IF YOU DO NOT LIKE SPOILERS, FIRST WATCH AND THEN READ THIS...
This review is triggered by the reaction of Patherton, the anti political correct person. To begin with, I find this an amazing series, very well played by the actors. The series, in my opinion, lets see how the influence of the past throws the shadow over the present, even for old people... It's a story of a so called cold case team. I wondered how it is in England, I am from Netherlands, at some time, 18 years, the crime is "verjaard" here. I think it is called "limitation" in UK. So no persecution is possible. So I was surprised to see arrests... But that is not the point, all people somehow involved in the victim's life see their present life disrupted, they have tried to put their involvement to the back of their minds, but that never had success, and now the police come to rattle it up... Its also about change, can you really change from skinhead to tolerant? Are you really different from the person yo were 40 years ago? The main question from the detective is also crucial, "should I do it or shouldn't I?" Its 40 years ago, let it go, no!, "I want to solve the case and punish the perpetrator". Heartbreaking is the confrontation between detective and mother of the victim.
Now the racists aspects. It is a well known fact that in the 70ties gay bashing was not unknown and hatred against "coloured" people also existed. So not a strange move to keep that possibility open in the investigation. In fact there are a lot of references at racism, the boy who gets angry at his protector, who means well, the victim being "chocolate", the husband who protects his wife even after he knows the facts of her former life... So, Patherton, why on earth should one go counting who is white and who is black in a series? And who is bad and who is not? That says something about you, doesn't it?
According to Patherton: 1/ Detective is female, what a political correct fact! 2/ Assistant is Indian, another one! So we have now a female detective with an Indian assistant and they go along very well, well, that's enlightening... 3/ All the bad men were white! What a joke, It just happened to be so. If you ever watch American series, all black kids are in gangs and all are involved with weapons and drugs. No, not this series. 4/ A woman who marries a black man and helps a black kid with his chemistry exam, is also political correct? Maybe she really regretted the phase of her former life, being member of National front? And whats wrong with political correct? What is political correct anyway? Had the series been better if there was a black murderer? If so obviously Patherton has no idea about the intentions of the series...
So, go see this, its a very good series that make you think... Very clever and emotional filmmaking.
At the moment I am watching season 2 and that is as good as season one. In the beginning we see stories of people of which we ask ourselves, who are they? and what is this? As the series goes on we see all the stories are entangled with the story of the victim. Fascinating stuff! Again, solving a murder that happened a long time ago, does involve different kind of people. And again some aspects of today's society are mentioned. Like the woman with the headscarf who likes to be the school headmaster, or 2 men who live together and like to be father of an adopted girl... The son of the victim, who struggled his whole life with the disappearance of his father...
This is a great series!
This review is triggered by the reaction of Patherton, the anti political correct person. To begin with, I find this an amazing series, very well played by the actors. The series, in my opinion, lets see how the influence of the past throws the shadow over the present, even for old people... It's a story of a so called cold case team. I wondered how it is in England, I am from Netherlands, at some time, 18 years, the crime is "verjaard" here. I think it is called "limitation" in UK. So no persecution is possible. So I was surprised to see arrests... But that is not the point, all people somehow involved in the victim's life see their present life disrupted, they have tried to put their involvement to the back of their minds, but that never had success, and now the police come to rattle it up... Its also about change, can you really change from skinhead to tolerant? Are you really different from the person yo were 40 years ago? The main question from the detective is also crucial, "should I do it or shouldn't I?" Its 40 years ago, let it go, no!, "I want to solve the case and punish the perpetrator". Heartbreaking is the confrontation between detective and mother of the victim.
Now the racists aspects. It is a well known fact that in the 70ties gay bashing was not unknown and hatred against "coloured" people also existed. So not a strange move to keep that possibility open in the investigation. In fact there are a lot of references at racism, the boy who gets angry at his protector, who means well, the victim being "chocolate", the husband who protects his wife even after he knows the facts of her former life... So, Patherton, why on earth should one go counting who is white and who is black in a series? And who is bad and who is not? That says something about you, doesn't it?
According to Patherton: 1/ Detective is female, what a political correct fact! 2/ Assistant is Indian, another one! So we have now a female detective with an Indian assistant and they go along very well, well, that's enlightening... 3/ All the bad men were white! What a joke, It just happened to be so. If you ever watch American series, all black kids are in gangs and all are involved with weapons and drugs. No, not this series. 4/ A woman who marries a black man and helps a black kid with his chemistry exam, is also political correct? Maybe she really regretted the phase of her former life, being member of National front? And whats wrong with political correct? What is political correct anyway? Had the series been better if there was a black murderer? If so obviously Patherton has no idea about the intentions of the series...
So, go see this, its a very good series that make you think... Very clever and emotional filmmaking.
At the moment I am watching season 2 and that is as good as season one. In the beginning we see stories of people of which we ask ourselves, who are they? and what is this? As the series goes on we see all the stories are entangled with the story of the victim. Fascinating stuff! Again, solving a murder that happened a long time ago, does involve different kind of people. And again some aspects of today's society are mentioned. Like the woman with the headscarf who likes to be the school headmaster, or 2 men who live together and like to be father of an adopted girl... The son of the victim, who struggled his whole life with the disappearance of his father...
This is a great series!