Vigil

As an amateur navy buff, there are too many mistakes to mention in regards to the on board submarine sets, & navy protocols & procedures.

However,this is a crime fiction drama, and holds your interest, if you can ignore some of (the very obvious) flaws. The acting is good, despite some poor scripting. The sub plots and back story seems to now hold more interest to me than the main plot. Maybe the ending will surprise?

That said, when was the last time you saw a show, or movie on a submarine?

There could have been much better research done, and more thought put into the sets, and navy procedures and protocols, but at its heart it is a crime drama, not a documentary. I will keep watching, as what else is there to?

I have absolutely no interest in anything navy storyline related usually, and so skipped over this a few times but Suranne is great, so ..... I'm not sure what the other navy-crazed reviewers were hoping for but calm down - it's a TV show, not a documentary on the workings of the navy. Also, how many reviewers need to use the work "woke"? Did people just learn that word? Move on - sit back and enjoy the show! :)

Firstly, let me make it clear that this is a murder mystery/conspiracy thriller set (partially) on a submarine and NOT a documentary about submarines, the navy, or nuclear missiles. As such there are inevitable inaccuracies and dramatic licenses taken (as they are in every legal drama, medical drama or police procedural). If you didn't like Line of Duty because it wasn't 'realistic' enough perhaps this one is not for you. If, however, you are able to suspend your belief for a few hours you might enjoy what seems to be a well written and superbly acted thriller.

***Mild spoilers***

In the modern way, Vigil opens with not one but two, big dramatic events that propel the plot forward. We are then given a somewhat silly plot contrivance to get DCI Amy Silva (a superb Suranne Jones) onto a Trident class submarine for three days in novel setting for the classic locked room murder mystery. The submarine feels suitably claustrophobic (although not enough for some of the previous reviews) and all the crew appear to be hiding something. Back on Land, DC Kirsten Longacre (Game of Thrones Rose Leslie), a former lover of DCI Silva's, investigates the naval barracks and some nearby anti-nuclear missile protesters.

The first episode had some heavy lifting to do introducing the characters and setting but the twin strands of the plot were intriguing, made even more so by that fact that Longacre was able to send messages to Silva but not the other way around. Aside from the use of a few tropes (tortured detective with a Past, big organisation closing ranks, etc) I found the show thrilling with precise camera work and skilful direction. Suranne Jones really is magnificent and Shaun Evans standouts as one of the few nice guys on the boat. If the show can continue to draw out performances from its excellent cast while keeping the plot afloat (!) then it should be a thrilling ride.

I mean, if you want to know about life on a nuclear submarine watch a documentary. This is a drama and a gripping one, well acted IMHO.

As for the review which hinted at the BBC anti-nuclear stance (after watching just the first episode), we were trying to remember what gave that impression. It must've been the mildly questioning comment a character made, wondering what is the point of nuclear weapons. So. The Beeb is anti-nuclear because of a line uttered by a chapter in a fictional drama? Really? NB It might be worth remembering quite a few ex-services people have also questioned whether nuclear weapons are anything other than a political tool. 'Trident- what the bloody hell is it for' - Field Marshall Lord Carver.

Most of us have no idea how accurate the drama as to the actual inside of a submarine, and it matters little to the actual plot.

I come from Royal Navy heritage and find the way the RN are portrayed quite offensive. The story is utterly implausible and full of real life inaccuracies, but put all that aside and remember that this is a TV drama and not real life and it is actually a gripping show. I could write loads on the flaws (you never, ever call a Coxwain or Petty Officer 'Sir' for example), and I agree with the comments about BBC wokeness, but the actors are good, so I have no issues with their selection. So suspend your disbelief, sit back and enjoy a decent British drama.....