Paranoid

Watched this recently and was a bit disappointed. The writer or perhaps the director seemed to be in a muddle. There were some good sections, Germany some of the police investigations but then it diverted into soap opera world. This must be one of the worse police sections in the world. Nina intentionally annoying, I hope, would not last a day on a real police force and as for Bobby he should have been on sick leave a year ago. Germany was good but when Nina came on I was almost throwing the remote at the tv. Worth a watch but be prepared to be frustrated.

The basic plot is thin and has been done dozens of times. That wouldn't be a problem, if the execution were good. It isn't.

The plot is mainly driven by silly actions. OK, it is about mental problems, but does this mean that every other person has to suffer from them? A detective has panic attacks, is frequently either stunned or out of control, but nobody seems to care or even notice. He takes drugs, gets only worse, but doesn't think to consult his physician. Instead he eats them like candy. A witness refuses to cooperate with the police, but rather goes on to tamper with evidence and kidnap and torture a suspect on his own. Another officer seems to suffer from severe hormonal problems, another is personally involved but doesn't feel the need to excuse himself. In critical situations, officers are utterly unable to deal with criminals, don't seem to be able to use a gun, or just call it in. Oh, and someone feels guilty about and another freaks about some supposedly "pornographic" photos which turn out to be pretty mild erotica. The whole thing feels like it isn't about psychiatry, but takes place in a psychiatric ward. Or maybe it's meant to be a parody, but without the funny bits.

The cinematography is good and the actors decent, considering what horrible script they had to work with. Only Christiane Paul sticks out, but in a bad way, as a completely overacted "quirky" German police officer.

Chasing a "ghost detective" after a murder is clunky and forced. The worst part is reducing a potentially strong female lead into a man obsessed nag. From the start she's crying over a man and almost every conversation she has outside of work is about her love life. Even when on the job. It's just a shame they made her a jealous nagging woman and not just a good detective.

Having now watched 3 episodes I can't understand some of the reviews for this show. While not Emmy winning, the performances certainly don't deserve some of the awful criticisms - especially Indira. Don't be deceived by those who only watched 20 minutes. I thought the episodes moved the story along well and that the German detective team were first rate. Like most British detective shows, it will hold your interest throughout.Thanks to Netflix for introducing me to this genre. If it's not renewed for a 2nd season, it is at least worth your time as a stand alone mystery story. Can't wait to watch the 5 remaining episodes.

Paranoid is a Brit crime drama that follows the "classic formula" whilst adding in a twist, in the form of an international conspiracy.

Its hard to fault British crime series. They really set the standard for both realism and intrigue. This series is, for the most part, no different.

The story is engaging and interesting, readily capturing and holding your attention. The characters too, are rendered as real, flawed and oftentimes, fragile people.

Perhaps my only criticism is the pace of this series sometimes flounders and I felt some characters were a little redundant. In particular, the young detectives neurotic,controlling mother seems like a pointless addition.

All in all, still a worthwhile watch. Seven out of ten from me.