Sure, there's the nifty badge and shiny handcuffs, but does that make up for the possibility of being shot by some tracky-dakked low-life on a meth binge or stabbed by a wigged-out husband who's outraged his wife is having it off with her yoga instructor? Probably not. So there must be other reasons keeping our people in the job.

In Episode 4, we discovered what drives Matt Ryan to be a Homicide detective. Matt fiercely believes it when he says, 'Either they all count, or none of them do,' which is to say, he believes every murder victim - rich or poor - must be treated with the same determination and integrity when investigating the case. They're advocates for the dead, our detectives. But this isn't just a Boy Scout do-gooder in action - it comes from a much deeper place. Now we know Matt's mum disappeared 16 years ago, was never found and is presumed murdered. But he doesn't spend his days advertising himself as the moody broody damaged cop with the murdered mum (because really, who wants to share a desk with that guy?).

Matt's getting on with his life and forging a career in a job that's meaningful to him. When it comes to the crunch, he's going to go that bit further and be that bit more driven to resolve a case that other people might have written off. Because of his past he has a special empathy for the families left behind. That's what we wanted to get across in this episode. To Matt, the case comes first, his career comes second. And he's going to be adorably ruffled, a wee bit shouty and doubly determined to succeed if anyone tries to stop him.

Matt's taken Jennifer into his confidence, though not necessarily by choice. She watched him deal with his dad. She was sympathetic, but also kept that professional distance. Now she sees him in a different light. He's not just another single guy with no cares but the job - he has responsibilities. This revelation has drawn the two of them closer in a way.

Stanley took a stand in this episode. Matt disagreeing with him in front of the other troops is one thing, but what really pushed Wolfie's buttons was Matt questioning his commitment to solving the case. Stanley's in a difficult position - he gets political pressure from Waverley and Mulholland up above, but he also has his own deep-seated integrity and he wants to lead his younger troops by example.

This episode also saw Jennifer and Duncan reach an understanding. You can't shoot a person and get over it in a few short weeks. She's still feeling it, still dreaming about it. And Duncan gets it because he's been there too. The actors absolutely nailed that scene. You can tell just by the look on Jennifer's face that approaching Duncan is damn hard for her to do - so hard that she barely registers that she's in the men's loos. And Duncan, with his no-bull attitude, drops the macho for one split-second vulnerable moment. He can't tell Jennifer it'll be alright, but he lets her know she's not the only one. Sometimes that's all you need.

Coming up next week: teenage girls blogging and logging their lives online, unaware of who else is watching, waiting and stalking. For Stanley Wolfe, father of two daughters and godfather to a missing teenager, it's his worst nightmare. All the 'play by the rules' cautiousness you've seen from him so far will go out the window - much to Waverley's horror. This is the episode where we get to see what Stanley's really made of. If you want to see Stanley Wolfe teetering on the brink of control - and possibly even losing it - watch Episode 5, Ripe Fruits In the Garden.

The Creative Team, CITY HOMICIDE