My top 25 TV Shows of 2017

25: Naked Attraction – Series 2 (Channel 4)

Yes, seriously. It’s made my list. Hear me out on this one. Despite it’s obvious channel Four style silliness this actually has more going for it than something like Sex Box. It’s refreshing to see “normal” bodies on TV, warts (sometime’s literally) and all. It’s also, in its own way, an interesting take on human attraction. Plus, at the moments you’re not taking it semi (ahem) seriously, it’s nice to see lots of male genitals that make me feel a hell of a lot better about my own bits.

 

24: Inside No. 9 – Private View (BBC2)

The sheer audacity of Inside No. 9 means they can kill off Peter Kay in the opening minute. Private View plays out like an Agatha Christie novel set in an art basement. But with a reality TV star and a man named Kenneth Williams who has no sense of irony, or ironically no sense of innuendo.

The strangers are called to an exhibition but are soon picked off one by one in ever increasingly imaginative ways. There’s boob jokes, anal sex jokes, toilet humour and yet it still manages to be clever. How do they do it? The twist turns slowly and the motives of the culprit are thoroughly unexpected. Another gem from team Shearsmith and Pemberton.

 

23: Gameface – Series 1 (E4)

The pilot which aired way back in 2014 suggested Gameface would be in the tradition of Man Down but time has given the show a facelift. The series proved to be more stylised with a cinematic feel and different use of editing. Marcella has a drug addict brother, a dick of an ex-boyfriend and a blossoming crush on her driving instructor. She’s prone to getting into situations she doesn’t want to be in. She gets in supermarket brawls, triggers a fellow actor into a panic attack and flicks a lover’s testicles. Though he seemed to like being in that situation. Roisin Conaty writes and stars and is clearly in her element. Hopefully a second series beckons.

 

22: Witless – Series 2 (BBC3)

A strange old show is Witless. Billed as a comedy thriller, the adventures of Leanne and Rhonda descend more into farce with more twists than you can point a gun at and that’s what got them into so much trouble in the first place. Series two finds them trying desperate measures to escape their lives in Witness Protection with the help of dodgy fancy dress gear and a bear named Charlie Little Pockets. Don’t ask. It never plays for easy laughs but Kerry Howard is the one who brings most comic relief to a show that is a strong mix of silly and dark.

 

21: Stranger Things – Series 2 (Netflix)

While hardly the fasted paced show going, it was good to explore more of ‘The Upside Down’ and the Hawkins lab in series two. It’s fair to say that the happenings in this little pocket of America didn’t evolve too much and it lacked the impact of the first run but for the most part it felt like a continuation of a winning formula, if you overlook the pointless “Eleven goes to the city” episode  Anything that consists of child actors should by definition be awful but my God, these guys are excellent. Quite where things go from here is going to be intriguing. The downside up?

 

20: Sherlock – Series 4 (BBC1)

Critically panned for sure and suggestions that it jumped the shark do have some validity. However, when Sherlock is on top form it is still spectacular, like the Eurus reveal for example, or the demented spin off of The Crystal Maze in the finale. Plot holes? There were a few and yes, Mary’s death was a bit rubbish but not quite as rubbish as Watson’s reaction but what carried series four over the line was the strong performances and masterful direction which gave adrenaline to the poorest run to date. There are rumours that Sherlock might come back in a few years time but it’s probably wise to put this under the deer stalker hat and back into the dusty cupboard for good.

 

19: BoJack Horseman – Series 4 (Netflix)

Sure, we can all relate to a depressed, formerly famous horse and even if you can’t, the Netflix animation continues to surprise and astound. The themes have always been a bit morose but there are glimmers of the human side to him. Or the.. horse side. You know what I mean. Tragedy and comedy are simply two cheeks on the same arse and the writing is so funny and assured there’s plenty of padding. Erm.

