley Hawes) snarl at each other in a pre-cat fight stand-off, and finally there's some tension. It's good to see, but should have been there much earlier. Before that, the (frankly awful interview team) pairing of Wareing (Shaun Parkes) and Rodriguez (Elyes Gabel) swap roles after their last judgemental interview with a possible suspect. This time it's Rodriguez' turn to dish out the accusatory comments, but once again their technique is terrible. They're nearly as bad the stupendously insensitive police interview teams in the BBC's recent The Silence.

On the down side, Bloom still needs to get the hang of office wear and stop turning up to work in his jogging outfits.

Best bit:
Right at the end when a suspicious prison guard gets pictures of Brendan Shea (Aiden Gillen) and John Bloom (Aiden Gillen) on the same computer screen. Ooh, don't they look similar? Like they could be the same man...except that one of them's snarling a bit more.

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