Bodies (2023 TV series)

In 1941, Detective Sergeant Charles Whiteman of the London police is a Jewish man who faces anti-Semitism from his colleagues in the department during World War II. Unknown to them, he also works for a mysterious organization that sends him orders by telephone; the voice on the phone is that of a woman who ends every call by saying, "Know you are loved." In the latest call he is ordered to retrieve an apparently identical body from Longharvest Lane and deliver it to a certain location. While attempting to do so that night, he finds he is being followed by another officer of the department, who suspects him of corrupt activities. He is almost caught with the body in the car he's been told to use when a German bombing raid damages the car and kills the officer following him. Whiteman escapes, leaving the body in the boot of the car.

In 1890, Detective Inspector Alfred Hillinghead of the London police is called to Longharvest Lane when the same body is discovered there. Journalist Henry Ashe is on the scene taking photos. Hillinghead accompanies Ashe to his flat in order to confiscate the photos for his investigation. Ashe, a gay man, tries to seduce Hillinghead, who arrests him for gross indecency and takes him in. In one of Ashe's photos Hillinghead sees the reflection in a window of someone hiding near the body. The reflection appears to be that of a well-dressed middle-aged man holding a walking stick.

In 1941, DS Whiteman is ordered by a secret organization to kill a rapist and frame him for the murder of Inspector Farrell, who was investigating the same case as Whiteman. Whiteman shoots the rapist in the head and plants evidence to link him to Farrell’s death. He reports back to the organization, whose leader says “Know You Are Loved”.

In 1890, DI Hillinghead is asked by the commissioner to stay away from the case, but he refuses. He burns the photo of the murdered man but keeps that of the man he saw on the glass window. He is visited by Henry Ashe, who wants the photo back. Hillinghead agrees to work with Ashe secretly to solve the case.

In 1941, DS Whiteman learns a young girl, Esther, has come forward claiming to have information about the body. The anonymous woman who gives him orders over the phone instructs Whiteman to dispose of her. Driving Esther into the country, Whiteman sees that they are being followed. Having lost their pursuer for the time being, he pretends to kill and bury Esther, but he actually chloroforms her and takes her back to his London flat to hide her.

In 2023, DS Hasan arrests teenager Elias Mannix, who was seen on CCTV meeting with Syed before Syed shot himself. Elias, highly agitated, says his foster parents "know things" about what will happen in the future and have told him he will cause a massive explosion in London, but Hasan’s superior ignores the warning. After Elias is placed in custody for transfer to a secure facility, Hasan searches Longharvest Lane again and notices the name "Hillinghead" scratched on a brick wall near where the body was found.

In 1890, Hillinghead has sex with Ashe, who notices the fingerprint Harker left on Hillinghead's spectacles; they match the prints from Longharvest Lane. In 1941, Whiteman ignores The Lady and does not kill Esther. He kills a man who was following them, but Esther is killed by The Lady, who proves to be Hillinghead’s now elderly daughter. In 2023, Hasan learns that Hillinghead and Whiteman were detectives who discovered the exact same body she found. She informs DCI Barber, who supports her plan to break in to Harker Legal. She finds Andrew Morley there, who has a collection of Defoe's dead bodies. Morley locks her in a dark room.

In 1890, Hillinghead brings Harker in for questioning about The Body/Defoe. Harker blackmails Hillinghead, telling him to frame Ashe for the murder. In 1941, Whiteman secures DCI Calloway's help in finding The Lady/Polly, finding she is Managing Director of Harker Bank. When Whiteman prepares to murder Polly, Calloway intervenes, but suddenly the Police Chief – proving to be Polly's son – murders Calloway. In 2023, Hasan learns that young Elias' fingerprint matches Harker's from 1890. Elias helps her find his birthmother, Sarah Mannix. Through Sarah, Hasan discovers that DCI Barber is Harker's great grandson, and Elias' father. In 2053, Lorna and Defoe take Maplewood to the chapel, where she meets an elderly Hasan, and learns the truth of The Throat – Defoe's active time-travel device. Commander Mannix needs The Throat to facilitate his journey back to the 1800s, which will culminate in the 2023 destruction of central London, changing society. Iris likes how society operates in 2053, and leads Mannix to the Chapel.