 

18: The End Of The F**king World – Series 1 (Channel 4 / Netflix)

In another baffling take on Channels’ starting to give up on the whole putting TV shows on the actual TV, The End Of The F***ing World was confined to streaming service All4. That’s a shame because many will miss out on this teenage misadventure. While the episodes were frustratingly short and there were way too many flashbacks for a series that didn’t clock up many minutes in total, the deeply troubled pairing of James and Alyssa was riotously entertaining. Awkward fumblings, suicide, stabbings, and car explosions are par for the course but despite their attitude an inner monologue expresses all their vulnerability. Jessica Barden stands out with her portrayal of a young woman going off the rails. In their bid to escape they end up more trapped than ever.

 

17: GLOW – Series 1 (Netflix)

Big hair? check. Spandex? Check. Kick ass women? Check. Cheesy eighties classics? Check. Need any more convincing? It has (references to) sex, it definitely has drugs and the trio is completed by a rock n’ roll attitude. A disparate group of women audition for a new show for female wrestlers and the journey to get to the pilot is a total riot. Director Sam Silva is an arrogant misogynist but he sure as hell meets his match in his cast. The second run has already been shot and is expected to air later this year.

 

16: Cold Feet – Series 7 (ITV)

As middle age creeps closer and closer for me, perhaps I should watch Cold Feet as a lesson in how not to grow old with dignity. Affairs, addiction, work stress, family stress and depression are some of the happy subjects that our motley crew are faced with. As ever, it’s done with winning performances from a cast who know each other so well. Writer Mike Bullen is a genius in the way he wraps it all together in funny and affecting tales that produce the feelgood factor every time.

 

15: Black Mirror – Hang The DJ (Netflix)

Coming across as a hybrid of 500 Days Of Summer, The Truman Show and the show’s own past in San Junipero, this romantic installment proves that beneath all the fear, panic and death, Charlie Brooker does have a soft side. Amy and Frank are cooped up in a world where a digital companion controls their love lives. Who they date, where and how long for. For Black Mirror this is a straight forward story that shows some rules are meant to be broken.

 

14: Line Of Duty – Series 4 (BBC1)

Thandie Newton is the captivating centre of our attention this time but a leap from BBC2 to the headline channel doesn’t mean that all the old strands have been forgotten about. As ever, the main protagonist is there to confuse viewers with dubious actions and multiple alibis. Ted Hastings is on top form as usual, you wouldn’t expect anything less from the fella, but all in all it proved to be the least satisfying series to date.

That’s not to say it wasn’t mostly brilliant but there was a sense that not much ground was covered in comparison to previous runs. There wasn’t even much in the way of the long interrogation scenes either. Maybe that was an editorial decision to stop the show edging towards parody? Either way, the worst series of Line Of Duty is still a thrill ride that puts most TV to shame. Bar the thirteen listed below, obviously. Don’t be picky.

 

13: Broadchurch – Series 3 (ITV)

Recovering from the ultimate case of ‘Second Series Syndrome’ (yes, SSS), Hardy and Miller are on top form again. Bar the Latimer’s tragic tale of coping with loss, Broadchurch moves on from the events of before. While skipping a few years ahead of our last visit grates at first, it’s a choice that actually allows the final run to breathe so much easier on its own terms.

The topic of rape and sexual abuse is dealt with by good research and much needed sensitively and for that it should be applauded. A whodunnit about a rape felt very odd and left viewers feeling a bit uneasy but that was probably the whole point and Julie Hesmondhalgh played the role of Trish with raw honesty.

In true Broadchurch fashion, there were big, almost laughable red herrings (or in this case, mackerels) such as dramatic close ups of condoms on a dashboard or an intense camera zoom on a load of footballer’s socks but I can forgive them that. Hardy and Miller will be much missed but it’s nice to know that Beth has got a new job as a doctor.

