Unforgettable

Golden Bird is a one‑off episode from the late‑90s BBC anthology series of the same name. It stars Sarah Whitaker as the hard‑nosed PI Carrie Blake, who’s called in to sort out a teenage girl’s mysterious fall from a council tower. The twist? Her eccentric Aunt Edie – played with a smoky, blues‑singer’s swagger by veteran actress Maureen O’Connor – shows up mid‑investigation, turning the case into something of a family jam session. The episode runs about fifty minutes and was first shown on terrestrial TV back in 1998, so you won’t be catching a fresh‑off‑the‑press drama. The story kicks off with Carrie combing through CCTV, witness statements and a pile of rumours about the girl’s last night. As she gets a grip on the facts, Aunt Edie arrives, lugging a battered guitar and a suitcase full of old blues records. Her off‑beat songs and unsolicited advice keep pulling Carrie away from the forensic grind, and the episode swings between gritty police work and intimate, music‑filled interludes. The central mystery – whether the fall was an accident, a prank gone wrong or something darker – stays under wraps until the final act, leaving you guessing but never feeling rushed. Honestly, it’s a mixed bag. The blues numbers are surprisingly good and give the piece a proper atmospheric edge, a bit like “Broadchurch” meets “The Singing Detective”. On the flip side, the pacing drags in the middle, and the 90s production values look a touch dated – the colour grading is flat and some of the city shots feel a little ropy. Still, if you enjoy a moody, character‑driven whodunit with a side of soulful music, it’s worth a watch; otherwise you might find the meandering a bit mental. Rated 12‑A (or TV‑14 in the US), with content warnings for teen suicide, mild language and a few intense moments in the tower scenes. There’s also a bit of alcohol‑related banter when Aunt Edie tips back a whisky. No major special effects, just practical sets and a lot of close‑ups, so it’s fairly gentle on the eyes. If you can get past the slow‑burn start, it’s a proper little gem from a bygone era of British TV.