Collateral

I don't understand all the low reviews. I found this series to be very riveting. It was multi-layered with characters stories intertwined. I was sorry when it was over.

The pizza supplier, an illegal economic refugee, is shot after a delivery. It looks like a contract killing. Detective Inspector Kip Glaspie investigates.

The case is solved conclusively, but relatively without tension. In the end it wasn't clear to me what purpose all the subplots should have had. The mini-series isn't exciting enough for a thriller. Too superficially treated as a refugee or military drama. Quite ok, but nothing more.

Collateral (2018), is a new four part limited mini-series that was made by BBC and presented to the rest of the world as a Netflix Original. We were thoroughly intrigued by the trailer which promised a lot with the stellar cast. The 4 episodes of this mini series occur over four consecutive days. They have tried to address too many issues in this short mini series, which in my opinion might have muddles the waters a bit. Carey Mulligan as DI Kip Gillespe, Jeany Spark as Major Sandrine Shaw, John Simm as MP David Mars and Nicola Walker (one of my favorite mini screen actors) as a gay clergy were stellar in their roles.

The series has bits about the pains of a homecoming soldier, the desperation of the refugees fleeing from their terror riddled home countries, drug abuse amongst young mothers, LGBT acceptance amongst the English clergy, rank abusing Army superiors and the immigration stance that has ravaged all developed nations. They have bitten off more than can chew and it becomes glaringly obvious when you watch the characters struggle with their problems.

To summarize, I would say its a decent watch which promised a lot more than it eventually delivered. Too many issues and too little a screen time (and yet there were a few boring fleeting moments in between) might have acted against in making this an exceptional watch. Its a nice enough watch but nothing earth shattering.

I watched this mini series in one sitting, not that it was thrilling or real edge of the seat stuff, but it did draw me in. Plenty of plot twists and turns and I think the BBC managed their full quota of diversity box ticking on this one. Good performances from all the leads and it isn't easy to predict the end. Wanders off with plenty of not really needed backdrop stories almost like a soap script at times but it does all fit together. Worth the watch, quite slow as the story unfolds, for me this isn't a bad thing as I prefer story rather than mindless action. The look at detention centre is quite disturbing, if indeed it is an accurate portrayal, the look at the military sexual harassment was quite disturbing but again, seemingly not needed but understandable why it was included. Not unmissable, but still a very competent thriller.

I know I can be quite generous when it comes to reviewing shows, but when there's quality there I will always point out. Even I am struggling to pick out huge positives for Collateral, I enjoyed the opening episode, I was very impressed by the acting and production values, but somehow it just seems to fall short. I delayed watching it as I watched Trauma, stupid to transmit two shows with John Sim simultaneously. Trauma came in for some major criticism, but I quite liked it, at least it gave Sim a chance to show of his acting quality. I made the right choice as Collateral seems to promise so much, just not deliver, it was a little confusing, a little too clever for its own good and just a little uninspiring. I quite liked the story, but the execution didn't really do it justice. Had the series had episode one's quality all the way through it would have gotten a much higher rating. Not bad, should have been excellent. 6/10