Rellik

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 :-)

From the writers of the brilliant Missing we now have Rellik which is of course killer in reverse. If you watched the second season of Missing you may remember this had a habit of leaping backwards and forwards at times was confusing to follow but ultimately all the boxes were ticked. Well with Rellik the producers have gone the whole hog and made the entire series in reverse, with the ending being at the start of the first episode. It seems to have devided opinion amongst critics and I have to admit it's very hard to follow at times. But like Missing stick with it all will become clear. This is far to good to give up on after just a couple of episodes as the ending is extremely clever and ultimately rewarding. My advice watch it as a box set together it is much easier to follow.

I thought that it couldn't get worse. I'm watching it because my partner is able to watch this sort of stuff. it is the worst drama series that the BBC have ever produced. At one point a hospital bed revelation was made and the unsuspecting victim overheard it (accidentally) as the woman lay her head on his chest and told him something he wasn't supposed to hear. Surely writers know when they're writing rubbish. The whole pretext is nonsense, the plot's ridiculous, the script is woeful.

When I started watching this, the time line ticking back took a little getting used to but by the end of the first episode I was hooked. This is a very compelling, brilliantly original approach to a whodunit drama. The plot is multi layered and enough is served up at each stage to make not binge watching the next episode almost impossible.

The acting was solid in particular Richard Dormer and Isaac Taylor, with Jodi Balfour proving she really is a standout after her notable previous performance in the excellent adaptation of Max Collins's Quarry.

The directing is subtle, slick, and atmospheric where needed without being over egged.

I highly recommend Rellik. If you enjoy the likes of Luther, you will love this. Allow yourself the full first episode to settle into the style of the writing & time line structure and you will be rewarded by this gem of a series that will keep you guessing through it's twists and turns.

I'll be honest I find this quite difficult to review, I loved it, but everyone I watched it with hated it, calling it confused and muddled, to some extent I see their point of view. Personally I truly enjoyed it, with the exception of the first episode, I came close to switching it off several times I didn't really get into it, from episode two however I was hooked, that was exceptional and set the tone for the rest of the show. Rosalind Eleazar was utterly fabulous in episode two, it was the scenes between her and Richard Dormer that hooked me, exceptional TV. Dormer and Jodi Balfour were superb throughout, making a superb duo, the chemistry was visible. Plaudits also for the makeup team, the work that must have gone into the characters of Markham and Christine is unreal, adding a different dimension to the show. I liked the way the story was told, sadly the general public clearly didn't as the show hemorrhaged its viewers, I wonder had it been told in real time over a shorter term would it have worked better? The last episode was fabulous and certainly worked better the way it was told. Different, quality viewing.