 

12: Black Mirror – Black Museum (Netflix)

Rolo Haynes,  a former neurological research recruiter now runs a debauched horror show of a museum. As he guides Nish around the “attraction” he tells of his past in extreme and sometimes gory detail. These three differing stories show a man with increasingly loose morals and the pay off is worth its wait in Gold. If it feels like things are getting a bit too bleak just remember that “Monkey loves you”..

 

11: Taskmaster – Series 5 (Dave)

Taskmaster continues to go from strength to strength as it grows ever more with confidence. If you want to see Sally Phillips make out with a water cooler and frankly, who doesn’t? Then this is the show for you. If you want to see Bob Mortimer turn a coconut into a businessman and frankly, who doesn’t? Then this is the show for you. If you want to see Aisling Bea dressed as a sexy robot called the ‘Cuddlebot 5000’ and frankly, who doesn’t? Then this is the show for you. If you don’t want to see any of these things then put your telly in a skip and go read a book or something.

 

10: Inside No. 9 – The Riddle Of The Sphinx (BBC2)

Inside No 9 is at its glorious best when putting surreal meat on the bones of simple ideas. This is all about crosswords and no matter how boring that may sound , Shearsmith and Pemberton elevate proceedings beyond anything other comedy writers can manage. It’s complex and deeply compelling.

The Riddle Of The Sphinx revolves around Nina who stumbles into the office of a professor that soon teaches her the best ways of deciphering clues in cryptic crosswords. Naturally, as a storm rages outside there are twists and dark turns aplenty. Everything about it feels perfect. The deliciously lit Gothic set-up, the wordplay and the performances of course. One of the best, if not the best of the anthology series to date.

 

9: Black Mirror – USS Callister (Netflix)

Reality becomes virtual as Robert Daly, a quiet overlooked co-manager of a technology company starts to play out his fantasies in another world where he is appreciated and respected. He uploads his work colleagues onto his computer based spaceship. In there he is the captain and an outright bully. What follows is unpredictable and at times hilarious story as his trapped crew plot their escape.

As a social commentary, white male privilege is clearly a target and trolling might be an issue covered too, i.e. how people act online in a way they wouldn’t in real life. USS Callister is Black Mirror at its zany, uncompromising best.

 

8: Dave Gorman’s Modern Life Is Goodish – Series 5 (Dave)

A man stands in front of a PowerPoint screen and picks up on all the mundane quirks of modern day life. That’s it really. Except Dave (the man, not the channel) has always had the language at his disposal to make the smallest things witty and fascinating. He is an expert storyteller and each episode has themes running trough them and brilliant callbacks. The attention to detail is extraordinary.

Though he has a fierce intellect, as is so often the case with Dave Gorman these are cases of a man old enough to know better. He messes with children’s toys in an elaborate effort to trick his friends, he buys a taxi to make money from nightclub bouncers but he’s not always the winner. Someone very close to him plays him at his own game. Sadly, there will be no more of this innovative little show.

 

7: Peaky Blinders – Series 4 (BBC2)

Read my reviews here:

https://yekimmikey.wordpress.com/category/peaky-blinders-series-4/

 

6: Bang – Series 1 (S4C)

Read my reviews here:

https://yekimmikey.wordpress.com/category/bang-s4c/

 

5: Detectorists – Series 3 (BBC4)

Mackenzie Crook’s instant classic booked itself into TV folklore with the last ever six episodes of a show that may have gone under the radar of the mainstream but quality will always win out. It was also great to see the roles of “Simon and Garfunkel” extended and it added to comedy that has the sweetest pathos. There were so many golden moments in what are essentially small details: Andy rescuing a hedgehog and stumbling on his dream home, Lances’s canal boat confusion and the Bat Action Helpline (B.A.T).

If there’s one minor criticism it’s that there wasn’t enough of the Danebury Metal Detecting Club this time round but given that this was Andy and Lance’s farewell, it is understandable they should get more of the screen time. Made with love for both a hobby and the English countryside, it has always left me with a warm glow when the credits roll but my goodness, that ending was beyond perfect. In a cynical, violent world, Detectorists was a tribute to the softer side of humanity. It will be greatly missed.

