Paradox

If you are used to the standard police drama series where innovation rarely stretches your imagination or that of the characters beyond taking them to yet another obscure region of the UK or US then this will refresh your parts that other police shows cannot reach! This is less of a 'whodunnit' and more of 'whydidit?'. This series takes a very familiar genre and turns it on its head in a way that is refreshingly new. In the true style of Brit police shows this is dark and tortured, this is not a glossy American show with more style than substance. The actors are excellent and the 'will they, won't they?' is very well done. A 'must watch'!

Although the first episode is not particularly engaging (not a good sign) I persevered and from the second story on they have definitely got better and better.

The thing that makes this series most interesting to me isn't the science fictiony bits - not that there's really that much involved in this story. The main influence of science fiction on the plot is mainly on the delivery of the plot line pictures but the suspense in the story comes down to good old character interaction and the way that that the three police officers interact with each other and the scientist running the satellite that appears to be taking the photographs that are cuing the police into the incidents they are investigating.

Each of the characters has a particular view on what these pictures represent, from the DS's continuing scepticism of the photographs reality to the scientist's belief that the pictures are showing the future but he has issues with his bosses in the shadowy section of the MoD that is contracting the work he's doing.

It's been good in the way that the Beeb haven't shied away from letting people die - this power has not given the cops god-like abilities to change the future, and there have been moral dilemmas as to who can be saved.

All-in-all an interesting set of story lines.

Why, when the majority of the comments on this series are positive, is IMDb displaying only the negative ones on the first page and one has to delve deeper to find those that give the series praise? Also if anyone reading this looks closely at the negative comments and reads how many people found the comment useful, they will see that it's quoted as 5 out of 15, or something similar. Personally I found it far better than the big budget, typically glam, US production, Flash Forward, which, so I read on EZTV, because of low viewing figures may not be returning after the mid-season break. I recommend that you give this series a chance, you'll enjoy it!

Paradox is obviously inspired by Fringe: Heavily featured out of the way City (Boston/Manchester), Blonde female lead, Mysterious high tech corporation behind the happenings, something else I won't mention to not spoil Fringe plot, Team that is formed from the normal police force but deployed to track unexplained phenomenon, socially awkward scientists provide technical support. I love both shows, but I think Paradox is more intelligent and disciplined. Fringe is all over the place (and fascinating for it), but Paradox stays focused on one phenomenon and milks it. Each episode you get a little more. With Fringe I get the feeling that we are being introduced to an ever increasing piece of an ever increasing pie. In other words, that there is no way we are ever going to get a complete explanation. But with Paradox, I may hold out hope. I also like the way that both shows are filmed on location. You definitely get a feel for the cities.

A new British sci-fi series is always an event in my book and Paradox, after 3 episodes, offers a solid start to what looks like an entertaining sci-fi/detective series. As much as I like Fringe, Flashforward, Lost etc the Brits have a knack for creating identifiable, real world characters far removed from the generic, glossy airbrush identi-kit personalities that the States love so much. real people with real problems thrust into a realistic drama. How would you react if your computer suddenly started showing you images from the future? A show with a ton of promise... lets hope they continue to raise the bar for intelligent, realistic scifi as the show progresses.