Spoiler alert: This feature includes spoilers from the first season of Blue Lights.
In the second instalment of her TV Diaries column, Hannah Bradfield recounts everything she has watched recently and what she’s excited about next.
And so, in the blink of an eye, it’s May. The mornings are lighter, the evenings are warmer (give or take), and summer doesn’t seem so far away.
What I’ve loved
Blue Lights
I was looking forward to season two of Belfast police drama Blue Lights from the moment it was confirmed, and it did not disappoint. The series is co-written and created by Declan Lawn and Adam Patterson, who worked as journalists before moving into screenwriting and directing. Brought up during The Troubles, both had very different experiences of the conflict, which Lawn discussed in this piece for The Times last year.
Blue Lights follows a new intake of rookie PSNI (Police Service of Northern Ireland) police officers navigating the often complex dynamics of a society in which previous tensions are still felt. Through Annie (Katherine Devlin), Tommy (Nathan Braniff), and Grace (Sian Brooke), we see these tensions play out from different perspectives.
Season two picks up a year on from the devastating murder of much-loved officer Gerry (Richard Dormer). Still grieving, the team looks a bit different; Jen (Hannah McClean), who was with Gerry when he was shot, is now a solicitor in a side storyline about a cold IRA bomb case. There are some new characters, too. Desmond Eastwood does a great job portraying slimy and misogynistic intelligence cop Murray Canning, and Dearbháile McKinney is sharp yet scatty as Derry transfer Aisling.
The core story thread of this season follows the downfall of two rival Belfast drug gangs at the hands of vigilante Lee Thompson (Seamus O’Hara), a pub owner and former soldier, who, fed up with living in fear, decides to take the law (and drug supply chain) into his own hands. O’Hara does a stellar job of portraying the increasingly manic Lee, who you can’t help but feel sorry for.
It’s a very human show about a profession which is constantly in the spotlight, usually for the wrong reasons.
The Responder
Continuing the crime theme, Martin Freeman is back on our screens this month, this as troubled night cop PC Chris Carson.
The best way to describe The Responder is ‘bleak’. Yet, can we be surprised? This is a lot of what police see — homelessness, addiction, violence, the list goes on. There’s no glamorising or sugar-coating those issues in this drama. After all, he show’s writer, Tony Schumacher, is a former police officer who found himself homeless and suicidal following his time in the force.
In season one, we saw Carson caught up in the crimes he should’ve been stopping. Objectively, he’s a bent copper, but morally, it’s not so black and white. I’m only two episodes in, and despite his best efforts to resist a path of corruption, Carson is already part of something that looks very difficult to get out of.
As with season one, Freeman’s performance (Liverpudlian accent included) is brilliant, and his angst and inner turmoil are visceral. Blue Lights was tense, but The Responder is heart-in-your-mouth tense.
Adelayo Adedayo is brilliant as Rachel Hargreaves, Carson’s former shift partner, and we feel her numbness, confusion, and lack of closure following the coercive controlling partner she left at the end of season one.
I was glad to see Casey (Emily Fairn) and Marco (Josh Finan) return for season two. Both actors are Merseyside natives and do a stellar job of portraying two troubled yet well-intentioned young people caught up in the criminal underbelly of Liverpool.
The wonderful thing about The Responder is how humour finds a way in the helplessness, and the cast does an excellent job of channelling it.
It’s Showtime
ITV’s documentary It’s Showtime is a great one-off watch. The doc tells the story of how a group of eight pals got drunk and decided to buy a racehorse for £8,000, which, in a surprising turn of events, went on to win at York races.
The group of working-class lads from the North East recount how they all met and ended up co-owning Showtime the racehorse. For these men, Showtime is much more than just a horse; he is a thread tying them together, and an excuse to continue meeting up and supporting one another through life.
Other shows I’ve watched
Baby Reindeer
Late to the party, I am only midway through the word-of-mouth global hit Baby Reindeer. The acting is fantastic, and Jessica Gunning is terrifying and manic as stalker Martha, but it feels weird saying that, knowing this is based on a true story.
Watching Baby Reindeer feels claustrophobic, which I suppose is a sign of good writing, but the whole thing makes me feel quite sick. On the whole, I feel conflicted. These are real people with real emotions and lived experiences, for whom things don’t just stop when an episode ends or we press pause.
By giving the story a platform and audience, Netflix has given Gadd agency and control, which, if the show is anything to go by, he felt he did not have for a long time. It also has the potential to help other victims of stalking feel heard, which is important.
However, we live in a social media age, and you can’t not expect people to pursue the story further beyond the series, as we have seen.
For those who have missed the media storm, Baby Reindeer is based on the true story of writer and actor Richard Gadd. Gadd was stalked over a period of four years while working in a pub and as a comedian after a chance encounter with a woman he offered a free cup or tea to in the pub.
Gadd plays himself in the show, and has publicly said he doesn’t agree with the internet sleuthing. He told the Hollywood Reporter: “If I wanted the real life people to be found, I would’ve made it a documentary.” Unfortunately, that is easier said than done, and following Piers Morgan’s interview with the alleged ‘real Martha’, the amateur sleuthing doesn’t look like it’s stopping anytime soon.
Race Across the World
A great unscripted format, Race Across the World is a wonderful, rich viewing experience. It highlights the benefits of travelling without smartphones and other tech, and although it’s an unscripted show, there’s always considerable character development.
This time, the contestants are racing across Asia, which has been incredible to watch (I’ve never left Europe) and arguably more difficult. In previous seasons, they have encountered more English-speaking areas and people, making it easier to guess what a sign might say.
I’ve put Race Across the World here because the casting of the contestants has become a tad formulaic. Nevertheless, I’d recommend watching, if not for all the places to add to your travel list.
What I’m looking forward to
I’m excited for the return of BBC crime comedy thriller The Outlaws. Back for a third season, this show is genuine laugh-out-loud stuff. It is so well-cast and shows just how versatile each actor is. Starring the likes of Christopher Walken, Stephen Merchant, and Eleanor Tomlinson, The Outlaws combines high-stakes drama with downright hilarious dialogue and a sprinkling of slapstick comedy.
Set in Bristol, the story follows an eclectic group of lawbreakers doing community service. Unfortunately, but often hilariously, their coming together leads to more criminal activity. Baby Reindeer’s Jessica Gunning is incredibly funny as the slightly clueless, kind-hearted, and bolshy Community Payback Officer Diane.
I also think Netflix’s Buying London, which drops on the 22nd of May, looks right up my street (no pun intended). I enjoyed Crazy Rich Agents last year, and this looks on a similar wavelength. Luxury properties and Love Island-esque drama — what more could you want?
Words by Hannah Bradfield
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