Before We Die

I appreciate some people struggle with foreign language shows and there are those that just can't be bothered but, for the rest of you, regardless of what you make of this, I urge you to watch the original Swedish series.

I have managed to get through the first series of this whilst making this judgement.

As with the original, this series is left open for a second series but I hope they don't bother.

Both shows are available in full on the All 4 website as I write.

Matt Baker has adapted this and I really hope he hasn't murdered Professor T. (another brilliant Walter Presents show) he has adapted and is out this week).

I kept watching because they guy who plays the Colonel had a magnificent role as someone with dementia in Professor T. He will be hoping his role here is soon forgotten.

The actors lack charisma and comradeship but it does improve a little towards the end of the series. They seem to be playing the original actors rather than making the characters their own.

I appreciate this was made during the pandemic but plenty of other shows have managed to put on a decent show.

Stockholm is now Bristol (and Belgium - I thought we had left the EU!) while Lesley Sharp plays Lesley Sharp from Scott And Bailey, Steve Toussaint plays Steve Toussaint from everything he has ever been in (including Scott And Bailey) and, for some unknown reason, Bjorn is now Billy with a Scottish accent.

They can't decide when the Croatian family speaks Croatian or English to one another and the performances seemingly put the wooden into woodentops.

One of the biggest plots in the Swedish version was motorcycle gang warfare but there is only 1 bike in the whole of this series.

It would have been better to do a Hinterland and get the original actors to film the show in English as well as their native tongue but this is about money rather than entertainment with Belgium using it for some sort of tax break.

The Belgian backed show should have got Poirot on board because he would have more of a clue. If this is Bristol fashion then it is far from ship shape.

I hope people don't put this effort on their bucket list of things to do Before We Die.

Update

I have niw watched series 2 and things don't improve with several of the main cast returning with a lot of goofs along the way.

Hopefully, the conclusion to series 2 means there will be no series 3.

I love eagle eye drama shows but this is probably the worst they have done.

The producer bombed out many times.

Seriously, if you were under cover such as Christian, would you risk sending so many texts at times of being in the company of "the family"?

Also the attempts of running from them whilst being chased by a car, mostly done on main roads. Hilarious!

I have been somewhat surprised at the number of low marks given to this series. Some people even giving it one out of 10 which is quite frankly ridiculous. I have watched the original Scandinavian version and this version and whilst the Scandinavian is better this is by no means a bad remake let's face it some of the remakes of programs like the killing, the bridge, and the girl with the dragon tattoo. Have not been as good as the originals That does not mean that they don't stand up as decent shows in their own right.

I sometimes think when you get these remakes people seem to take pleasure in dishing them because they think they Are superior because they've watched a program with subtitles. I would agree with some Reviewers that Some of the performances were not great but I thought the lead actors did a decent job, so my Advice give it a go to Particularly if you have not seen the original. 7 out of 10.

Hannah Laing's complex relationship with her son is made harder when it becomes apparent that he's involved with a very dangerous, criminal family.

Ignore the dismal reviews for this show, yes it's a remake, but one I thought that was fantastic. It is incredibly well paced, and doesn't let up for a second, six very intense episodes.

A few quibbles, why does Bianca have an incredibly English accent, when all her family have definite Serb/Croat accents. Why are there so many sky shots of Bristol, we all know chunks are filmed abroad, and why do they have Jurassic phones?

Minor quibbles addressed, this is a very edgy, stylish six part series, the acting is terrific Lesley Sharp is first rate, everyone has their part to play, not least Patrick Gibson, who plays Christian.

It feels as if they've left the door open for a possible second series, I'd be delighted if one were made.

Thoroughly enjoyed it, 8/10.

A few flaws here and there but decent entertainment. And so good to see Lesley Sharp get another major role... she's an oldie but goodie... I like that. It's also nice when the 2nd half is better... makes you happy you hung in there. And they did a fantastic job of leading into season 2... I look forward to it.