Vigil was renewed for a second season in March 2022, with the first episode airing on December 10, 2023.
Provides examples of:
- Artifact Title: Other than the drone that went rogue having VL-1 on the side, there is absolutely nothing in the second season called Vigil.
- Bald of Authority: Captain Newsome, the sub's stern but knowledgeable commander has a shaved head.
- British Brevity: The first season consists of six episodes.
- Closet Key: Flashbacks show that Kirsten Longacre was this for Da Silva.
- Dead Man Writing: Commander Newsome briefly mentions the Letters of Last Resort, the Real Life instructions from the British Prime Minister on what the commanding officer of a nuclear submarine should do with their weapons in the event of a nuclear war that renders the PM and their designated nuclear deputies dead or otherwise unreachable due to the total collapse of the British state.
- Death Notification: The Dénouement in the back-end of the sixth episode includes a scene where Prentice's teenage daughter opens the door to find Lieutenant Commander Branning, presumably about to deliver one of these.
- Heroic Bastard: Well-meaning anti-nuclear protestor Jade is the illegitimate daughter of a politician.
- Gambit Pileup: The Police, MI5, the Navy, the CIA and the Russians in the first season. The police, Albion X, the Wudyani government, the Wudyani dissidents and British Intelligence in the second.
- Good Stepmother: Amy thinks of Poppy as her own daughter. The two of them even joke with Ian about strangers commenting on their supposed Strong Family Resemblance.
- The "I Love You" Stigma: Amy and Kirsten broke up because of Amy’s reluctance to tell Kirsten that she loved her or to progress their relationship by moving in together or introducing Kirsten to Poppy. Amy overcomes this in the end and she and Kirsten get back together.
- Locked Room Mystery: The only way in and out of the boat is by helicopter lift from the conning tower, so Craig’s killer has to be located somewhere on the boat.
- Missing Mum: Poppy’s biological mother is never mentioned directly, nor do we ever find out the reason why she's not involved in Poppy's life. All the audience knows about her is that she isn’t Amy.
- Nepotism: Prentice's father-in-law is an admiral. Although he isn't above flexing his family connections on his superior officer when it suits him, he's worked hard to reach his current position (or at least he that believes he has) and he values his career. There is also no sign that he is as incompetent as usual for this trope: a git, to be sure, but he does seem to do a good job in his role, and when it becomes clear there is a murderer on board he is fully cooperative with trying to keep the crew safe.
- Qurac: The second season has the fictional Middle Eastern country of Wudyan.
- Recycled In Space: Has been described by some critics as “Line of Duty in a submarine”, or even Line of Das Booty.
- Scenery Porn: The series includes plenty of sweeping shots of the coastal road up to the naval base.
- Shame Accusation: Kirsten asks Amy if she's ashamed of Kirsten or their relationship when they get into an argument about Amy not introducing her to Poppy.
- Standard Cop Backstory: Amy's partner Ian died when their car was run off a country road and into a loch. Ian was rendered unconscious by the time the car hit the water, leaving Amy to choose whether to save Ian or Poppy, her stepdaughter. Amy chooses Poppy and manages to get her to safety, but isn't able to rescue Ian. Ian's parents take custody of Poppy, something which neither Amy nor Poppy want.
- Sub Story: The heart of the plot. Including most of the set pieces you'd expect from a submarine based drama.
- Trauma Button: Although the car accident and its subsequent fallout play heavily on Amy's mind throughout her time on the boat, being locked into a cabin by Prentice sets off a major anxiety attack.
- We ARE Struggling Together: Much of the difficulties in the early episodes could have been avoided by the police, navy and MI5 communicating properly rather than trying to cover their own backsides. Averted in the later episodes, when they are all on the same side and much more effective as a result.
- Why Did It Have to Be Snakes?:
- Amy suffers from severe Claustrophobia, and so does not relish the prospect of having to carry out a murder inquiry in a submarine.
- This is taken to eleven when she's trapped in a torpedo tube for a good part of the last episode.