 

 

4: Doctor Foster – Series 2 (BBC1)

Read my reviews here:

https://yekimmikey.wordpress.com/category/doctor-foster/

 

3: Car Share – Series 2 (BBC1)

Despite the second run being as just as brilliant in essence as the first there’s the worry that the writers shot themselves in the foot a bit. Or fell over running to a postbox and back. On what should have been an heroic lap of honour, the reduction from six episodes to four, as well as a sad ending, left an unsavoury taste in the mouth. The powers that be have clearly had a change of heart and succumbed to viewers complaints. In a bizarre move we will be getting a proper final episode sometime this year as well as an unscripted one where Peter Kay and Sian Gibson will be talking made up nonsense to each other. It promises to be brilliant because the chemistry between them shines off the screen anyway. The change of plan further fuels questions as to why the second series didn’t comprise of six in the first place.

Enough of the moaning, what Car Share did offer us this time round didn’t disappoint. From harassment by a drunken smurf to a Monkey hitchhiker the laughs were as big as its heart. This wasn’t simply a case of going to work and back, their world was extended just a little as they journeyed to a party and skived off for a day to go on a mini adventure.  Though the set pieces were a little bigger, and I do mean a little, John and Kayleigh’s blossoming love was dealt with sweetly even though after the first series I thought they should just stay friends. The comedy is observational and down to earth but uproariously funny in the process. Let’s not forget the classic hits (and more classic adverts) of Forever FM either and lots of witty signage for the more attentive viewer. The pressure is on for the last installment but let’s enjoy the moment before it becomes NeverAgain FM.

 

 

2: Uncle – Series 3 (BBC2)

For its last ever run, Uncle surpassed the expectations set by its humble but still fantastic beginnings.  It was more emotional (I genuinely cried) than most dramas. It was funnier (I genuinely cried) than most comedies from the year put together. Not afraid to touch on sensitive subjects such as addiction and cancer with unashamed sentiment but also go for the farcical jugular – the stupidly thought out intervention on his sister and Andy and Errol’s fantastical quest in “ye olden times” (featuring Dylan Moran as an ogre) to name but two moments. Add to that, Nick Helm’s catchy ditties about inappropriate things and you’ve got comedy gold.

 

1: No Offence – Series 2 (Channel 4)

The dream team of Viv, Joy and Dinah were back in action and there was the small matter of gang warfare on the streets of Manchester to contend with. It’s an explosive start and a gory ending. As for everything inbetween?  Well, it’s bonkers and all the more glorious for it.

No Offence continues to grope touchy issues and yet has a devilish sense of humour. The dialogue is like nothing else out there. It’s poetically quick-witted and rude (“that was a big fat wanking bomb”). It fires by at such a pace that if you’re a southerner like me you might need to put subtitles on.  The words aren’t the only thing that charge full throttle like Lewis Hamilton on speed. The whole pace is unrelenting and the twists are vast. Don’t be tweeting while you watch this or the plot will literally be lost.

Viv Deering has competition that threatens her authority but that just adds to her steel. Joanna Scanlan’s presence is a joy for every single second that she’s on screen. Speaking of Joy, she grows in confidence and even has a love interest but naturally that takes a sinister turn. The characters, even the smaller roles, are so well realised and believable and that is yet another reason why No Offence claims the top spot.

The mad ending of series one doesn’t play too big a role as it’s only passingly referred to but is Paul Abbott playing the long game on that one? Will the truth ever come out and will it destroy our favourite cop trinity? Series three is due later this year and things are set to get political. Whatever happens, it’ll get my vote.

