La part du diable

I stumbled over this one on a Sunday afternoon during a top-ot-the-hour channel surf. Readjusting my American viewing apparatus to accept a cop drama that was cut at less than 10 edits a minute, this baby snared me hard. I drooled until I was able to catch the rest of the episodes, and I found myself moving through the day hungering to answer the phone, "D.I Creegan..."

This show rocks in that the viewer is REQUIRED TO WORK to figure out the details of the backstory, relationships that existed before, and to hang onto a storyline that is not concerned with over-explaining; you need to keep up with the pace. This story is real and happening, transferring a realistic impression of copwork from the inside, tempered with just enough "X-Files" in their "Elite Special Ops Force (or whatever it's called)" to be convincing not in the fantastic/horrific, but in The REALITY. No passivity in attention here; snooze=loose.

Think the complex, multi-episodicness of "The Prisoner" with the acting/directing savvy of "NYPD Blue" and the cinematic re-par-te of, say, John Sayles if he were to shoot contemporary London. (The EXT. - NIGHT's are a little too blue for me, but hell, I ain't the shooter...)

"Touching" is pretty dang good, guv-nuh, as hard-boiled as you'll get across the Pond.

Touching Evil is a remarkable mystery mini series. One of the best I've seen. It is gripping and compelling. The main character, Kreegan, is complex, enigmatic and sympathetic. The mini series is composed of 5 seemingly disparate episodes that somehow come together at the end in a way that is unique and satisfying.

It made me eager to see the next installment: Touching Evil 2, which was a disappointment.

As a fan of British mystery series, I've become quite particular about what is worth my time. For example, Inspector Morse always makes the cut; Inspector Frost rarely does. Touching Evil so far exceeds the mark that I've bought the tapes. The acting is exceptional--not just Green, but the entire cast perform convincingly and with great subtlety.

This superior cast handles a very tough script exceedingly well. Not only is the plot heavily detailed and nuanced, it's quite hard to watch from a moral point of view (and it must have been even harder to act it). This is absolutely not a criticism. This show deals with some of the ugliest realities of our time. The plot requires the viewer to learn about them. You cannot simply forget what you've seen at the end of the show. In my book, entertainment that also teaches and induces serious thought rises above the usual drivel and makes the discomfort induced by the topics justified.

The look of the series complements the subject matter and the acting, creating a dense and quite specific atmosphere in each scene. Some shots (especially when you least expect it) are quite stunning and even beautiful.

Highly and unreservedly recommended.

"Touching Evil" is such a wonderful series, but sometimes it's difficult to watch. It's dark, gritty, atmospheric, sometimes sad, and sometimes heartbreaking. Bottom line: it's fantastic.

The series stars heartthrob Robson Green, a quirky, intense, sexy actor who, in his role as Dave Creegan. Creegan is a divorced man with two beautiful little girls; his wife is involved with someone else. Previous to the series, he was shot and had a near death experience, which has affected him deeply as well as leaving him with a physical scar.

When the series begins, he comes to work with the Organised & Serial Crime Unit, where he's teamed with Susan Taylor (Nicola Walker), an attractive, down to earth woman who realizes early on that Creegan is no typical detective. He works to get into the mind of the killer to figure out his next move.

The various episodes have dealt with child kidnapping, euthanasia, murders resulting from a web game, a serial killer who communicates with a reporter, and PTSD. At one point, Creegan realizes that he must take desperate measures to protect his ex-wife and his family.

Really excellent series, with absolutely no glamor, sometimes bizarrely photographed, dealing with Britain's underside. Highly recommended for the strong performances of all the actors, the charisma of Green, and the powerful stories.

I actually saw part of this series while in London, and about a year later, PBS's Mystery! series picked it up (thank God) and was lucky enough to see all of the "Touching Evil" movies. While I only caught part of it in London, I was immediately compelled by what I saw -- gritty and dark storylines, pushed by characters that were convincing in that you really felt like they witnessed some of the most vicious aspects of human nature. The plots orbit around Robson Green's portrayal of cop Dave Creegan and his serial crime investigation unit as they barrel through London, tracking down serial killers. It's easy enough to say he's the archetypal anti-hero -- he's just gone back on the job from a near-death gunshot wound to the head (he's got a little scar), his family life's gone down the crapper (wife and kids left him), and he really is married to his work. But he's the anti-anti-hero; a Dirty Harry who's a real person. He struggles with his personal life as he tries to be emotionally supportive of his ex-wife's new life (what a concept, eh?), and you can see the pain on his face as he watches his small children with first-hand knowledge of the real evil out in the world. All the "Touching Evil" movies are well-done; each story is unique in its serial killer's modus operandi -- all very macabre. The moody filming adds to the bleakness. The deadpan cold moodiness is very similar to that "X-Files" ennui, and its gritty perspective of policework is very "Prime Suspect". The characters are all believable -- serious, professional, and very real. No ex-Playmates or pretty-boy faces, just compelling acting against some pretty grisly storylines.