Fresh? Maybe. Stylish? Definitely.
Having taken a leaf out of the Guy Ritchie, (that's Mr Madonna for those of you who've been elsewhere recently), school of film-making, this series is definitely THE most originally stylised show this side of the millennium, well so far anyhoo.
Some great talent involved, both in front and behind the camera. Ralph Brown, (aka: 'Danny the Dealer' in 'Withnail & I'), is superb as comic book crook 'Miami Vice'. As are the many and various cameos and guests. The regular team, i.e. the Boys from the Boozer, and the Hollandaise Hop Heads are a delight to watch.
The content is, as ever for Channel 4, fresh and down to the bare knuckles at times, (Bravo Channel 4 - Fight the sell-off, PLEASE!) But the plots wear thin very quickly. After all, how many times can you recycle the Lovejoy-esque cyclic con routine? It seems as often as you like, so long as you make it fresh and trendy.
However, on second viewing - one year on - it's an unfortunate fact that 'trendy' shows tend not to hold their with the passing of time. But who cares, especially if you live for the moment, as the main characters in the show do. Twelve months on, I'm glad to say, it was still as fresh as a daisy. (But the jury is out as to whether it will prove to be a contemporary classic).
At the end of the day it's a job well done, with essentially limited material. I have to err on the side of style over content, but I enjoyed every minute of the whole series. Some very funny, and oddly familiar-thru-experience, episodes beautifully shot and acted.
Well done, all concerned.
