UPDATE end of SEASON 5: After the end of Season 4, I thought the series was over, so I was surprised to see Season 5 come out. With the addition of Sinead Keenan to the cast, it felt like they were starting all over again but by the end of the 6th episode the series was showing itself to transcend death. I’m glad it is back. I continue to give the series a 9 (superb) out of 10. [Police Procedural]. The first 4 seasons are available on BritBox and the 5th has already been broadcast in the UK. I imagine it will come to BritBox once the series jumps the pond to North American broadcasters.
(Review after the end of Season/Series 4). Fantastic, if heartbreaking, finale.. Chris Lang, did you have to be so brutal. Straight 10s for the whole series. Truly a jewel in the crown of UK Crime Dramas.
(Review at the end of Season/Series 3) Nicola Walker is a brilliant actor! So it is not surprising that this is an exceptional series. Don't expect a fast paced, shoot 'em up, action car chase police drama. If that is your favourite fare, you probably won't like this drama. But if you like a well crafted story that reels you in until you are sitting at the edge of your seat, with multi-faceted performances from an excellent cast, portraying believable characters living out the consequences of their own choices, you will love this series. At the end of Series 3, I've elevated my rating from a 9 (superb) to a 10 (brilliant) out of 10 and it now is on my Top 40 TV Series list. The finale of this past season felt like a series finale, but the writer (Creator/Executive Producer - Chris Lang) of the show has since teased out that, should the audience wish, there may be a 4th. Already garnering critical success and BAFTA attention, I think the audience is not ready for DCI Cassie Stuart/Nicola Walker or DS Sunil' Khan/Sanjeev Bhaskar to retire. [Police Procedural]
Films of this ilk can often leaver a viewer cold, it’s award-baiting laid bare, leaving a bad taste that stops you from truly immersing yourself in the story. Minghella’s own “Cold Mountain” is a case in point. But here we have a film that may well have suffered some backlash since it swept the awards due to attempts to mimic its success. Yet, this is a film that remains utterly enthralling throughout. The structure of the story, told in flashbacks, adds an air of mystery as to who exactly the titular patient is and how he became horribly burnt. But it is the performances of Ralph Fiennes and Kristin Scott Thomas that form the centrepiece of a beautifully compelling love affair. They have wonderful natural chemistry together and every scene they share together leaves you wanting more, despite the resolution being known from the beginning. It's a testament to the confidence in these performances that the filmmakers never try to soften the harder edges of Fiennes' character. If the present day plot that the film alternates between can’t quite match this, it is still a nice parallel to events from the past as each character confronts their personal losses and tries to come to terms with them, and both Juliette Binoche and Naveen Andrews are great. Only Dafoe’s character feels a little superfluous to the film, good though he is. The score is achingly romantic and the cinematography is stunning.
