To Love Then

The plot set-up has some interesting weaves and tangles. The throwing-in of gay characters for no reason other than political religious communist bs is so freak'n lame and I'm so sick and tired of it. Also, do we really need soft-porn scenes in a TV show about spies? I think not. The soft-porn and gays are just so unnecessary and are blatantly inserted for no other reason than to push ideological crap onto the audience. Other than that, Keira is looking terrible -- she'd be a great walking spokesperson for a Do Not Smoke campaign as she looks at least 15 years older than she should with smoker's facial hair to boot -- yuck. It's strange that someone who's career is based upon her looks actively partakes in smoking which is well known to age a person much faster (not to mention all of the health consequences). Anyway, we'll see where this show goes and if they insert some 'trans' characters or perhaps circus clowns for no good reason, they're just characters on the show, clowns, and never does anyone ever refer to them as clowns or ever mention how they look or behave, we'll see.

Helen Webb is distraught to her that her lover, Jason, has been killed. Helen is approached by her boss, Reed, who fears she may be in danger, Sam Young is recruited to keep her safe.

The first ten minutes were more than enough to have me hooked, that's how you start a new series, no holds barred excitement, which wasn't limited to just the first ten minutes, the entertainment continued throughout.

I loved the contrast of the music, lots of Christmas favourites playing, total contrast to the death and mayhem.

It'll be interesting to see if we get to learn who Helen is, where she came from, and what her mission is.

I'm a big fan of Kiera Knightley, great to see her playing a role like this, she was terrific, as was that killer smile. Hopefully we'll get to see more from Sarah Lancashire. Ben Whishaw, awesome.

A bit raunchy at times, but then it's Netflix, so you kind of expect that.

I look forward to more, it's a fine start.

8/10.

Black Dove Ep 1 delivers a surprisingly robust and atmospheric opening. It's got that undeniable grit and measured pacing that feels akin to the best British dramas on BBC and ITV we've seen over the years, a welcome change from the usual frantic rush on Netflix.

They're taking their time to set the stage, introduce the characters, and build a genuinely intriguing premise. The lead performance is already showing signs of depth, hinting at layers I'm keen to peel back. It's got that slow-burn mystery vibe that I appreciate.

Now, it's just the first episode, so I'm not ready to declare it a masterpiece. There are moments where the dialogue feels a touch too expositional, and I'm hoping the supporting cast gets more meat on their bones as we go along. But honestly, it's a solid start. It's got me hooked enough to want to see where this dark tale flies. I'm genuinely looking forward to finishing the season.

A as t some point the editor and director should have been fired. Each actor is more annoying than the next. The cheesy speech at the Christmas party and ridiculous exchange about her being in love was awful...wouldn't a spy have a great speech and wouldn't she be more interested in facts about her lover's murder than yelling "did he suffer". Then her and her husband dance to a song from The Nutcracker...um really..slow dancing by themselves in the middle of a party to that song?? Lastly the cheesy flashbacks of them staring.at one another sweaty repeatedly throughout the episode is the worst. Definitely a one episode and done.

This is one of those modern netflix where everything looks digital and greenscreeny (backdrops, cars etc), spy leaders speak in that weird, dispassionate/bored self-conscious way as if they're so cool and above everything, action scenes take place in a cartoonish non-reality bubble where forensics/police/witnesses don't exist, and characters are all either obnoxious or otherwise unlikeable.

An example of a scene from this mirage of phony guffery - Kiera Knightleys spy character goes to see her handler (Sarah Lancashire) in a retro cinema playing a retro film. Because that's a good location for secret discussions isn't it? We all know that talking normally NEVER travels in a cinema. Then Keira stands up, continues chatting with some of the image projected on her face. Awesome spycraft, so discrete!

It's hard to care about anything here, the characters and their situations just aren't at all interesting.