Rellik

Lots of negative reviews and maybe I can see why - it's not easy viewing but the more I watch the more fascinating it becomes. So often with crime dramas one can sort of see where things are heading - that's what makes them reasonably easy to watch and enjoyable and somewhat bland. Rellik turns that on it's head - the impressions and ideas one builds about the characters and plot may be completely undermined later in an episode or in a subsequent episode - a twist that, instead of changing the future story arc, means you have to change your understanding of what you thought you already knew. I think it's incredibly clever writing and plotting - the more one engages with it the more engaging it becomes.

The first ep is confusing, as you need to get used to the backward storytelling, as well as the introduction of a lot of new characters. But this turned out to be a totally brilliant series. Some have dissed this series after only 1 ep (I ask you) which is just plain nuts. A few of the reviews just appear to be either seriously dumb, lazy or both. You have to make the effort with this and focus, but it's worth it as the pay-off is dramatic as well as tragic.

The acting of the 2 leads, Richard Dormer and Jodi Balfour is amazing as well as the chemistry between their 2 characters, DCI Gabriel Markham and DI Elaine Shepherd. They are investigating a brutal serial killer who likes to dowse his victims in acid. With each backward jump in time, you'd think there would be less known in the investigation, but actually as viewers we see and learn more. By the end of the 5th episode it's clear who the killer is, then in the finale we jump forward to where the 1st ep left off and move forward as normal, and what a finale! For me this was the best UK TV drama of the year. Nothing else even comes close.

The now tedious fad of winding a plot backwards or rather in this case not just backwards but in different sequences like a messed up jigsaw is plain annoying. It smacks of the writers being too lazy to write a decent plot so instead they just segment the whole thing mix it up and leave you to do memory games for what must be their entertainment rather than yours. Shame I like the lead actor from Game of Thrones and the leading black actress is pretty compelling. Into episode 3 it's quite obvious unless I have overreached what the twist is going to be. Could have been very good but you just know it won't be.

As others have commented, the constant winding back of time is confusing and takes some getting used to. I had to watch episodes 1 and 2 a second time in order to be sure I was making sense of it. However, having done so, it has become compelling to watch. It's an interesting and brave attempt to try a different take on the stock gritty police procedural murder mystery. As a one off, OK, it's worth sticking it out, if only to see how it can all be resolved without jumping forwards again, but I'm not sure I would bother if there were a second series. I, too, seem to think there's a disappointingly obvious twist coming and I'm only at ep 3, still there's time to be proved wrong, or else perhaps wind back the clock further and change the plot :-)

Riveting, twisted, and if not original in concept certainly original in presentation (at least for TV). Every piece of the puzzle is put in its place with mathematical precision (and no, it's not that confusing - if you have a functioning brain, that is!). The visuals and sounds of going back in time are somehow spine-tingling - after a while, you begin to wait for them. It really is a brilliant concept: instead of the usual cause-and-effect viewing order, here you first see the effect and later the cause. The only flaw is that you'll probably be able to guess the killer at the end of the 4th episode. But even if you do, there are still more things to be revealed. Very well acted by all - Jodi Balfour is superb and a revelation. Highly recommended, if you like serial killer thrillers and don't mind exploring new ways to tell a story. *** out of 4.