The Vice

Ken Stott as Rebus had his foibles and issues and certainly was convincing as that character, and here he plays basically the same 'type'. This is neither original nor terribly written, but it feels and looks 'tired', as in: we've seen this before. The acting by most who appear is generally top-notch, but the dark and graphic nature of the main theme of 'vice' is just a bit much. Do not watch this before bedtime. I admit that the subject matter and giving so much airtime to deviants and abusers makes me cringe and does not constitute 'entertainment' for me. Although crime and police dramas are often really enthralling and can stretch your imagination at times, this particular series was just a bit too gritty for my tastes. It's not badly made or overly violent, but it totally lacks any light moments or humour. And the relationships all come across as fractured. Not a fun time.

This is one of the cringiest series I've ever watched. I don't know if it was just the years it was made in or the subject matter but it's really hard to watch. I've never been a fan of old men attempting to seduce MUCH MUCH younger women maybe that's exactly how prostitution game works but even the "good" guys give me a major ick. Maybe it's just me being naive but these police officers in The Vice shouldn't be working in Vice. I would think they'd be transferred to another unit. Chief Inspector Frank Vickers is by far the scummiest excuse for a human being and how the hell is he still in charge of anything by season 5. The trope of making ALL the female characters all stupid and needing rescuing is a trope that needs to die. Only watch this series if you have a strong stomach.

The subject is vice, of course, and this show never misses an opportunity to sin away with gusto. I feel for the actors who have to artificially hump away, leering and licking in close up, but Ken Scott's scenery-chewing is worse than Al Pacino in "Scent of a Woman", and I didn't think it was possible to top that.

I have only watched series 2. The plots are interesting enough - but really, they are almost beside the point. Yes, there are social issues, there are personal issues, there is some suspense, some romance and not hard to figure out plot twists. Also there is this big question. What always baffles non-British is why do British police (in TV series) so often go into knowingly risky, if not potentially fatal situations, unarmed and not backed up. It happens time and time again. It happens here. It happens in other British police, crime, legal series.

So, what is it that makes The Vice - so good? What impressed me was the very high quality of the actors. Their ongoing performances are stellar. There is a constant upward moving arc in character development, in their subtleties, and in the connections they make with their audience. Its ensemble casting at its best. Ken Stott is a master in every way. David Harewood and Caroline Catz are equally intriguing in their roles. The secondary characters are invariably terrific. Highly recommended.

So, I;m just curious how ALL the episodes get 8+ ratings & the overall rating is 7.6. No one has yet explained that to me. This is a great series with great writing, acting & tense dialogue. Too bad it doesn't get the praise it deserves on IMDb.