281. Web-Series Reviews – 114

More web-series reviews…

Blue Lights – Came out in 2023.  Follows rookie police officers working in Belfast, a city in which being a frontline response cop comes with unique pressures and dangers.

One of the reviews from IMDB...

Here we are 25 years after the Good Friday agreement, and after watching the BBC'S latest crime drama Blues Lights, you would be hard pushed to believe anything has changed since the troubles.

Whilst the British army may no longer patrol the streets and car bombs are not going off every 5 minutes, there can be no doubt the underlying tension between Catholic and Protestant communities remains and sadly always will.

Blue lights is the story of three rookie cops, who after basic training, team up and patrol the streets of Belfast. With the IRA is still a dark menace in the city mostly through organised crime and in particular drug running. This is not your local Bobby on the beat stuff you see in the UK. It is bulletproof vest wearing firearm trained police officers, who are now the enemy of the IRA.

Whatever your thoughts on this show, it is at least an insight to a part of the UK which is unlike anywhere else. For those dishing out the low scores remember this is a fictional drama for our entertainment, if you want to watch what it's really like then watch the excellent Peter Taylor documentaries on iplayer. 8/10.

Another review...

Having stinted in NI 1973-1981 this thought provoking drama brough back some happy, and a lot more unhappy memories of NI (during 'the troubles').

Realistic, excellent action and tension, my only very minor point of technical correctness would be that when 'out on a shout' you always parked up with your vehicle 'pointing' outward to enable a speedy 'escape' should matters turn nasty (as they often did).

The early scenes in the Creggan like area were so very typical of what was happening in those days, and I guess from recent news coverage what is still happening right now.

Every police character had been well thought out, so believable, and inner tensions were excellently captured.

Like other reviewers I sincerely hope there will be more series to follow. Once again, well done to the BBC drama dept, sometimes you just 'hit the nail on the head' e.g. Line of Duty, Happy Valley, Last Tango in Halifax etc.

My Take – A definite watch!

 

Steeltown murders – Came out in 2023.  It centers on the hunt to catch the killer of three young women set in both 1973 and the early 2000s, contrasting the policing methods of the 1970s with the forensic breakthroughs of the early 2000s.

One of the reviews from IMDB...

The latest in a number of TV recreations of recent, infamous real-life crimes, this four-part BBC series centred on the brutal rape and murder of three 16-year-old girls in the space of a couple of months in neighbouring Neath and Port Talbot in Wales, in 1973. Despite a concerted police investigation at the time, the killer was never apprehended and the case went cold for decades. However, with the discovery and implementation of DNA profiling in police procedures, one detective from the original search, with the help of two able and willing colleagues, reopened the case in the hope of finally solving the murders and in the process obtain some degree of closure for the victims' families as well as dispersing the suspicions about other innocent men in the community at the time suspected of the crimes.

The programme used parallel timelines, switching between the 1973 and early 2000's of each manhunt and in the absence of the expensive new-fangled de-ageing technology, chose to employ pairs of different actors for the main characters with a seeming resemblance, some more credible than others, to tell the tragic and horrific story through to its conclusion. Heading the cast as lead detective Paul Bethell was Philip Glenister, again stepping back in time to play a cop, only this time of course, unlike in "Life On Mars" and "Ashes To Ashes" his character wasn't fictional. He's well supported by his two dogged colleagues played by Steffan Rhodri and Gareth John Bale, as the three of them commandeer an old, dingy out-of-use police station to trawl through piles and piles of written evidence (this of course was in the days before computers and on-line record-keeping) to eventually take the case forward some 30 years after the crimes had first been committed.

Once I got the hang of the unannounced and untitled time-switches, it was easy to get involved in the grim events portrayed. I liked how the director deliberately created the environs of the 70's in particular, where you could almost smell as well as feel the fug of smoke permeating the scenes. It was a nice touch to have any background pop music heard in the background performed by Welsh acts like Badfinger and The Stereophonics. The casting and ensemble acting was generally good throughout and although it wasn't a surprise to see Keith Allen as a suspect, this time at least he met a different fate to his usual.

Again though, I'm pretty certain that hidden away in the legend that composite characters and fictional scenes had been created for dramatic purposes, I think I can say with certainty however that at least three of the leading characters were imagined and inserted for reasons of diversity, a practice of which I'm generally in favour, but not when treating real-life events like this, especially if in living memory.

I also felt the series could have been condensed into three rather than four episodes, the final episode in particular really dragging out the sense of sympathetic guilt of subsidiary characters as well as the exhumation of the prime suspect.

I have to say that this wasn't a case I remembered at all from when the original events first occurred. One can certainly be grateful for modern day devices like CC TV, DNA and mobile phone technology aiding the police in their work but what came across most here was the dogged determination of committed coppers doing their duty to the victims and their families to solve cold-cases even if sometimes the perpetrator doesn't always get their rightful comeuppance in their lifetime.

My Take – Worth a watch!

 

Citizen khan – Ran from 2012 to 2021.  The trials and tribulations of self-appointed Muslim community-leader Mr. Khan and his long-suffering family. Khan is a larger-than-life character, a small man with big dreams and strident opinions. Like many of us he's struggling to make ends meet, but he's proud of his thriftiness--witness his 1979 suit and ancient yellow Mercedes. Things would be so much easier if everyone just listened to him and followed his lead, but his obsessively house-proud wife and two feisty daughters have other ideas.

One of the reviews from IMDB...

The type of comedy we have been missing in the last couple of years. Very fun silly and a good piece of Monday night comedy. It's not everyone's cup of tea but me and my family love it. The latest thing i heard was that all the actors are Hindus and that the show was made by Zionists, brilliant, if you don't like it don't watch it! stop making silly stories up. Pathetic. 10/10 i look forward to the show every week. I have spoken to several Muslims who have been slating the show on facebook, it was then that i realised that they hadn't even watched the show but was told how offensive it was. People are being sheep. Because of this reaction it is unlikely that we see any sort of Muslim show for a long time. Congrats

Another review...

Just recently came across this comedy during lockdown and decided to give it a try. By the first episode I was thoroughly engrossed, and along with the family, laughed through the whole thing.. It's a must watch, though I do understand if muslims would take some offence, however it's just honesty in my opinion. It's important to take this show into different perspectives, that at the end of the day, regardless of religion or race, we should all be treated the same. Citizen Khan shows how Pakistanis, go about their daily lives and provides the audience with a taste of their culture however, giving it a spicy kick. :) Altogether, a great performance from Adil Ray, there was a time when I just had to laugh whenever I saw him, even if he wasn't saying anything particularly funny. Definitely recommend it!

My Take – An enjoyable series. Saw all the seasons!

Cheers till next time😊!!