From Darkness

From Darkness really reminded me of The Missing (2014). Both shows had a lot of style. The Missing was how a tragedy effects the people around that tragedy, and in eventually solving that case we get to see humanity in its rawest form, with all the self-interest, cowardice, bravery, hope and despair. If you are looking for a police procedural production then it would be fair to say that the actual case is certainly interesting, with added dimensions beyond the original murders that would put it in the not-been-seen-before category. I wouldn't call the case wildly original, but, to be fair, it can claim credit as an expansion on ideas we already know. From Darkness is not really a police procedural though, but a rather a drama around a police procedural. If you took away that drama so we knew nothing of the investigating officers and their families then the whole series would have been over in one episode. It is quality drama however. Certainly the framing of shots, cameras used, techniques, cinematography, symbolism, colour, etc, were excellent. The sound design reminded me of The Dark Knight, but it worked a treat, so so what. As drama this is quality that we have come to expect from the Brits, gut wrenching, tearful, infuriating, strung out on a taunt wire and ringing. The actors have plenty to work with, and do a good job. For me, I always find the balance of these new shows to be a little selfish, in that it is the victims I want to feel sorry for first, and the families and investigating officers second. These days however such shows tend to draw you in directly, indeed, from the opening shots, into the lives of the officers first and formost, and then it is only through them, their eyes, that we can feel for the victims. I find it irritating that a case need be burdened by former relationships complicated by burning, unanswered questions, immediately impacting on current ones. In short order, we find ourselves in a world of pain that has very little to do with the case. To enjoy modern crime shows I always have to agree to agree, and try not to feel I'm intruding. It is for this reason that I can't enjoy such shows as much as I would like to, I guess I'm more an Agatha Christie type, where the detective has foibles, not problems. One has to admire the professionalism of From Darkness though, and I'm sure all involved will go on to create many fine shows.

Three quarters of the way through this series, I feel I can provide a well balanced review based on what I've seen so far.

It is quite slow in parts, there have been more slow pauses and deliberate gazes then I have ever seen. The production values are a little disappointing, it feels quite clunky.

The story is interesting, but it's been done better so many times, Waking the Dead, Messiah etc.

I have to say I found Anne Marie Duff quite a strange choice for the part, she's an excellent actress, maybe too good for the part. Johnny Harris I have enjoyed more, he fits the role much better.

It's improved as it's gone on, Part 3 was rather good. It will be interesting to see who was responsible for the murders.

There was every opportunity for this to be another ripping British detective drama. It had moments when you are fooled into thinking the script will get back on track, and then ....wtf is this nonsense...

I managed to limp along to the end and regret it.

Its not even that the writer was piling cliches into the script, there were some good twists and plenty of opportunity for original storylines. But the idea that anyone would let the main character anywhere near a police investigation is laughable. There's the stereotypical flawed character, and then there's ridiculous... and we go well beyond ridiculous here.

Featuring a stellar turn from the always reliable Anne-Marie Duff, this detective series escapes from excellence. So close, but the emotional bantering between the two main characters distracts from the impetus of the plot. In the end, it seems like the majority of 'From the Darkness' is comprised of relationship explorations and artistic mood shots. Too many times, I became involved only to find myself drifting away during the too many moments of personal angst. Overplayed, the emotional impact of the horrors of the situation in which these characters find themselves is dulled and a detriment to the overall impact. Which is a pity. A show like this needs cohesive plot, uninterrupted by relationship and personal turmoil. Perhaps the audience for this series is an altogether animal from my preferences, but more judicious editing is needed to make this the top notch show it should have been.

The writing is slow and laboured. There is an absence of anything that would draw you into the action or the minds of either the investigators, the perpetrator or even the victims. I found myself bored and will abandon the series half way through the second episode. I give the series a 4 (poor) out of 10, {Police procedural}