Definition of a shaggy dog story:In its original sense, a shaggy dog story or yarn is an extremely long-winded anecdote characterized by extensive narration of typically irrelevant incidents and terminated by an anticlimax or a pointless punchline. (Wikipedia)
Yes I have to say that "Hard Sun" is a shaggy dog story. Episode 1 is intriguing. Something is happening with the sun and we don't have much time left. Five years. MI-5 agents are running wild knocking off people left and right and our two detectives are out there by themselves. Good start.
Unfortunately it sputters out at that point because there are multiple episodes and the show's creator ,Neil Cross, has gone on record that he has sketched out a five year story arc. So the six episodes mean that we aren't even going to get to the end of the world. Instead the five following episodes consist of disturbing and dark murders while our protagonists run around and lie to each other about everything.
It looks good, but it never delivers. At the end of episode 6 our two detectives have Lady MI-5 at gunpoint and then the sun rises. Something is wrong with the sun! Run credits. Okay so all those episodes and not much of anything happened. Essentially it's a pre-apocalyptic soap opera meets the "X-Files" and a bit of "Luther" thrown in for good measure.
Personally I think that the problems with "Hard Sun" is the same problems that so many television shows now share. Many of the shows take what is a good idea for a movie and stretch it out into a multiple episode television series. The result is you get episodes in which not much of anything happens. A whole lot of sound and fury signifying nothing (thank you Mr. Shakespeare). In the case of "Hard Sun" one can literally go from episode 1 to episode 6 and not miss much of anything. The recap at the start of episode 6 will cover everything that you need to know.
In other words it plays out like a soap opera. The better ones will pull you in promising a pay-off, but will never really deliver. How can they? They need you to keep watching since they hope to be renewed.
"Hard Sun" would have worked better as a movie or a six part limited run series that actually ends with episode six. I give the show four stars because it has good production values and the acting isn't too bad - if a bit overblown at times.
Yes I have to say that "Hard Sun" is a shaggy dog story. Episode 1 is intriguing. Something is happening with the sun and we don't have much time left. Five years. MI-5 agents are running wild knocking off people left and right and our two detectives are out there by themselves. Good start.
Unfortunately it sputters out at that point because there are multiple episodes and the show's creator ,Neil Cross, has gone on record that he has sketched out a five year story arc. So the six episodes mean that we aren't even going to get to the end of the world. Instead the five following episodes consist of disturbing and dark murders while our protagonists run around and lie to each other about everything.
It looks good, but it never delivers. At the end of episode 6 our two detectives have Lady MI-5 at gunpoint and then the sun rises. Something is wrong with the sun! Run credits. Okay so all those episodes and not much of anything happened. Essentially it's a pre-apocalyptic soap opera meets the "X-Files" and a bit of "Luther" thrown in for good measure.
Personally I think that the problems with "Hard Sun" is the same problems that so many television shows now share. Many of the shows take what is a good idea for a movie and stretch it out into a multiple episode television series. The result is you get episodes in which not much of anything happens. A whole lot of sound and fury signifying nothing (thank you Mr. Shakespeare). In the case of "Hard Sun" one can literally go from episode 1 to episode 6 and not miss much of anything. The recap at the start of episode 6 will cover everything that you need to know.
In other words it plays out like a soap opera. The better ones will pull you in promising a pay-off, but will never really deliver. How can they? They need you to keep watching since they hope to be renewed.
"Hard Sun" would have worked better as a movie or a six part limited run series that actually ends with episode six. I give the show four stars because it has good production values and the acting isn't too bad - if a bit overblown at times.