Desperate Measures

When a plot requires unbelievable coincidences to drive it forward it risks breaking the viewers immersion, 'what's the chances of that happening!??', we wonder. Desperate Measures does this again and again, in fact I counted five consecutive major plot points all occurring in a single day within the story that included massively unlikely coincidences.

The plot then, is utter nonsense.

'So what?' some reviewers react...'it's not a documentary!'. No, it's not, but isn't a central reason we watch drama the desire to immerse ourselves in a fiction? If the writing pulls us out of this immersion, it's not working is it?

As for the acting, it's a mixed bag, the lead character, Rowan, is played by Abigail Abbington and she does a decent job, managing to just about keep a straight face and make the most of some pretty flat and uninspired dialogue. Sunetra Sarker is okay too, as Rowan's best friend and work colleague. The main 'baddy' looked like an emaciated Mr Bean and was about as intimidating, whilst the detective, played by Jonathan Nyati, might have been aiming for a 'strong, silent type' but was simply wooden and dull.

On the plus side, the whole thing rattles along at a reasonable pace and is entertaining. Whilst the lack of believability means an almost total lack of tension, I did still want to know how the story would resolve itself.

One of the reasons I write reviews is to keep track of what I watch and remind myself how I reacted to it. I have a suspicion that Desperate Measures is one of those mini-series that, in six months time, I will struggle to remember a single thing about. Maybe that's a reflection of my ailing memory but more likely this is symptomatic of a genre partially designed like fast food - don't think about it too much, just consume and enjoy in the moment.

"Desperate Measures" suffers from having an illogical and, frankly, impossible plot. The villain is akin to a cartoon character while the bank manager and police officer are little different. That said, the principal characters do their best with what they've been given - ridiculous plot, a plethora of unlikely circumstances, and a fairly mundane script.

A less likely gang of bank robbers is not just hard to imagine, it's impossible to imagine. How a nervous bank cashier is transformed into their leader is a question better not even asked. However, if all of the impossibilities and other failings are put to one side, the series can be watched and even enjoyed. The story does move along at a decent pace and is interesting despite being so implausible. Rather oddly, I found myself reasonably gripped despite its deficiencies, and award it a 5, which somewhat surprises me.

Bank Employee Rowan Suffers a series of setbacks, she's made redundant, her estranged father returns, and her son Finn gets into trouble with a sadistic drug dealer.

Don't expect Desperate Measures to act as a straight up, feasible, run of The Mill series, it isn't. It's far fetched beyond belief, so you really do need to suspend your disbelief, if you can do that, youl will really enjoy this four part series.

The running time helps, four fast paced episodes, each offers something different, and will have you on that edge of your seat.

The extraordinary lengths a mother will go to for the love of her son, poor Rowan doesn't half have some bad luck.

When I saw that Amanda Abbington and Warren Brown were both appearing I had high hopes, and for the most part, it lived up to my expectations.

If you're scratching your head thinking that Manchester looks a little unusual, it's because it's Budapest, some interesting looking buildings are seen.

8/10.

For channel 5, not too bad actually. Don't get me wrong, you need to leave any sense of reality firmly at the door, but once you do and accept it for what it is, it's actually quite enjoyable so far.

A few things could have been done differently, such as the bad guy (too dog drug dealer), who is horribly miscast here. Also the storyline of sunetra sarkers character, whos mum drops a hot boiling pan and then all of a sudden she decides to help rob a bank; didnt really sit well with me. Plus, it has clearly been filmed in a European country on the cheap (not in the uk, despite it being set here), so all road signs and price tags in shops are blurred out or quickly rushed over, but it's done in quite a sloppy and amateurish way. All this being said, I'm looking forward to seeing how the next 2 episodes play out.

This was OK. A bit of a daft story with stereotypical characters, a baddie with a gun, a dumb drug runner and a dumber school kid. Single mum, short of money, kid somehow gets involved with drug baddies, mum now owes money. Luckily she works in a bank!!!.

It was such a shame that Abington felt the need to overact with the constant ridiculous facial expressions and her over the top touchy/feely actions and baby references to her teenage son. Actually he lapped it up which is odd - usually it'd be a 'gerrof' if mum tries to cuddle a teenage lad, and call him darling. She was always cupping his face in her hands and hugging him tightly. Too much. In most scenes she was putting all she learned in acting school into her performance - it makes it so unnatural, forced and a 'look at me, I'm acting'. She's a good actress and doesn't need to do thiis.

The outstanding actor in this series was Sunetra - playing Abington's work colleague . An understated, natural performance. No over acting, Nothing to annoy viewers.

Despite the appalling acting of the son (can't recall his name) and the ridiculous baddie, this it was watchable, if daft. Abington needs to curb her annoying facial expressions as they were a distraction.