Six Four

Gripping four episode thriller based on a Japanese novel, but set in Scotland. Moody and dark, the main reason for watching this is Kevin McKidd who gives a stellar performance as a troubled police detective whose daughter has gone missing. While the plots has enough twists to avoid being in the paint by numbers school of thriller writing, watch it for McKidd as he gets inside the head of his character, a lowly ranked detective. McKidd's performance masterfully avoids the limitations of his character I.e., the cliche of the passed over disgruntled detective, whose brother has made it to the top of the Force. Intense yet under played, McKiidd turns in a slow burn performance that simply steals the show.

Watchable drama is the headline for this one. At times there are twists. Scottish politics are thrown in for good measure and it all makes a compellable and consumable drama. Would I want a second series? Probably not, does this reflect the real world? Almost certainly not - but then why do I want a drama to reflect the real world.

The characters are standard the grizzled old timer and maverick, a villain who may hold the key to everything - well I expected him to turn to the camera and cackle. The acting was pretty standard too with no stand out performances.

The cinematography at times is stunning without trying to advertise Scotland. The sound track is a little unexpected and forgettable but doesn't detract from a watchable drama.

STAR RATING: ***** Brilliant **** Very Good *** Okay ** Poor * Awful

After the trauma of identifying a body that turned out not to be her child, Michelle (Vinette Robinson) absconds from her partner, Chris (Kevin McKidd) at a train station in Glasgow, and flees to London, leaving Chris in pieces. Whilst dealing with this, Chris approaches his brother, Phillip (Andrew Whipp), regarding the case of a girl who went missing some time ago. But thing's really heat up when Annabel (Iona Anderson), the daughter of Justice Minister Robert Wallace (Richard Coyle) goes missing, and Chris is plunged in to a dangerous web of deceit and betrayal.

Nearly seven years after the Brexit referendum, and nearly a good ten years after the Scottish Independence vote, politics is still as hotly contentious as ever, and so a fine framework to set a mystery thriller around, such as this adaptation of the novel by Hideo Yukoyama. With a strong, solid cast, and supporting cast, of hot Scottish talent, old and new, there's a whole web of different characters and plot strands threaded in to a fairly condensed four part thriller, that requires a bit of patience to get past the first hurdle.

However thrilling the story eventually becomes, it makes the critical mistake of having a mundane opening, that plays out in a pretty perfunctory and flat manner that doesn't bode well for what's to come, but stick with it, and somehow these characters manage to grow some meat, and play an integral part in something that crucially has a plot and a subplot, with plenty of twists and turns. It doesn't all fit organically together, but there is a genuine sense of intrigue and mystery to the story, with a decent revelation at the end.

You can't beat a good mystery, and while this is far from the best you'll ever see, it's ultimately still a satisfying affair, with some sweeping cinematography of the Scottish Highlands and a neat steady rock soundtrack thrown in for good measure. ***

Well I thought that it seemed a strong cast but oh dear, oh dear! What induced Kevin McKidd and James Cosmo to take part in this mish mash? The plot is so convoluted that I don't think the cast even understood it. The sub plot of Kevin's missing daughter was utterly irrelevant and completely misleading. Then there was the dishonest senior cop. Or was he? Then another local copper turned up with an axe to grind. With me so far because I'm not! It just seems to be a rewrite of. Then it was all about Scottish independence and how the terrible English government security services were interfering. Of course there were 2 characters who may or may not have been something important. To me, it's just a very poor rewrite of "Scotch on the Rocks".

I love British cop series. This is not one of the best I have seen, although it certainly maintains the tension until the end. The majority of the series is filmed in Scotland. The photography and landscapes are wonderful!

This one is about cold cases, dealing with a case for a missing girl called Julie Mackie, from 16 years ago. I would have used Scottish folk music, the soundtrack is a bit strange and sometimes doesn't fit with the scenes. Although I noticed it, it didn't bother me too much.

The story is exciting from the beginning, although as it progresses it becomes predictable, with several unexpected surprises as well. Well, I have mixed feelings about this series, since it could have been better by changing two important things, more passion in the actors and a story with more strength, I mean roughness and violence, the topic asks for it!

I also think that a second season can be made as some questions have been left unanswered. It felt as if four episodes were quite short and the plot could have been extended further. Although some actors may be quite distant, the series seems quite realistic to me, nothing exaggeratedly acted.

In short, I definitely recommend it, it is entertaining and has very good moments. Without forgetting to mention again the magnificent Scottish landscapes.