 

Bang (S4C) Episode 8 Review

If Roger Williams isn’t doing so already, he should definitely charge mega bucks to give lessons on how to write a series finale.  As with every closing episode the fear is there’s too much wrap up in such little time and nearly every time it proves to be the case. Bang, however pulls off a television miracle and satisfactorily ties all the loose ends together in one dramatic sucker punch of a closer.

Rhys, as it was always going to be him, is responsible for the escalation of terror that follows. On the receiving end of a bloody beating, Sam confesses his sister is in possession of the gun. This sets up a showdown as Gina has to hand the gun back to the dastardly duo in return for her brother. We soon discover that the shifty fellas that kept popping up are extra shifty and to top things off, working for Patricia bloody Rose. In a matter of seconds we learn that Mel and Marie are sisters, we discover who killed Stevie Rosie and that the main purpose of Stevie’s dodgy dealings (and ultimately his death) was human trafficking. It’s chaotic, adrenaline fueled mayhem and it’s brilliant. Oh, and Rhys is shot dead. Forgot to mention that.

While Marie has quietly been a major player in the background, Ray has always been a blatant villain throughout but the real scale of his treachery surprises. The truth is, he’s been hiding in plain sight. The grumpy, evil man that’s been the centrepiece wasn’t the red herring at all. He really is the big bad of the show. The reveal of a mystery that’s been burning since that very first scene eight whole episodes back is heartbreaking and shocking. The whole spectacle is handled with such finesse that even our jaws drop to the floor with grace.

We get a couple of much needed one on one scenes too. Firstly, Sam and Gina touchingly express their love for each other but later Sam doesn’t offer the same sentiment to a mother who valued life’s trivial things over her children. As they solemnly face off, her empty words of apology don’t cut the mustard. His heart more broken than his cut up face.

All plot points neatly tired up, all motives explained, all bad guys getting their comeuppance.. it’s all been resolved with a style rarely witnessed. Well, almost. Just when you think it’s all done and dusted, one thing has fittingly escaped everyone’s minds – the gun. Mel holds it along with Patricia’s money and with it, potentially the key to a second series. Unlikely maybe, but if there’s a ‘Bang 2: Mel On The Run’ there’s definitely an audience for it. 10/10

Bullet points:

• We learnt so much that the fact Rhys doesn’t have a ten inch penis was the least of the revelations
• What punishment awaits Sam from the justice system?
• Will Ela visit him in prison and attempt to steal other inmates money?
• Understatement alert: Gina’s promotion might have been delayed a bit.

Bang (S4C) Episode 7 Review

Folkestone is home to the world’s highest brick arched viaduct but it is not home to a new distribution centre for the company Sam works for. His lie that he’s suddenly transferring location is easily uncovered by a quick google search, as was that fascinating fact about Folkstone. While Gina is tracking him down with her clever cop mind, not one to let the grass grow. stepdad Ray is clearing out the house already. In reality Sam is just heading down the welsh coast on his trusty bike.

Gina finds him in a church holding a gun to his head and not because the sermon is boring but because he feels it’s the only way to free himself. Finally we see Gina’s response to Sam owning the gun. Perhaps it’s the shock of her brother about to commit suicide that means her familial instincts kick in rather than the anger expected. Not much is said between the two but we can assume she has made the connection between Sam and all the recent crimes but strangely, on screen at least, she never asks where he got the gun from. It feels a waste that there isn’t much communication between the two at this late stage of the series, especially is there is so much to talk about. Gina was already reluctant to draw Carl towards Ela’s connection with her brother and now she’s in possession of the firearm looks set to protect him at all costs. That cost could be her job and a criminal record. To be honest, she seems more preoccupied with her father’s past so that’s likely to have strong relevance to next weeks finale.

The truth is spilling out elsewhere. In a kitchen showdown we discover Ray not only knows about Sam raiding his yard but the stealing from work too. On the flip of the coin, Sam knows about Ray’s misdemeanours with ladies (who must have terrible taste in men) too. Another connection is made as we get an answer to who Patricia has been gossiping to on the phone all this time and in a twist nobody saw coming it turns out to be grumpy stepdad Ray. Madness. Don’t sit there, smugly reading this and claim you saw that coming. You are lying!

