Why do Brits make the best detective dramas? ‘Bloodlands’ shows why
When it comes to detective shows, no one commits to murder quite like the British.
While American whodunits bend over backward to justify gunplay and visits to strip clubs, our friends across the pond focus on mood and anguish, a deadly combination when done right.“Bloodlands” does it right.
The four-part thriller, premiering today on Acorn TV, tells the story of Tom Brannick, a veteran detective in Northern Ireland investigating the kidnapping of an exIRA leader. The culprit appears to be the same assassin who killed Brannick’s wife and others trying to put an end to “The Troubles” more than 20 years ago.
Brannick is about as far from Sonny Crockett as you could get. He favors drab sweaters. The bags under his eyes could pocket bullets. Late at night, he cries.
His persona matches the scenery. While the countryside looks like a proper setting for a picnic, it’s far from glamorous. Director Pete Travis opts for dimly lit rooms and conditions so windy that you wonder how the actors manage to stay standing. The fact that the country was torn apart so recently is never far from the viewer’s mind.
The approach has the potential of packing as much punch as lukewarm tea. But creator Chris Brandon and executive producer Jed Mercurio, best known for shepherding “Line of Duty” and “Bodyguard,” know how to keep the viewers stimulated.
It starts with casting James Nesbitt as Brannick. You may recognize the actor from his dual roles in the 2007 BBC production of “Jekyll,” in which he played the title doctor and his alter ego, Mr. Hyde.
“In some ways this role didn’t seem like as much fun,” Nesbitt said during a virtual news conference with the “Bloodlands” production team. “I don’t mean that as disrespect. Jekyll was such a show-offy role. You could do whatever the hell you wanted with that. But with this, you just had to have the confidence. The writing is so, so good. You could never have acted before in your life, and you could make some of Chris’ writing sing.”
All modesty aside, Nesbitt’s performance is essential to selling a twist at the end of the second episode that will have you reeling. But the revelation doesn’t work unless you’re fully invested in the characters.
The twist is almost sure to shock you. The fact that the Brits have created another addictive detective series? That’s no surprise at all.