Requiem

Encompassing the elements of both the supernatural and thriller genres is a challenge not fully accomplished here. It is often "either-or" and their melting is not smooth, slowing down the pace and including unnecessary scenes and characters. The ending is also vague, leaving a certain emptiness and vacuity... The performances are just above average as well, nothing special, only Welsh landscape is a distinct "supporting actor" - at least for those been to and/or fond of the UK.

So, no flop by any means, but I know dozens of BBC series that are more dynamic and more interesting.

Requiem is a UK based supernatural mystery thriller. Its "by the numbers" stuff with more than a few well worn tropes on offer. The result is a series that works but it remains predictable fair that's on the cusp of being cliched.

What saves Requiem to a good degree is its a little "off beat". Putting aside the "Children of the Corn" all grown up look of the main character Matilda, there's some real depth and quirks to her character and the rest of the cast. This tends of successfully sideline the more obvious plot twists and turns, engaging the viewer with the characters on an emotional and personal level.

I will add that this is a "slow burn" thriller so it wont satisfy the impatient. That said, as it stands, Requiem has enough human interest elements including strong characterisations and narrative, plus well structured storytelling, to qualify as a decent, if not exceptional, short series. Eight out of ten from me.

All she had to do was take a DNA test and BAM! Just like that, she knows if Rose is her real mom or not.

I had high hopes for this mini-series, the eeriness and uncertainty from the first episode and the many unanswered questions opening for a story. Sadly, that strength gradually dribbled out. The characters were written to be shallow and unlikable and the acting from Lydia Wilson (who plays Matilda) was stiff which made for a difficult watch. The main storyline was what kept me interested, but I felt almost bored in some of the episodes from the way it was executed. Finally, when the plot was revealed I almost felt cheated, as if the writers couldn't think of anything better to solve the riddle. This was only heightened in the last episode and how it played out. Not one of BBC's best.

Tired of people writing reviews that analyze and pick apart every damn aspect of a movie, pretending to be artistic scholars. If you are like me and just enjoy a distraction every now and then, binge on this series when you have an xtra 6 hours. It was enjoyable...not a work of art...enjoyable. All the wanna-be critics out there...RELAX!