GregMatt

It took me a while to get into this series, but I'm glad I did.

It accurately captures the zeitgeist of inner-city policing during the austerity years; over a decade of funding cuts mixed with the normalisation of xenophobia and racism that were an inevitable consequence.

It's a (very) slow burn that frequently keeps the viewer flipping between sympathies. Personally, I love a series that challenges me to keep guessing who are the good guys and who are the bad guys! Ably assisted in this drama by a superb cast whose complex characters you couldn't help but like.

Simply put, Criminal Record could be described as a dish best served cold. And for everyone who didn't make it to the end? Your loss.

The last 10 minutes made the wait soooooo worthwhile! Well played everyone.

Definitely a slow burn, hence the low scores from those (I'm guessing younger people) who didn't make it past the first few episodes. But this limited series actually turned out not only to be relatable (yes I'm in my 40s) but also profoundly insightful.

Great writing, even the flashbacks were used to good effect to keep moving the story forward. And superb acting from a well cast ensemble - Clare Danes performance in episode 7 is breathtaking.

And yes, they're all white. And yes, they're mostly financially privileged. But whether you live in the city, or the suburbs, or out in the sticks, the experiences of all the main characters are extraordinarily familiar.

Don't be put off by the slow pace at the start, the ending is precisely what it needed to be.

The starter and main courses were great but the dessert was missing.

'Menu' metaphors aside, this was a story that had so much promise but suddenly just seemed to stop dead.

The casting was great. Production design was great. Cinematography was great. Acting was great. But the story just suddenly stopped! I felt like I'd been watching a 3 Act play but the curtain had come down at the end of the second Act.

Yes you can vaguely get what it was all about, but where was the twist? Or even a satisfying denouement? It just stopped!! Even a mid-credits epilogue might have helped.

So disappointing!