This is such a hard series to review.
Note- No plot spoilers but examples of dialogue which contain elements which some people may not wish to read about.
The idea is brilliant, original, creative and intelligent.
The acting is good, the melancholic feel and greyish colouring that runs through each scene draws you in. The plot is well thought out and kept me coming back to watch every episode.
Why couldn't they write better dialogue and make character interactions more realistic? It seems like a small thing but it adds up and becomes annoying.
A few examples of how the characters interact in most scenes...
1. One main character (Archie) begs another (George) who's partner has just died, out "for a pint" despite him repeatedly declining. Archie is seen bringing over two pints from the bar to George who is waiting looking depressed. George asks one question about the ethics of what they do causing Archie to launch into a short soliloquy before righteously leaving to go, then turning dramatically to say "oh and thanks for the pint"... whhhat!!?
2. The Lazarus project is a top secret government organisation whose entire role is to make use of a mysterious singularity (that is governed by quantum mechanics) an agency that is able to freely poach agents from MI-5. Yet one of the researchers states when something like (when ecplaining to someone else) "it's a bit like pavlov's cat, who ate some cyanide and so was dead and alive" before being corrected by one of the agents... surely this agency's incredible recruitment abilities would not pick someone who doesn't have any understanding at all of the main subject matter?
3. Why are an app developer, and later a primary school teacher, able to become international super-spy's within a few days of being recruited?
4. Shiv says to Archie, when he is recruiting her (from MI5), that she wouldn't be able to beat him in a fight because MI5's martial arts training is not very good. Implying he has been thoroughly trained. Yet he is completely decked repeatedly by George, who is essentially a wuss with zero training.
5. They keep saying "f&£king.. this and $h!t.. that" when there is no reason to. In think swearing can add to realism when used appropriately but it's just odd sometimes in this series.
6. It's actually hilarious when George drives a few hundred yards away from huge nuclear bomb down a country road before detonating it and is completely fine.
It's so frustrating because so much of an excellent series is all here. Despite its weirdness I will keep coming back for more.
I would say dialogue and screen writing: 3/10 Acting: 7/10 Plot: 9/10 Cinematography: 8/10 Overall: 6/10.
Note- No plot spoilers but examples of dialogue which contain elements which some people may not wish to read about.
The idea is brilliant, original, creative and intelligent.
The acting is good, the melancholic feel and greyish colouring that runs through each scene draws you in. The plot is well thought out and kept me coming back to watch every episode.
Why couldn't they write better dialogue and make character interactions more realistic? It seems like a small thing but it adds up and becomes annoying.
A few examples of how the characters interact in most scenes...
1. One main character (Archie) begs another (George) who's partner has just died, out "for a pint" despite him repeatedly declining. Archie is seen bringing over two pints from the bar to George who is waiting looking depressed. George asks one question about the ethics of what they do causing Archie to launch into a short soliloquy before righteously leaving to go, then turning dramatically to say "oh and thanks for the pint"... whhhat!!?
2. The Lazarus project is a top secret government organisation whose entire role is to make use of a mysterious singularity (that is governed by quantum mechanics) an agency that is able to freely poach agents from MI-5. Yet one of the researchers states when something like (when ecplaining to someone else) "it's a bit like pavlov's cat, who ate some cyanide and so was dead and alive" before being corrected by one of the agents... surely this agency's incredible recruitment abilities would not pick someone who doesn't have any understanding at all of the main subject matter?
3. Why are an app developer, and later a primary school teacher, able to become international super-spy's within a few days of being recruited?
4. Shiv says to Archie, when he is recruiting her (from MI5), that she wouldn't be able to beat him in a fight because MI5's martial arts training is not very good. Implying he has been thoroughly trained. Yet he is completely decked repeatedly by George, who is essentially a wuss with zero training.
5. They keep saying "f&£king.. this and $h!t.. that" when there is no reason to. In think swearing can add to realism when used appropriately but it's just odd sometimes in this series.
6. It's actually hilarious when George drives a few hundred yards away from huge nuclear bomb down a country road before detonating it and is completely fine.
It's so frustrating because so much of an excellent series is all here. Despite its weirdness I will keep coming back for more.
I would say dialogue and screen writing: 3/10 Acting: 7/10 Plot: 9/10 Cinematography: 8/10 Overall: 6/10.