SAS Rogue Heroes

Let's get one things straight, anyone with a decent level of WW2 knowledge will pick up on mistakes. Uniforms, weapons,kit,tanks,trucks and even the traits and likeness of the main characters. The BBC don't see to care much for accuracy anymore with their shows. However watch this as Band of Brothers meets Peaky Blinders and you're onto a winner. The characters are all played brilliantly if historically inaccurately. The way they interact with eachother is also very entertaining and has you rooting for this tag tag group from the off. The music in the backround has you tapping your toes as the SAS drive across the dessert on their way to pick a fight with the Axis forces. The gun fights while over the top are a good watch. Switch off and enjoy it for what it is. It's not a master piece like Band of brothers but let's face it what is...

Having read the book this series is based on and having read the incredible bravery of men such as Paddy Maine. I thought Steven Knight and the BBC have done an amazing job of bringing these characters who I had only previously read about bought to life. These men may have been part of the British Army but in reality they were mercenaries, who conducted there own war by there own rules. This really is a high quality production with authentic weapons uniforms all forms of transport. And the raid scenes on the various airfields are as good as anything Netflix or even Hollywood could come up with especially the raid in episode 6 which is truly spectacular.

All the performances are excellent. In particular Jack o Connell as the mad fearless Irishman Paddy Maine. 9/10.

What do you get when you mix Peaky Blinders with The Dirty Dozen? SAS Rogue Heroes!! Is it a serious take on the negativity of war? Absolutely not! It is a booze fuelled romp showing how the SAS came to be. If you want historical accuracy combined with a stern voiceover then please go and watch the accompanying documentary series on the BBC.

I loved it from the word go. Irreverent and funny with the storyline moving right along at a good pace. Perfect casting with plenty of familiar faces who fill out their roles wonderfully. The period details of uniforms and the locations look authentic and are just perfect. No skimping on the budget here! The effects are very good.

A wonderful tale of daring-do with the right amount of comedy thrown in to take the edge off of it.

Stick with it-you won't be disappointed. 👍

Season 2 Update: No idea what happened with this writing for season 2. They've turned Paddy Mayne into a gibberish spouting Irish psychopath with zero self control which is a million miles away from reality (he was in fact a quiet and softly spoken person with a ruthless streak a mile wide - quite different). The fun has been almost entirely sucked out of the show from season 1. It's a lot darker. Yes war is not supposed to be high jinx in the desert but the vibe here is totally different and much poorer for it!

This is an outrageously over the top take on a mostly true story. Some people have been moaning that the soundtrack, mainly rock and punk are wrong for this show, as is the bad language but I think it gives it a real punch, and I'm in no doubt that bad language would have been rife in this unit of men.

It's superbly acted and the one hour episodes just fly past, which made me very happy to see the whole series was available to watch on the BBC iplayer to binge watch.

It's full of mad characters that you can't help but love and feel for, and the whole show makes you wish it was longer.

All in all I cannot fault this show, or it's soundtrack.

The second series grates with. Jack O'Connells awful faux Irish accent. It's too focused on his character unlike Series 1 which was more rounded. After fifteen minutes he just tires you out with his drawl.

My grandpa was in L Section as it was known in WW2. He wasn't a swaggering cartoon character but the real deal. Quietly stoic and a gentleman.

As for cinematography it is very high quality with good continuity and authentic sets. The costumes are realistic although it was practically unheard of to see a woman in trousers in that period so I would criticise it on that.

Series 2 doesn't have the same energy as Series 1. More dialogue and less action...