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'!

This is one of the best recent European productions I've seen. It offers a reasonably good plot (not very original, but still interesting), enough twists to keep you interested, some acceptable action scenes, credible characters and surprisingly good acting.

Do not expect Hollywood-like explosive action or amazing special effects, this is more of a psychological thriller with lots of indoor acting and some short but intense action scenes. It's more of a mystery/crime drama with a SciFi twist, and it has more in common with "Criminal minds" than with "Star Trek"... until now anyway (only 3 episodes aired).

As drawbacks I can count poor acting on behalf of some of the secondary/supporting characters, British style police work (a lot less spectacular than what we see in American movies) and last but not least the ugly female characters (you probably have to be British to appreciate their beauty).

9/10 from me, such productions have to be encouraged. It was a pleasant surprise and I'm eagerly expecting the next episode.

I have just watched the first 5 episodes of Paradox - it has just aired here in New Zealand. I loved it - every episode and can't believe thats it - only 5 episodes! Please bring more to me - there's still so much to explore. Where are the messages coming from, what does this mean about the nature of reality (deep eh!), how are all the characters linked? I love the relationships the characters have with each other. I think Tasmin Outhwaite portrays her part amazingly well. The acting is great, the story is exciting, interesting and absorbing. I find there are very few programmes on television these days which grab my attention and which I feel I need to see every episode. Mostly I can take or leave it and if I miss an episode - so what. With Paradox I was glued to each episode and felt I had to make sure I saw every episode. I only wish I had recorded the episodes so that I could watch them again. It's the best programme I have seen for a long time. More please!!

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.

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.