An ode to Brenda Blethyn’s DCI Vera Stanhope as we prepare to say goodbye to ‘Vera’

Well, the time has come. Vera, one of ITV’s longest and most beloved detective dramas, is officially coming to an end. Vera season 14, which will consist of just two feature-length episodes, will be the last hurrah for Brenda Blethyn’s DCI Vera Stanhope.

Of course, after 13 years, both Blethyn and Vera deserve a bit of rest, but that doesn’t make this goodbye any less difficult. Based on the books by Ann Cleeves, ITV’s Vera has given us one of U.K. TV’s most compelling detectives, which is no small feat, considering just how many British detective series there actually are.

Not only is DCI Vera Stanhope one of a handful of solo leading crime drama ladies, but she’s also one of the most enduring. Vera has been at the same rank the entire time—something which might finally change in season 14—steadfast in her role as both a leader and a detective. Above all, however, Vera is unassuming, and that’s part of what makes her such a great character.

If you’ve never watched an episode of Vera, or only seen action-packed hits like Luther or Line of Duty, you might be tempted to think, “How could this modest, run-of-the-mill detective possibly lead an entire show?” That’s the character’s and the show’s power. Watching Vera is like peeling the layers of an onion; each episode, each case, gives us a glimpse into who Vera truly is. She’s gentle yet firm, kind yet rude, smart yet bossy, lonely yet anti-social. Her childhood wasn’t easy, her family relationships are impossible, yet she never truly lets her feelings interfere with her casework. She cares for her victims and suspects, unraveling clues throughout the desolate yet undeniably beautiful Northern English landscape with the help of her trusty and rusty Land Rover.

Blethyn’s performance has been mesmerizing since the start, infusing the character with a subtle warmth and a fierce protectiveness underneath her often grouchy, bacon sandwich-loving veneer. You enjoy watching her interact with her colleagues, and your heart breaks for her a little when she wakes up alone at her dining table in her small, tucked-away cottage. She calls everyone “love,” and “pet,” and while you know it’s just part of her dialect and accent, you can’t help but want to be called that by her, too. She’s maternal, strong, sad, and angry when she needs to be. She’s complex. She is, as I said, layered.

Of course, there are plenty of other classic and new detectives and detective shows to keep us company from now on, but there was and always will be something truly special about Vera. The cases have consistently been one of the show’s strengths, as they are truly gripping and challenging, but in the end, it’s how DCI Vera Stanhope interacts with and handles these cases that will make you want to stick around for 50+ episodes. If you haven’t given this show a shot yet, do so now. I promise you, it’s worth it.

Vera season 14 premieres in the U.K. on January 1 and 2 on ITV1 and ITVX. Episode 1 will premiere on BritBox in North America on January 2, with episode 2 dropping a week later.