Deadwater Fell

The show started out as a very interesting drama and mystery story with likable characters that had great development potential. So I was very looking forward to seeing the second and the third episodes. It seemed like something overwhelming was going to be discovered at some point. Alas, this never happened. And the last episode was a total disappointment.

I think "Deadwater Fell" is just another one of those shows that we are gradually getting used to: the watching is a captivating process, episode after episode, and then they bring it to some hasty flat ending. Unfortunately, the writing these days leaves much to be desired.

On a positive note, the acting is very good, I also enjoyed great views of amazing landscapes of Scotland.

I found the opening episode a little slow but hooked me in just about enough and then it exploded with 2 really good episodes leaving me excited for the finale. Unfortunately the finale was very predictable and ultimately underwhelming but I fell that was more due to the level of the two previous episodes and this being average rather than terrible. Ultimately this was still a good series if unfortunately not reaching further heights that seemed possible.

The plot and the cast had so much potential but both fell short. It seems like they ran out of funding &/or too many compromises were made that diluted the plot. Too bad.

David's Tennant plays these characters all too well, he's never a let down. The rest of the acting was well done also.

4 episodes was just enough, any more would have been too many. A few little twists but maybe too much personal drama amongst the other characters than I expected, without enough background information.

I think everyone will guess the ending quite quickly in this slightly overlong show. The real standout elements are the cast and the themes ingrained in a semi derivative mystery wrapping.

There's some good depictions of how numerous kinds of abuse, the social dynamics at play in regards to toxic masculinity, trauma, and the madness of crowds. People can't usually recognize signs of abuse nor cries for help or look beyond the performance of social respectability when it comes to men. So, on that front I think the show is a success.

The problem comes from a lacklustre actual plot and its beats. This is almost quintessential now, and it does very little to muddy the issue of the mystery it purports to be actually about. Had the mystery been overtly secondary, it might have worked better. Or the mystery having a more nested and compelling set of clues and the ways in which they are rolled out.

As is, it feels like a long time to wrap up, and the highlights of the show are merely peripheral, which almost feels diminutive for such important issues.