Historical narrative on colonialism in Mideast falls short

The opening credits for the British import “The Last Post” appear against a backdrop of black-and-white newsreel footage extolling the relationship between the British and residents of the port of Aden, on the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula.

It is, says a plummyvoiced newsreel narrator without the slightest trace of irony, a model of colonial rule.

There was a time when even American schoolchildren were taught the supposed benefits of colonization as so-called civilized nations, such as the United Kingdom, brought enlightenment, economic support and Christianity to Third World countries.

We know better today, of course. We know how colonialization destructively influenced the culture and people of the colonies and protectorates.

That awareness is what adds important context to the sixepisode “The Last Post,” available beginning Friday on Amazon Prime.

Based in part on creator Peter Moffat’s childhood memories, when his father was stationed in Aden as a member of the Royal Military Police, “The Last Post,” set in the early 1960s, focuses on the events leading to the revolt known as the Aden Emergency — which, in turn, led to the end of British rule that had been in place since 1839.

The series attempts to work on several levels, focusing on the police unit at the moment when a veteran officer (Joseph Kennedy) is leaving the post as his replacement, Joe Martin (Jeremy Neumark Jones), arrives with his new bride, Honor (Jessie Buckley).

The Martins’ neighbor, Alison Laithwaite (Jessica Raine), is especially upset at the officer’s departure because they have been having an affair. Her husband, Ed (Stephen Campbell Moore), is rather acquiescent to her drunken bad behavior, which only erodes what little respect Alison has for him, especially given that he has been passed over for promotion.

For much of the time in the three episodes made available to critics, the series focuses primarily on the personal lives of the men and their wives as they seek to create an unlikely replica of British life, including a seaside club where locals work as servants.

The British go about their business with limited interpersonal relationships with the locals — including Yusra Saeed (Ouidad Elma), a nanny for the base commander and his wife, Harry and Mary Markham (Ben Miles and Amanda Drew).

Of course, what can be viewed only as entitlement, fueled by a lack of knowledge and respect for the culture of what will become Yemen, is fueling resentment and hatred that will prompt revolt.

“The Last Post” trades too heavily on cliches in character development but benefits from strong performances.

Inevitably, we see the tragic parallels in the unrest in the early ’60s and terrorism by ISIS and al-Qaida in more recent times.

And we understand that contemporary terrorism is rooted in exploitation of the Middle East, either through direct colonization or economic and military pressure.

That’s rather why the series is engaging without ever becoming seriously thought-provoking.

All told, it’s a missed opportunity — but one that’s buoyed by our considerations of what could have been.