Zen

I think everything has already been said in the above reviews about this series of three 90 minute episodes.

Its a stylish, beautifully shot,well acted,classy piece of entertainment, with fairly decent story lines with Rome as the backdrop.

Though i haven't watched the third instalment i felt the second 'Cabal' was a definite improvement on the first 'Vendetta' which i thought was slightly preposterous

No, it won't appeal to everyone, think of it as Bergerac with style, it has an upbeat Midsommer Murders pace to it.Like someone has said, it bucks the current trend of hard nosed police dramas, and it works, give it a try. You might just be pleasantly surprised like i was.

Some might condemn this as escapist TV but what's wrong with that? we all need to get away sometimes so why not summer in Rome, i can't think of a nicer place.

The idea of taking a team of British actors and placing them in a crime fighting scenario in another European country can have mixed results. It worked with Maigret and it didn't work with Wallander.

It DOES work with Zen. Whether or not it adheres to Michael Dibdin's novels I don't know because I haven't read them.

Visually this series is a treat. The men are impeccably dressed and all look like James Bond! The stories themselves aren't going to win any awards but the journey is nonetheless an enjoyable and satisfactory one.

If you're worn down by the usual shaky-cam stupidity of most modern trashy UK drama featuring the hyper-melodramatic plot lines and scripts with the usual, overly used actors and you need a reassuringly glossy and understated look into a world of low key drama then Zen is for you.

Not masterfully intelligent but neither is it insultingly cringe-worthy.

ZEN is a thoroughly enjoyable drama and a refreshing change of pace.

Zen is a three part series made back in 2011. Rufus Sewell brings the character of Zen to life, he's an intelligent, elegant and maverick Detective.

Three good mysteries for the dynamic Detective to solve, the best, Cabal being the second episode.

What always used to amuse me, was how attractive the cast tend to be, you have the beautiful, model like ladies, and the handsome, suited and booted chaps, it is very noticeable.

I've read some criticisms about the adaptations being highly altered from the books, I have only read one, I like Sewell's character, it worked for me.

I imagine these cost a lot of money to make, they look incredible, beautifully shot, great scenes. I wonder if that was one of the reasons why it lasted just the one series.

It's worth watching, 8/10.

And then they go and axe it. Typical.

ZEN was a three-part miniseries adaptation of of the literary detective Aurelio Zen. The BBC took the decision to shoot in English and not bother with dodgy accents, which works well.

I found all three episodes to be smart, stylish and above average thrillers. Each episode contains danger, intrigue, political machinations, romance and humour. Rufus Sewell is perfectly cast and plays Zen to the hilt, and he's supported by an excellent list of actors headed by the lovely Caterina Munro.

Add in some classy music and beautiful locations and you have a winning series. Of the three episodes, the first, VENDETTA, is the strongest, featuring a murderous assassin; the second, CABAL, gets tied up in government conspiracies and shady suited figures; the third and weakest, RANSOM, features Zen thrown into the middle of a kidnapping where nothing is what it seems.

It's a shame we'll never find out who was at the other end of the phone but nonetheless, ZEN made for great viewing.

I have to say, I have really been taken by surprise by this series. I really enjoyed the first episode but, it was the 2nd episode, Cabal, that really got me hooked. First and foremost I absolutely love the extended running time. At 1:30 minutes, without commercials, its literally double the average running time for drama's and ultimately it gives the show the ability to be far more character driven. I honestly don't think I have ever seen a series before that had this kind of running time and ultimately I think it speaks to the kind of show its trying to be.

Zen is really a throwback to old school TV. No funky cinematography, no shaky cameras, no funky camera angles, no high tech police gadgetry etc. In fact, I don't think I even remember seeing a single computer. Cell phones are about as high tech as this show has gotten thus far. The locations are simply stunning and that is no surprise given that it takes place in Rome. I openly admit that was initially one of the things that I was most excited about as I absolutely love Rome. Its hands down one of my favorite cities in the world and its a perfect setting for this series, especially with the approach that they have taken.

Of course if your going to have a show in Rome then fashion simply must play a role and the show certainly doesn't disappoint in this regard. The wardrobe choices are impeccable especially in regards to Rufus Sewell's suits. He looks outstanding in practically every scene. Then you have Caterina Murino and she looks absolutely fabulous as well. Her outfits are classy and while there is definitely a very sexy edge to her look, its not overtly sexy. She just looks stunning and they look absolutely dynamite together.

As for the stories, thus far its definitely been one of the weaker aspects of the show but they have still been entertaining and in regards to story, the 2nd episode was definitely an improvement over the first episode. I love the whole Cabal storyline and hopefully it will be a reoccurring theme with this show. It fits perfectly with the shows setting in Rome and while these types of detective shows always have different stories with each episode, there is usually a main storyline that takes place alongside the solving of individual cases. I think The Cabal would be a great choice in this regard.

Overall I have really enjoyed the first 2 episodes and cant wait for more. This show is just such a breath of fresh air compared to the usual detective riff raff that is practically everywhere you look. Hopefully Zen can pull in enough viewers as it would be a real shame to see this show end prematurely.

Definitely a solid 9 out of 10 thus far.