In my opinion, Steven Knight's "SAS: Rogue Heroes" has one of the most confidently made launch episodes of any large budget BBC series I think I've seen for a very *long* time; from Helen Chapman's slick, rhythmic, inventive editing to Stephan Pehrsson's cinematography, Richard Bullock's fantastic production design to the punky score from Ilan Henry Eshkeri etc. The teams both in front of & behind the camera use their combined efforts & undeniable talents to imbue each & every scene with a real, tangible vibe & personality & hence, I can clearly understand why the channel has already invested so heavily in it, as the pilot (ironically) is admittedly extremely promising, brimming with potential that's emanating from the innumerable accomplishments made in each & every respective department.
Plus, I love that the story - in its own way - kind of answers the question which will have been on many fan's lips for some time now: "is it the next Peaky Blinders?" The response is a resounding "no", because it's brazen that it's not trying to be; rather than recreate the successes of the past, this daringly endeavours to carve out its own ideas for the future & I commend the audacity if the creative decision to act as the literal antithesis; renouncing the super serious, brooding tone of old & confronting the absurdity of its own premise instead, in a somewhat self aware, wink to the camera manner.
Yes, many may have expected (or even wanted) the creator to unimaginatively copy & paste his previous style & reformulate it to fit this narrative (in some kind of unoriginal rehash, adopting the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" approach), but I appreciate how he & filmmaker Tom Shankland (who've paired up for the first time together here) are courageous enough to clearly differentiate the two series (both tonally & visually), taking this production in a completely different direction, gifting the project with its own distinctive, quirky sense of identity - which feels fresh & new, though I sense it might also come as a surprise to those who'd assumed it would be something quite similar to what they've typically grown accustomed to from the writer & therefore, assume it it shan't be to their tastes... Or maybe they'll gradually grow used to it, over time?
Personally though, I enjoyed it & must concede it's rare for a show to debut with so much energy & vigour, right out the gate. Of course, it's certainly taking its time establishing these characters, the period & the stakes etc. But first installments are always bogged down by obligatory introductions & world building, since that's their entire purpose - to act as a taster for what's to come - & so I'm willing to accommodate for its willingness to take its time, adapting the novel to the screen, bringing these stories to life - as I'm sure they'll deliver on their promises by the end.
Thus, despite the flaws, it has an endearing charm & I'm interested to watch the rest.
