La part du diable

I stumbled over this one on a Sunday afternoon during a top-ot-the-hour channel surf. Readjusting my American viewing apparatus to accept a cop drama that was cut at less than 10 edits a minute, this baby snared me hard. I drooled until I was able to catch the rest of the episodes, and I found myself moving through the day hungering to answer the phone, "D.I Creegan..."

This show rocks in that the viewer is REQUIRED TO WORK to figure out the details of the backstory, relationships that existed before, and to hang onto a storyline that is not concerned with over-explaining; you need to keep up with the pace. This story is real and happening, transferring a realistic impression of copwork from the inside, tempered with just enough "X-Files" in their "Elite Special Ops Force (or whatever it's called)" to be convincing not in the fantastic/horrific, but in The REALITY. No passivity in attention here; snooze=loose.

Think the complex, multi-episodicness of "The Prisoner" with the acting/directing savvy of "NYPD Blue" and the cinematic re-par-te of, say, John Sayles if he were to shoot contemporary London. (The EXT. - NIGHT's are a little too blue for me, but hell, I ain't the shooter...)

"Touching" is pretty dang good, guv-nuh, as hard-boiled as you'll get across the Pond.

This was one of my favorite "Mystery!" series. This was something of a precursor to shows like "CSI" and "Without a Trace," and ten times better. Robson Greene is DI Dave Creegan, a workaholic who works in a fictional British unit called Organized Serial Crime (OSC). Creegan received a bullet in the head some time back, and was brought back to life through the miracle of medicine, now walking a tightrope on the edge of sanity as the semi-suicidal detective hunts down serial killers and other perps through his gift for thinking like they do. Creegan's partner, DI Susan Taylor, is a no-nonsense type whose method for solving cases is quite the opposite of Creegans. DC Mark Rivers, also a key player, is as far removed from Creegan as possible, a by-the-book detective who is just as content to wait for back-up as jump into the fire. There were some excellent shows, but the first season is by far the best, starting off with a perverted and villainous suspect portrayed by Ian McDiarmid, of "Star Wars" fame.

Perhaps this show lacks some of the class that made earlier shows such as "Prime Suspect" such a treat, but the only thing on "Mystery!" to match it as of yet is probably the most recent American-produced Tony Hillerman adaptations.

As a fan of British mystery series, I've become quite particular about what is worth my time. For example, Inspector Morse always makes the cut; Inspector Frost rarely does. Touching Evil so far exceeds the mark that I've bought the tapes. The acting is exceptional--not just Green, but the entire cast perform convincingly and with great subtlety.

This superior cast handles a very tough script exceedingly well. Not only is the plot heavily detailed and nuanced, it's quite hard to watch from a moral point of view (and it must have been even harder to act it). This is absolutely not a criticism. This show deals with some of the ugliest realities of our time. The plot requires the viewer to learn about them. You cannot simply forget what you've seen at the end of the show. In my book, entertainment that also teaches and induces serious thought rises above the usual drivel and makes the discomfort induced by the topics justified.

The look of the series complements the subject matter and the acting, creating a dense and quite specific atmosphere in each scene. Some shots (especially when you least expect it) are quite stunning and even beautiful.

Highly and unreservedly recommended.

I heard about this series in a commentary by John Leonard on the "CBS Sunday Morning" show. I don't recall if he compared it to the "Prime Suspect" series of a few years ago but I certainly would. This series kept you glued to your seat. You learn as the detectives do. The psychological drama is reminiscent of Hitchcock, ie."The Man Who Knew To Much".The intricacies of the relationships among the characters is fantastic - and I don't mean it was like a soap opera. It is shows like this that are the reason I keep my television. I'm not knocking shows such as "N.Y.P.D. Blue" or "Law and Order" as they are usually well written and acted. But you know from the start what is usually going to happen, and you don't need to be watching all the time - listening will usually do fine. With "Touching Evil" you really need to watch. To glance away to talk with someone or respond to some other distraction may mean losing the whole nuance of a segment. So those of you out there that may have missed it the first time around, be assured that PBS will run it again. My suggestion is that you make sure you are not going to be distracted for any reason, sit down and let your mind go to work.

"Touching Evil" is such a wonderful series, but sometimes it's difficult to watch. It's dark, gritty, atmospheric, sometimes sad, and sometimes heartbreaking. Bottom line: it's fantastic.

The series stars heartthrob Robson Green, a quirky, intense, sexy actor who, in his role as Dave Creegan. Creegan is a divorced man with two beautiful little girls; his wife is involved with someone else. Previous to the series, he was shot and had a near death experience, which has affected him deeply as well as leaving him with a physical scar.

When the series begins, he comes to work with the Organised & Serial Crime Unit, where he's teamed with Susan Taylor (Nicola Walker), an attractive, down to earth woman who realizes early on that Creegan is no typical detective. He works to get into the mind of the killer to figure out his next move.

The various episodes have dealt with child kidnapping, euthanasia, murders resulting from a web game, a serial killer who communicates with a reporter, and PTSD. At one point, Creegan realizes that he must take desperate measures to protect his ex-wife and his family.

Really excellent series, with absolutely no glamor, sometimes bizarrely photographed, dealing with Britain's underside. Highly recommended for the strong performances of all the actors, the charisma of Green, and the powerful stories.