Finders Keepers

Channel 5 have been banging out a load of 4 part dramas with mixed results. Most have been crime dramas but Finders Keepers is more of a black comedy.

Fay Ripley who seems to be in all these C5 shows stars along side Neil Morrisey who along with his future son in law James Buckley, discover buried Roman artefacts worth a small fortune. The find soon turns out to be a curse leading to theft, murder and bribery.

If you can put the glaring plot holes aside you have a half decent enjoyable four hours of television.

The performances are pretty solid throughout and the aerial shots of Glastonbury are truly stunning. 7/10.

I really do get fed up with TV writers portraying anyone outside London as dumb, floundering idiots waiting to be saved by some almighty Londoner.

In this, the stupid local police are saved by a fantastic whizz detective from London. Without her they would not know any crime was committed, wouldn't have a clue how to investigate, or assist witnesses or victims.

As we actually know it is quite the reverse as other forces outside the Met lead on most aspects of crime.

Good storyline and acting, just ruined by these clichés in the writing which show the writers to be so wildly ignorant of anyone in the Shires.

Some reviewers have the opinion that the plot was unrealistic, if they are referring to the find not being declared and an attempt made to sell it illegally, then that part is based on a real event, in 2019 two men were jailed for not declaring a Viking hoard with an estimated value of £12m.

The sweary and violent baddie was a bit cartoonish and was added no doubt for "dramatic reasons" but this is not a documentary, and no mention was made of it being based on a real event, even if it was.

It's to be hoped that this drama will put some crooked treasure hunters off not declaring, but it probably won't.

I note that Fay Ripley is the latest to abandon traditional dialogue for a bastardised American version.

I couldn't believe it when she said "For God's sakes", yes with an 's' on sake. At least the English version means something, the Americanism is nonsensical. Why do we pander to potential American audiences? And what's so great about America that we have to copy everything they do?

Next thing we know she'll be washing diapers under the faucet. Take a look in the 'meer' Fay, you're English.

As for the show itself, once again a thin plot line is padded out to 6? Episodes that could easily have been 4 ............Yawn......... zzzzzz(ok...Felt like 6).

A fairly promising start makes way for a ludicrous penultimate episode followed by a finale with more holes in the plot than could be reasonably expected from a drama about detectorists.

At best, it's daytime tv fodder but with lots of swearing added to make it seem like it's a show for grown ups.

Was it supposed to be a comedy?

The actors, at least the most recognisable ones, all should know better but seemingly don't care; take the money & run?

One actor in particular should be ashamed of wasting his talent & performing to type as requested by the producers whims. If he's reading this, he'll know what I'm referring to (three languages & all you did was squeak!).

Even the music, apparently from Alabama 3, alternates between sounding like Last of the Summer Wine & a cheap horror movie with an obtrusive harmonica score one moment & a creepy organ the next.

Truly dreadful & a complete waste of time.