Reviewed by Jo Wood
Stars Damian Lewis, Sarah Shahi, Adam Arkin, Brent Sexton, Donal Logue, Robin Weigert | Written by Rand Ravich
UK certification 15 | UK RRP £24.99 | DVD Region 2 | Runtime 476 minutes | Directed by Daniel Sackheim
This cops-and-murders series drama is about the weirdest thing I have watched in a while. Charlie Crews (Lewis) is a detective-come-con-come-detective again, having been wrongly incarcerated for 12 years for murders he didn’t commit. Twelve somewhat uncomfortable years seeing as dibble tend to get rather a rough time of it in the clink alongside a load of actual tough guys.
This cops-and-murders series drama is about the weirdest thing I have watched in a while. Charlie Crews (Lewis) is a detective-come-con-come-detective again, having been wrongly incarcerated for 12 years for murders he didn’t commit. Twelve somewhat uncomfortable years seeing as dibble tend to get rather a rough time of it in the clink alongside a load of actual tough guys. So Crews isn’t just out to reclaim his "life". As the series progresses, we learn he’s also secretly out to clear his name, and uncover the forces that framed him. He and his $50m compensation settlement. Each episode sees Crews and his long-suffering partner Dani Reese (Shahi), (coupled with Crews as punishment for an old drug problem) CSI their way through some homicide or another, complementing her good looks and bedside manner with his autistic-esque precision for detail and observation. When settling down to the first serving of this complicated 12 course dinner or a series, I was hit by an overwhelming disregard for anything trying to be ‘cool’ and then casting a 40 something red-head with underwhelming looks as it’s lead. But one has to cast aside ones prejudices. Even when he does score time after unbelievable time with an attractive blonde. Edgily directed, and episodes running at a perfect time to suit the plot lines, this stuff is surprisingly addictive. Not extraordinarily, blood boilingly, I-can’t-sleep-till-I’ve-seen-the-next-one addictive, just every now and again I get the dull ache that it’s time to get the next hit of vaguely ironic, undeniably predicable, but annoyingly well acted drama-morphine. This series is nothing if not a real grower.here
EXTRAS *** Life Begins, Fruits of Life, Still Life, Life’s Questions, Answered, Deleted Scenes, Blooper Reel, Audio Commentary with Cast and Crew