Black Ops

Based on the writing the target audience looked to be teenagers - so surprised to find this on BBC1 rather than BBC3.

The basic premise had a lot of scope for laughs but the show didn't quite know whether it wanted to be a drama or a comedy and fell flat somewhere in the middle. It wasn't sitcom LOL funny or straight drama dramatic. There was a lot of effing and blinding that felt out of place in what would have worked best as a daft comedy for a younger audience.

Cast did their best and were fine but storyline and lack of laughs in the script let it down. Be surprised if it finds an audience.

Hard to say whether this show will have any staying power, but the first few episodes have been pretty funny. The show starts with two idiot Police Community Support Officers with no policing experience who end up going undercover into a drug ring. It's a ridiculous premise, but that's the whole point. It's been a while since I've watched a silly comedy, perhaps not since Brooklyn Nine-Nine or No Activity.

While Dom and Kay (played by Gbemisola Ikumelo and Hammed Animashaun) break out their brainless antics, everyone else plays the straight man. The two of them have great comedic timing and work great together.

I especially like the fact that it can tell race jokes in a time when other shows are running away from them. Perhaps comedy could find its way back to the days when a joke was a joke?

I enjoyed it. It's a satire. Not everyone understands satire. It also plays up to the Black Lives Matter mantra and modern political aspects

The sketches are fun and hilarious. They play up to white people's prejudices in a fun and humorous way. For instance when they are judged on their looks one looks like a famous randb singer and the other a famous hip-hop artist who has died.

It's obviously not true but the lack of awareness and imagination by the person interviewed (white) is what they are poking fun at. It's refreshing to see a script like this.

The area location is good. It's set in East London and I'm sure the set is from Top Boy in the estate footage. The drugs gang is hilarious and they've definitely taken inspiration from Top Boy for the casting.

Hierarchy in modern society is highlighted. Privileged white people making decisions. This happens. They have done it with a good amount of humour and poking fun at society.

It works and it's refreshing. It's educational as well. It's got a lot of snappy sketches and the actors are type-casted perfectly.

I'm looking forward to a second series.

I also disagree with the review that it's just for teenagers, I'm nearly 40, just finished the 1st series, thought I would probably watch it over a week or so, short episodes to fit in before leaving for work/going to bed, but I've ended up watching them back-to-back on my day off (oops). It was just such an easy watch, good fun and quick paced so I didn't need to switch to something else.

I wasn't quite sure about the 2 main characters in the 1st episode, suppose I thought they were a bit too daft, but keep watching, give it at least 2 episodes before writing it off. I'm hoping there are more series to come.

If you like the 21 Jump street vibe, you'd love this.

Its really funny, both the main characters did a solid job with the acting.

I don't understand how its dropped to under 6 here. Its pretty fast paced and not boring at all. I binged it all in one go.

Story is pretty derivative and not anything new but it still works really well. They also reference Line of Duty many times in the show (if you haven't watched that, give it a go). One of the best police crime/thriller shows ever made where the quality never falls off.

I hope they do a season 2 as this show definitely deserves a sequel. Watch at least the first episode fully before deciding whether to continue or not.