Bang

Was that rubbish I just sat through? Dopey cops, a pathetic brother to one of the dopey cops, cardboard cut-out "baddies". Did I mention the brother is a moron? Actually, so is the cop sister.

Having them speak Welsh was neither here nor there as a plot point. In fact as the plot was all over the shop, they could have spoken Swahili and it wouldn't have made it any more ridiculous.

Very often I start watching a TV series and don't persist beyond an episode or two, but "Bang" has held me through series 1. I'm not sure why, as typically I find very dark stories repulsive. I think the brilliance of the acting is undeniable, and Catrin Stewart and Jacob Ifan have very attractive faces. The smaller parts don't disappoint either. One reason I'm surprised at the series' appeal is that it is largely in Welsh, whereas "foreign language" films are usually a big turnoff for me. The story and the dialogue are good enough, despite some implausibilities. Why does Sam let Rhys beat him up without retaliation although he is the larger man? Need some time in the gym, Sam! The other frustrating thing is that there are several men with short dark hair and chiselled features representing different characters, and I couldn't retain who they were or which one was on the screen at a given time. So I'm sure I missed quite a lot. I'll dip into Series II but be ready to bail out, as series often seem to deteriorate. Anyway, worth a try if you're looking for some quite gripping viewing.

The most interesting thing about this series is that fact that it is performed in English and Welsh. Other than that, it is absolute rubbish that is at the level of a university drama project that is done for academic credit! The script is all over the place and not well thought out. It contains a mass of tangled stories, some of which are related to the plot, others are not. The writing and dialog is childish. The ending makes it look as if there might be a second series but hopefully we will be spared that suffering. There have been better series coming out of Wales in recent years. This one is just not one of those.

The rugged backdrop of Port Talbot works incredibly well as the backdrop for this compelling Welsh drama. Mostly spoken in Welsh, with sections in English, it gives the drama a unique appeal. It's a fantastic story, multi layered and deep. If I'm honest I found the first episode a little slow, but after that it's literally all guns blazing.

There's a fact of Welsh (and Scottish) talent on show, and although Gina appears to be the focal point, the story focused more so on her troubled brother Sam. The cast are terrific, Jacob Ifan is a standout, you get the impression that he truly is a troubled character.

Some violence, some shocking scenes, it is incredibly gritty. We get to see the real Port Talbot, we also get some incredible shots of the areas around it, which are remarkable.

It's in the same mould as Hidden and Hinterland, so if you enjoyed those, you will love this. I hugely recommend it.

As the Welsh government champions the revitalization of its mother tongue, the country's television industry is doing its part toward language immersion.

"Bang," premiering Monday, Oct. 15, on the streaming service Acorn TV, is the latest in a recent spate of Welsh-language thrillers, this one threaded with English and subtitles for Welsh, also called Cymraeg, for those who can't untangle its knotty cadences.

Set in the steel town of Port Talbot - the childhood home of the actors Richard Burton, Anthony Hopkins and Michael Sheen - "Bang" rises from a less bucolic Wales than shows like "Keeping Faith" and "Hidden," its moody shoreline juxtaposed against a backdrop of blast furnaces and smokestacks. And the story of "Bang" is as grimy as its setting, with a shabby menagerie of tough guys, stolen-car dealers and loan sharks shredding the local fabric while Gina (Catrin Stewart), an ambitious young police officer, tries to the return the streets to safety.

But mostly it's the story of her brother, Sam (Jacob Ifan) - a hapless warehouse grunt who, as a 5-year-old, witnessed the shooting death of their father - and the seeming invincibility ignited within him once he finds himself in possession of a gun.