One major character has already bitten the dust in Vigil season 2. *WARNING – CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR VIGIL SEASON 2 EPISODE 1*

By James Hibbs

Published: Sunday, 10 December 2023 at 22:00 PM


*WARNING – CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR VIGIL SEASON 2 EPISODE 1*

The first episode of Vigil season 2 has now aired on BBC One and iPlayer, introducing us to the new case for this season and ending on a nail-biting cliffhanger.

At the start of the opener, we were introduced to Alastair Mackenzie’s character, wing commander Anthony Chapman, and his daughter Sabiha.

Chapman tells Sabiha to pack a bag, before informing Eliza Russell that he has cancer, and so will be taking a leave of absence from the air force. Russell is left as acting squadron leader.

Later in the episode, when a British military drone, known as an Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS), turns on British soldiers and kills a number of them, everyone who had access to control the RPASs becomes a suspect.

Suranne Jones’s DCI Amy Silva and Rose Leslie’s DS Kirsten Longacre are called on to investigate, and diagnostics later reveal that Chapman had seemingly taken control of the RPAS.

Using GPS tracking, they manage to find Chapman’s location, travelling there to arrest their prime suspect.

Rose Leslie in Vigil season 2 walking through a forest
Rose Leslie in Vigil season 2.
World Productions/Mark Mainz

An armed team enter the house where Chapman and his daughter are believed to have been staying, but neither are in sight. Then, they find one of them.

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Chapman’s body, with a bullet wound in his head, is discovered just outside the property, seemingly ruling him out as the person ultimately responsible.

Amy and Kirsten head into the woods outside the property, and find Sabiha calling for help. However, they soon realise they’re not alone, and Chapman’s killer is still in the surrounding area.

Just at that moment, a man wearing a balaclava and holding a rifle approaches. Amy tells Kirsten and Sabiha to run, and as the man shoots, the episode cuts to the credits.

It was a startling opening to this new season, which is sure to leave fans on tenterhooks for the next episode. Thankfully, the first three are available to stream now on BBC iPlayer.