'O Jed, what a falling off was there!'

I finished my brief review of episode 1 of "Bodyguard" with these words: 

Of course, the real test comes tonight with episode 2 and then we shall see if they can keep the show on this side of the ridiculous. 

Alas and alack, they did not!  'Preposterous' isn't quite the word but it will do.  Of course, the whole back-story is preposterous, I mean, when did we last have a gorgeous, hot Home Secretary?  And if anyone mentions Amber Rudd they will be banned!  The action sequences, sexual as well as terrorist, were exceedingly well done but it was all too much of a stretch with coincidence piled upon coincidence.

Nor, I must say, was I totally convinced by the Whitehall bureaucratic/governmental scenes.  Thank God, I have no personal experience of that milieu but, for me, they just didn't feel right.  I can't help thinking that Mr. Jed Mercurio was very much more comfortable with the goings on in the HQ of a provincial police force, as portrayed in his superb Line of Duty series.   

Even so, I will persevere, not least because there is bugger all else worth watching!

 

 

Comments

[decnine]

For me, the major credibility fail was when the driver of the armoured limo was shot. After that, the bullet proof windows and bodywork protected the surviving two occupants against several dozen further hits. How on earth did the driver cop one? Also, the assassin's grouping was amazing given that he was shooting from the top of an office block at least 400 metres away. And yet, the hero was able to pull the deceased driver out of the car, on the side nearest the shooter, without once being shot at. Unbelievable.

[David Duff]

Dammit, Deccers, you're so forensic! Actually, I think the script indicated that the bodywork was bullet-proof but not the windows. Even so, in essence you're right!

[Penseiveat]

Have seen the first 2 episodes and wondered at the brilliance of the writer in using character traits never seen before:
Psychologically damaged hero - not done before
Broken marriage because of above - not done before
Maverick actions by hero in refusing orders when dealing with a suicide bomber - not done before
Ex military colleague of hero going rogue (resulting in his death) - not done before
Tunnel visioned politician who turns out to have sympathetic family traits - not done before
Senior Police officers plotting against politician - not done before
Hero saves life of tunnel-visioned politician, leading to sexual shenanigans - not done before
Might watch Peppa Pig next week. At least those stories are original.