Coming Soon: Whitechapel II

I'm quite pleased to hear that ITV have commissioned a second series of Whitechapel, but not convinced it really justifies a sequel. The three-part thriller, starring Rupert Penry-Jones and Phil Davis as mis-matched detectives investigating a Jack The Ripper copycat, snagged 7 million viewers when it aired earlier this year... but how do you sequel-ize it?

Apparently, the answer is to put the detectives on the trail of another copycat -- this one basing his crimes on the '50s/'60s antics of East End organized crime family The Krays.

Laura Mackie, ITV's Director of Drama Commissioning:

"Whitechapel II will be as audacious and as compelling as the first series, strengthened by further character development and very real personal jeopardy. We are delighted to be commissioning more episodes following the success of [the first series of] Whitechapel."

The new three-part story starts pre-production very soon, for transmission next year. Anyone excited? I'm not convinced Whitechapel warrants a sequel, considering how it was written as a self-contained story, but I guess ITV can't argue with those kind of ratings and need a reliable performer on the schedules. I can understand their thinking from a business point of view. But The Krays? I'd have preferred something a bit more imaginative, like Dick Turpin, or a criminal most people aren't too familiar with from history.

Any thoughts?