The Innocents

I hate this new trend to make the mystery in a show SO mysteriuous that you have to watch all 10 episodes to figure it out, where, IN ALL THE episodes leading up to the revelation, you could take out 5 and compress into 1 epsiode. I felt Maniac was like that, and this is like that. There is NO REASON they couldn't reveal MORE EARLIER, except, they needed 8 episodes. I started out LOVING this show, but by episode 6, I was just so frustrated. I don't like being left in the dark for an entire season, it's not rewarding. It's lazy, and ruins any ability to sustain tension. It's self-indulgence in an atmosphere that never delivers a compelling story.

I think people who watch a mainly American diet of television will not get this show. Yes it's very young adult but it has such a European pace and subtlety that most won't have the patience for it. I thought it was great and you do have to go beyond three episodes! After that you can't wait to see where it's going. I can even see where a second season would go. In the end if you like a slow burn mixed with a little touch of sci-Fi to give it flavour, give it a watch.

Yes it does have some plot holes but it was a surprise that this was a British/Norwegian production. The characters are far more realistic and more believable than if this was an American show. There are clichéd characters but it has enough intrigue and twists that it makes this far superior than other reviews will have you believe. It is not an action show. It is not a glossy supernatural show. It is far more grounded and, if you stick with it, it has enough going on to make you want to watch to the end.

Manage your expectations... it's average at best, but not the worst way to kill time. I really wanted to love this as I enjoy sci-if. I also like a good British production/drama, but it wasn't anything special and it was quite slow with very few lukewarm twists/decent moments of gripping drama thrown in sparingly. To be fair, most of the actors were good (namely Harry and some supporting roles), they performed well...after about three episodes it does get better, but just not great.

Just to clarify a couple of other things; someone compared this to the brilliance that is Sense 8. This is nothing like Sense 8. The storyline/plot is VERY different, context completely differs, the scenery and cinematography are also very different. This is more static, less sensual, less versatile, has a lot less drama, suspense and action. It's based in one or two countries max and there's minimal cultural crossover. Sense 8 was a feast for the eyes and mind so I wouldn't want anyone to get their hopes up. Anyway, this is also not as realistic as some are claiming. It might be more so than an assumed glossy, soapy American produced version, but a lot of the interactions between young people are far from realistic. A lot about the runaways and how they run, the hospital, club scenes in Shoreditch how they survive, etc...does not make sense and is far from realistic or believable. I understand that we can be young and dumb, but they often take dumb to unrealistic levels.

I have only watched the first couple of episodes but so far I'm gripped. The actors are all doing a great job, Guy Pearce has an amazing presence and the Nordic noir style suits the brooding darkness of northern England perfectly. Sadly after watching another couple of episodes I lost interest though.