Blackout

Blackout is based in an unnamed northern city which suspiciously looks like Manchester. Its grey or night and it rains all the time. It filmed like a neo noir northern drama and everyone looks anxious, behaves with trepidation and is miserable.

Christopher Eccleston is Daniel Demoys, a crooked Councillor who is an alcoholic, a womaniser and corrupt. He may have even have violently assaulted a business associate as result of an alcohol fuelled bender. He cannot remember he was blacked out. However a chain of events which results in Demoys becoming an accidental hero leads him to become the mayor of the city but this is when he realises that he might just be a puppet on a string with other more sinister people controlling him. Is it too late for Demoys to find the strength to regain his moral compass?

Eccleston certainly can do angst. Here he is joined by Andrew Scott who matches him as a reptilian cop who also has an agenda of his own.

The series was grim but also a bit of a mess. Some of the political terms were too much in awe of the USA with words like Coucilman and City Hall being used. It also had elements of Nordic Noir as well but you felt it was style over substance. It was worth seeing but after it ended it felt like a washout.