Lots is going on elsewhere too. Carl is being plagued by a mysterious caller who we soon learn is Mel and she clearly wants to use knowledge of his affair with Gina to her advantage. Wide boy Rhys is also back on the estate and with his girlfriend by his side, raids Sam’s home in a quest for the gun but they’re rudely interrupted by the hasty and welcome return of Ela. Things are left with a tense stand off (or sit off) as Sam hides upstairs.

It’s a pretty weak cliffhanger compared to what Bang has treated us to previously but judging by the quality of the show so far, we are in very good hands indeed as things heat up for the last episode. What will Gina sacrifice for her brother? Will everyone get out alive? More to the point, will we ever find out who bloody killed Stevie Rose? One thing is for certain, even though the gun is out of Sam’s hands, things are going to be explosive. 8/10

Bullet points:

• Anyone spot the guest appearance of Alabama 3’s Rob Spragg (AKA Larry Love) as coughing villian Douglas Rose? Not content with supplying the music he also gets a bit of screen time too.
• Is it wrong to hope that Sam shoots grumpy Ray in the head?
• Rhys is obviously a wrong ‘un because when it comes to pizza toppings his first thought was pineapple.

Bang (S4C) Episode Five Review

The past is staring to catch up with Gina, mostly because she chooses to seek it out. She requests the twenty year old files of the investigation into her father’s death only to find out about his vast array of criminal records. All the Cautions, suspended sentences, trespassing, fraud and handling of stolen goods charges paint a picture of the man that’s totally different to the one that’s been hung up in her mind all this time. Her present too is is proving complicated. Sam knows about her fling with Carl and it looks a matter of time that proof in the theory about mixing business with pleasure comes true.

As for Sam, despite his early visit to the police station, things are weirdly looking up. Turns out they just wanted to know more about Cai so he walks free into the arms (or rather a jacket) of a lady and now the gun isn’t the only object of his desire. Ela, however, is a bad influence and if there’s one thing this “sad, beautiful boy” doesn’t need right now it’s someone taking him down even darker paths. Not only that, but he gets one up over Ray after spying weaknesses under that surly exterior. Sam is allowed to stay in the home as a method to keep him onside but suspicions between the two aren’t a one way street. Clearly convinced his stepson played a role the robbery, Ray scouts around the house looking for evidence.

Where Bang excels most, other than it’s beautiful, subtle direction is in the performances. Especially by the two leads, Catrin Stewart and Jacob Ifan. Nothing is overblown or too stagey. They keep the story grounded and real. Sam is going off the rails with an almost calm sense of invincibility but the portrayal is no grand Hollywood statement. He steals money from under a workmate’s nose and in a drugs induced state robs cash from till of a club and yet his plight still elicits sympathy rather than judgement. We end with him cornered, gun in hand and on a close up of his face, caught in two minds about pulling the trigger. What follows is set to be a showdown of recriminations and extreme family politics. 8/10

Bullet points:

• Are there any links between the death of Sam and Gina’s dad and the Stevie Rose murder?
• Why would Patricia order a private detective to follow Gina? Seems extreme to say the least. Is it because of her family links?
• Even now he’s getting his end away, Sam can still barely break into a smile, bless him.
• Will Sam’s involvement with the gun end his sister’s career?
• Will he be charged with the murder of Stevie Rose as well as the actual crimes he has committed?

Bang (S4C) Episode Four review

The gun has become as precious to Sam as that ring did to Gollum. While he may not talk to it, his relationship with the firearm has grown unhealthy. Not content with an armed robbery last week, Sam and Cai plan a break in but this time the target is the business run by grumpy stepdad Ray. As if the guy wasn’t miserable enough already. Due to the interruption of a security guard the weapon is called into action for the first time but it was the fingers of Cai that pulled the trigger.

