The Gold

#thegold #thegoldtvseries @bbciplayer - 6 episodes about 1 hr each - binge watched this too - I thought it was the lead up to the robbery but it's after and how the police go about trying to catch the robbers - based on facts about the Brink'sMat robbery in 1983 - well acted and worth watching if you're interested in this - I remember the robbery but couldn't remember anything about it so I found it interesting to watch and of course I didn't know the outcome ! It shows the arrogance of the nouveau riche criminals and frustration with the still prevalent class system which they just can't quite be accepted into - also shows the links with them and the Masons and how corrupt it all is especially when top police are involved - hand shakes and favours to look after each other - apparently a lot of policing methods were changed after this event and you now have to reveal if you are a mason in the police - give it a go ! £26 million was robbed which in today's money is approx £101 million !! @bonhughbon @jack.lowden @emunelliott_ @charlottelouisespencer @stefaniemartini @sean.gilder @dominiccooper #crime #drama #robbery #police #themasons.

First Hugh Bonneville is brilliant in this . Races along often , you get an episode that's a bit of a filler not here . Full of interesting characters and compelling plot. Plus amazing cars from my youth . Highly recommended for anyone of a certain age who was around when the job happened . It's frightening the. Corruption Within the police which hasn't changed much to this day . My only reservation was the portrayal of Keneth Noye as a bit of a cheeky cockney but in truth he was a nasty thug who went on to kill a young boy in cold blood. But that said it is an entertainment series and not entirely based of fact .

Neil Forsyth is an excellent writer and The Gold has assembled an excellent cast. It's a very well-written, well-performed, heavily-dramatised version of real events and works well as escapism. Where it doesn't work is when it's trying to be a lesson on class struggle in the 1980's.

Firstly, the viewer didn't ask for, and doesn't need, a one-sided, finger-wagging morality lesson on societal iniquity. Secondly, Kenneth Noye and his associates were not class warriors fighting a rigged class system; they were a demonstration of amoral violent greed that makes even the worst of the class system look relatively humane.

But don't let that put you off watching The Gold; it's very entertaining and mostly manages to remember that it's supposed to be entertainment. In a world of multiple streaming options which credit the viewer with a modicum of intelligence, it would be great to see the BBC survive and thrive. If it's able to understand that the entertainment viewer primarily wants to be entertained and isn't actually looking for a simplistic, sophomoric morality tale, it might be in with a chance.

Overall not a bad drama except for some very clear facts. Kenny Noye was not a slick 'business' type. He was a rough villain, successful yes, but not the slick geezer they portray he was an hard man. John Palmer, who I met once had a high pitched, soft Birmingham accent, not the West Country twang portrayed here (just view the YouTube videos). Marnie was a Bristol girl an did have a Bristol accent. A couple of parts of the story could have been highlighted that are missed, the van that the bullion was stolen in could hardly move because of the weight of gold. Noye did fly to Jersey to buy a gold bullion bar to get a receipt to cover his tracks but he was already under surveillance. John Palmer two Rotwieller dogs that guarded the 'Battlefields' Coachhouse were named 'Brinks and Mat' they were not friendly. The money from the Brinks Mat robbery coincided with the new prediction of Ecstasy coming from Amsterdam, new music from Manchester and Ectstasy created a huge influx in drugs into the UK. The Leah Betts death and the Essex Boys murders are all connected to the Brinks Matt money in a linear way.

A group of Armed robbers successfully rob £26 million worth of gold from Brinks Mat, expecting a much smaller haul, they face a major problem, how to dispose of it.

Without a doubt, this is one of the best things The BBC has done for some time, it is a quality production. Not one single dull moment, as one episode ends, you'll want to move on to the next.

Set over six parts, it's based on actual events, but of course dramatised, some of the changes seemed reasonable, some seemed to fit the present day climate and narrative.

The story is a compelling one, it makes you wonder if any of the jewellery in your home is part of that haul. This is an exciting, surprising and fast paced series, it is brimming with tension, suspense and drama, several moments will have you on the edge of your seat.

The acting is first rate, this is a cast list to savour, Hugh Bonneville is phenomenal, he truly is one of the best, star quality comes in the form of Dominic Cooper, great to see him in a made for television role.

9/10.