Meadowlands

To the person who insinuated Americans don't want to watch a movie that makes them think, I'm American and I do want to watch a story that unfolds slowly taking time to develop characters and plot.

I guess that's why I almost exclusively watch British programs.

I will rewatch a British series or movie before I will watch American shows.

Once I started watching British shows I couldn't go back. The stories are so compelling I find myself staying up till the wee hours watching more.

To be fair there are a few American shows that surprise me and are good but not very often.

I love a good story and I feel like I'm stuck in America with people who can't tell one. It's depressing.

I am so happy I can stream channels like BBC, Acorn, and PBS or I would just shrivel up and die without some kind of real art that I get from British Programing.

Meadowland was one who of those series, it hooked me and kept me coming back. The actors were talented and the series was engaging and well written.

Released puzzlingly as "Cape Wrath" in the UK (the US title was the more appropriate "Meadowlands"), this British production has David Morrissey and his improbably photogenic family moving to a mysterious town under new identities. It's not long before the family encounter violence, sexual tension and oodles of weirdness.

I remain unconvinced of Morrissey's performance in this drama but the beautiful Lucy Cohu is mesmerising as his wife, Evelyn. Cohu drips sensuality and the later scenes in the first episode are thick with sexual tension.

Harry Treadaway is convincing as the shell-shocked son and Felicity Jones delivers a memorable performance as teenage temptress, Zoe.

The gritty element of the script is provided early-on by bad-boy Jack Donnelly, played by Tom Hardy. Hardy is the animalistic handyman whose activities go way beyond fitting broken shelves.

Not a patch on US drama, the series starts well but falters towards an anti-climatic ending. In the end, "Cape Wrath" outstays its welcome.

I just watched the first episode, as that's all we have had in the UK so far. I like it a lot. Interesting premise, and appears original.

Anyway, with only 8 episodes it is certainly worth viewing.

If the quality of the remaining episodes is as good, I hope they commission a second series.

To answer someone's question, it is not a set. It is filmed in Kent, in two close by areas called Leybourne Lakes (the multi coloured houses) and Kings Hill (the white houses and "town square" and pub). It's also filmed round the back of my house at the golf course (again Kings Hill).

FOLLOWING COMMENTS ADDED AFTER VIEWING THE REST OF THE SERIES:

I rated this a 10 after the first episode. Unfortunately the rest of the series did not live up to the promise shown. It's fairly original yes, but it's also overlong and gets tedious. I'd rate it a 6.5 or perhaps slightly better. I'd be surprised to see a second series.

When I first watched this show, I was hooked. Every time I heard the(very cool)theme tune, I was there, on the couch, barely moving my eyes from it until ad breaks. And at he end of each episode I'd be itching for more. Wanting to know more about the main characters. And how they found themselves wound up in this peculiar place.

And to my disappointment, they were some of the loose ends that weren't tied up. Among MANY loose ends and sometimes very peculiar main character personality switches.

The characters that confused me the most were Mark, Danny and Dr York.

The latter two would be more obvious to most people, however, when you also have some of the "issues" Mark is described as having in his medical records, he becomes the most confusing character of all. It's a common trait of characters with some forms of autism that have their lines written by those without personal experience. Due to the difficult nature of Autistic Spectrum Disorders. And the extra things described, which are also often quite common in some higher functioning autistics in real life, also don't seem to match up very well. Even though every person with them is different, there are certain things people with ASDs just will not do. Especially when combined with such an extra problems as OCD. And, while in the beginning, Mark's character didn't show these issues... They very quickly appeared. Even though it is quite obvious Mark Treadaway (Convenient name, eh?) put in a lot of effort with slight traits like eye contact difficulties.

The ending seemed to rush up too soon. It was like a "Boo Moment". You know it's coming, but it hits you out of nowhere.

And while it's a shocker, it leaves you still wanting an extra few episodes to tie everything up. And wanting to know more about the aftermath of the major events that take place.

In the second-last episode the plot was wide open for a second series, but after watching the last episode, I now seriously doubt that is possible. Which is a great disappointment.

I have to tell you this series has great possibilities. I love the look of the show. It reminds me of the "Prisioner" with a 21st century twist. The ladies are beautiful and the story is dark. Let's hope the plot thickens. British TV has always had a different twist compared to US shows. HBO being on another level of course. We were wondering if those homes are a real place or a set built or maybe some kind of CGI. What ever it is a beautiful setting and the colors are just beautiful. Thank you UK for all the entertainment you have given us over the years. I know you will find more to add to this already complicated mystery.