It further sets up the merging of the investigations with Sams’ predicament as brother and sister are set to collide head on. The gun is essentially acting as GPS for the police. They the know the bullet was from the same gun that shot Stevie Rose, as they also know from his random shooting into the air previously. The irony is that in his desperation to buy his house he is keeping things too close to home. First he steals and then commits armed robbery of his work place and now he is stealing from his stepdad and accidentally putting someone in hospital. The guard is alive and it could be curtains for Sam’s dream. His new home could soon be behind bars.

The actual details of the Stevie Rose murder doesn’t grow much more in the way of flesh and is the weakest thread in the series as a whole. There’s some unusual behaviour from Mrs Rose that involves waiting outside Gina’s house and an attempt at bribery. The widower grows more suspicious with each scene. Justin also hints that drugs are involved somewhere but progress will be slow considering the police are chasing a gun which is not in the hands of the killer.

It’s a superbly atmospheric forty five minutes that flies by, culminating in Cai, for reasons best known to himself, going to visit the security guard in intensive care. Again, it proves a good tracking device for the police and they chase him down and indeed out as he’s hit by a car and the grim reaper comes calling. As do the boys in blue, to Sam’s workplace. There’s no hiding in dark corners behind palettes now. 8/10

Bullet points:

• When the truth comes out, will Gina sacrifice her duty to the badge and cover for her brother?
• Can you imagine how sour Ray’s face will be one he finds out who broke into his company? Is it possible to frown any more?
• Will Sam somehow be implicated in the murder of Stevie?
• Will the money being posted through Gina’s door be classed as an acceptance of a bribe?
• Will the Port Talbot tourist board use Bang as a promotional tool for gun lovers?

Bang (S4C) Episode 3 Review

The gun isn’t the star of the show this week. Sam’s world is falling around his shoulders as we follow the fallout following the death of his Nan. It’s a few weeks on from from our last visit to Port Talbot and the funeral has taken place. Home is not Sam’s safe place anymore and the hidden weapon isn’t the only reason. His mum is selling the house, grumpy stepdad Ray (registered trademark) is being extraordinarily grumpy and he has a worse day than normal at work.

Unsurprisingly, given that four grand has vanished, his company discover there’s lots of stock gone awol. In a tense stand off, the workers are confronted but nobody owns up and even as lockers are being searched Tom is stealing from under management noses. Now that takes balls. And sells them on for profit. Workmate Cai is caught in the crossfire (a pun, see?) as a doll is found in his locker. Not a sex one, they don’t fit. Apparently. Cai gets the boot but knows Sam is the man responsible. Responsible probably isn’t the word thinking about it. Bribery is the ex-colleagues method of retaliation. 

The police investigation elements are the less appealing thread in episode three and this time it’s played completely separately from Tom though, of course, we now full well the Hedlu will close in. Gina’s mind isn’t on the job, well not the job she’s paid for, as she’s getting her wicked way with the boss at lunchtime. Is she unintentionally sleeping her way to promotion? It would be nice to see Catrin Stewart utilised more so here’s hoping the second half of the series pushes her to the fore and not just because she’s having an affair with a potentially married man. The sibling relationship feels under explored too. 

We learn more of Stevie Rose’s family, his father Douglas in particular and it clouds the water further. There may be a link with two dodgy tattooed guys who make a habit of loitering suspiciously around buildings. It also turns out Russell survived last weeks brutal attack and apart from making eyes at Luke, gives the police no information. He might turn out to be Tom’s unlikely saviour. In the short term at least. The gore was raised a level with the bloody murder of a man named Jason Eastwood. Jason used to work for Stevie and was sacked following a confrontation. We don’t yet know the perpetrators of either the attack or murder but dodgy tattoo guys are high on the list. 

