When I started watching episode one of Annika and the very first scene had Nicola Walker (Annika) talking directly to the camera, my first instinct was to turn it off and forget about it there and then, as I really am not keen on the whole 4th wall filming technique. Literally the only thing that stopped me doing just that is that it was Nicola Walker doing it, and I have a great respect for her acting talents, having liked her performances in Spooks, The Unforgotten and A Mother's Son, to name but a few of the BBC dramas I've watched in which she's had a leading role. I'm glad I stuck with it because it's actually a fairly decent crime drama - not up to the same standard as some of the BBC's best such shows, but still sufficiently gripping and tense. However, "Annika" is really as much about the interpersonal relationships as it is about the murders. Annika's eccentric neuroses and her 4th-wall asides (which are thankfully not corny, and are thoughtfully woven into the story by producers so as to be infrequent and unobtrusive to the main plots; she is basically just vocalising her inner thoughts and self-reflection to help the viewers see how her mind works), as well as the fabulous repartee between her and her daughter provide a light-hearted relief from the murder investigations. These, along with fine acting from all the cast without exception, have delivered to us a well-rounded, high-quality, very enjoyable show that, if you are a fan of crime dramas - I would be happy to recommend watching.