Harrigan

Detective Sergeant Barry Harrigan leaves his two-year secondment in Hong Kong after having killed a triad leader who was also a police inspector. The backstory reveals the triad ordered the arson of his Newcastle home, an event that killed his eleven-year-old daughter. He departs with physical and psychological scars, vowing to root out those responsible.

In Newcastle, Harrigan carries the memory of his daughter's death and his wife's earlier battle with cancer. The personal loss hardens his resolve to expose the triads and everyone connected to the fire. This tragedy sets up his single-minded pursuit of justice.

The miners' strike cripples the country, bringing a three-day week and rolling power cuts that sap the city’s energy. Harrigan returns into this tense climate, which heightens fear and complicates policing. The broader social turmoil adds pressure to every investigation.

Harrigan clashes with the fastidious acting DI Larson, who urges him to keep his head down and not rock the boat. Larson wants him to coast through his final six months before retirement. The tension signals a clash between independent pursuit and bureaucratic restraint.

The murder of an old con and informant from Harrigan's set rekindles his investigative instincts. He senses there is more to the case than a simple burglary. This event pulls him deeper into the crime network surrounding his old beat.

Harrigan investigates a burglary and uncovers a crime-riddled estate that was his original beat. The section house had closed 18 months earlier, and a local criminal team holds the area in its grip. He begins connecting the dots to a broader conspiracy.

Billy, Harrigan's former sergeant now retired, warns that the Monkshire Estate is under the boot of a local criminal team. The message reinforces the danger Harrigan faces if he keeps digging. It sets the stage for a risky confrontation with entrenched power.

Harrigan identifies Cole, a vicious thug, and his family as the poison behind the estate's fear. Their enforcer, Arty Dunstan, had been arrested for the fire at Harrigan's home but was found not guilty, fueling Harrigan's drive to bring him to account. The conflict tightens around the Coles.

A young child is killed by two youths on a motorcycle, and the evidence begins to point back to the Coles. Harrigan sees a thread linking this tragedy to the earlier fire and his daughter's death. The case becomes a public crisis that pressures the police to act.

Billy becomes involved and is brutally beaten to death by Cole, a devastating blow that hardens Harrigan's resolve. The murder deepens his commitment to exposing the Coles' reign of fear. Personal loss becomes a catalyst for a broader crusade.

Harrigan persuades Superintendent Atkins to reopen the boarded-up section station on the estate, hoping to provide a policing foothold for residents. Larson orders staff to work under this improvised arrangement. The move marks a tactical shift in Harrigan's approach.

Harrigan rallies his improvised crew to paint the police station black, then marks it as open with bright red letters. The act is both practical and symbolic, challenging fear and corruption. The station becomes a rallying point in the community conflict.

Harrigan publicly arrests Cole, dragging him to the station, which triggers a riot as the community fights back and criminals attempt to torch the station. The city’s power grid falters and communications break down, leaving Harrigan isolated. The clash tests his resolve and exposes the Coles' hold over the area.

A wave of power cuts hits the city, cutting lights and radios and leaving the force cut off from command. Larson abandons Harrigan and his team to face the riot alone. Chaos spreads as shops burn and screams fill the night.

Harrigan confronts Arty Dunstan in the street, the man responsible for his daughter's death. His team fights through injuries to hold the line as Dunstan believes he has won. The confrontation crystallizes Harrigan’s vendetta and the city teeters on the edge of order and anarchy.