The pace is certainly the slowest of the three offerings so far and is missing the chaotic partnership of Rhys and Mel. Bang shines most when covering the bleak canvas in beauty, both visually and with words. The pay off is worth the build up as Sam and Cai team up to rob a work van in the dark of night. In a botched attempt they only escape by Sam brandishing the gun at the driver. His list of illegal activities grow as he gets darker and more desperate. How long before Gina’s is no longer the nagging sister but the arresting officer? In Cai’s words “tick tock”..  7/10

Bullet points:

• The flashback to grumpy stepdad Ray (TM) being physically aggressive to a younger Sam explains a lot about their dynamic.
• Sam, your Nan’s slippers might hold sentimental value but they really need binning. 
• Cai stole a doll pissing itself and lost his job. Hands up, who’s lost a job for a stupider reason than that?

Bang (S4C) – Episode 1 Review

Guns don’t kill people, actors do.

1995 was a great year wasn’t it? The height of Britpop, Ross and Rachel hadn’t been “on a break” yet.. those were the days. It wasn’t so good for the young boy we are introduced to in the first scene, a flashback which takes no prisoners. Showing off Bang’s intent from the get-go he witnesses his Dad getting shot in the tranquil setting of a welsh beach. Sounds painful. Zoom forward to 2017 and the boy is now a man.. because that’s how ageing works.

Sam (Jacob Ifan) is living with his Nan on a council estate where his Neighbours lack a little understanding and don’t have Harold Bishop blowing his trumpet either. Rhys is a loudmouth bully with a severe lack of respect for personal space and property. It could be argued his girlfriend Mel is the same. This girl next door eyes up Sam with sinister glares and has sex with her boyfriend knowing Sam is listening nearby. You don’t get that on Ramsay Street do you?

Gina (Catrin Stewart) is Sam’s much more outgoing sister who is more comfortable in her own skin as well as the police uniform. It’s not long before she is allowed in on the case where she found a dead body in the sea, the body of a man named Stevie Rose. Gina is also having a fling with her boss Carl but let’s hope that gets little airtime. We’ve a lot to learn about the relationship between the two siblings. Why he’s the down and she’s the up of the pairing’s beat and where is their mum?

In an unusual move for an S4C series the script flits between Welsh and English. It may take a few minutes to adjust but it very quickly feels incredibly natural even to untrained ears. Writer Roger Williams is simply bringing the reality of life in the area to screen but keep your subtitle button handy.

The story of Steff is the glue which ends up linking everything together. He commits the world’s worst armed robbery, removes his tag and is constantly fleeing from the police and it’s this running that proves his downfall when cracking his head on a rock he floats away downstream. Before his death we learn that’s he’s friends with Rhys and that the two of them are connected to the death, or certainly the disposing of Stevie Rose’s body. Sam heard every word. And every thrust but.. anyway, the point is he’s implicated.

The industry of Port Talbot manages to look both unexpectedly beautiful and threatening in equal measure. The brilliant direction from Philip John is darkly lit and lovingly shot, capturing the grey of the town and the green of the country. Bang’s ambience is a sense of overwhelming menace even when landscape wants to lull you into a false sense of calm. Even Steff’s sudden gruesome death took place in lush terrain fit for an episode of Countryfile.

Things then get worse for Sam. Not only is his elderly Nan hospitalised after a fall but Mel is staring at him again. This time at a beach. She seems friendlier when alone and hands him a gift to take home which turns out to be a gun. Talk about mixed signals. And so it ends as it begins – with gunshots. Sam has been the victim for twenty two years of what the weapon can do but now he has all the fire power in his hands. His tortured past and troubled present fuelling the adrenaline, he goes out and blasts the gun loudly into the night with a worrying smile on his face. How dark side will he go? How will Gina be dragged into this mess and what consequences will it have on her job? Who gets out alive? Whoever does will end up with PTSD either way. The series has started with a bang and it could be about to get killer.. 8/10