Blue Lights Assessment: BBC Belfast Police Drama Is a Contemporary, Compelling Should-Watch

Patterson and Garden make Blue Lights nearly painfully tense at occasions, filling the plot with action-packed entrance line police work, because the drive makes an attempt to deal with the seemingly untouchable McIntyre crime household, and has its efforts continuously thwarted by the sinister affect of MI5. 

This compelling storyline is sufficient to make it an entirely respectable police drama – however what elevates Blue Lights to greatness are its deeply genuine characters. They buck the ‘hero cop’ pattern, as an alternative presenting as relatable human beings who typically don’t have a clue what to do for one of the best when tough conditions come up. When Annie witnesses her sergeant, McNally (Joanne Crawford) being attacked, she freezes. McNally herself is confronted with unimaginable decisions on an evening the place there are extra severe threats to life than out there officers on her beat, with tragic penalties. And when Grace’s son Cal (Matthew Carver) is wrongfully arrested, she has to resolve whether or not to assist him or proceed to apprehend a homicide suspect.

The characters additionally assault severe conditions with a uniquely Northern Irish humour that peppers the present’s darker themes with genuinely humorous moments. Most notably, the gravel-voiced man’s-man that’s PC Gerry Cliff, who has demons aplenty, however nonetheless mentors rookie officer Tommy with affectionate fatherly teasing that makes their dynamic addictive viewing.

The Northern Eire setting contributes way over simply humour; it’s integral to Blue Lights, and the shadow of The Troubles isn’t distant, including a singular sense of hazard to the act of policing a metropolis like Belfast. Like award-winning Northern Irish comedy Derry Women, Blue Lights does a deft job of preserving the politics outstanding however all the time secondary to the characters’ personal issues.

Their development over the collection’ six episodes is palpable, as is their capability to shock you, nowhere extra so than PC Jen Robinson (Hannah McClean), the daughter of the police commissioner whose preliminary condescension in direction of the brand new recruits is clearly an try to defend the truth that she’s terrified. 

Whereas Robinson’s redemption arc is satisfying, be ready for Blue Lights to maintain you guessing proper as much as its poignant finish, which holds zero punches. Regardless of that, Blue Lights manages to depart you finally feeling barely higher about the way forward for police drama, policing, and perhaps even the world basically, which makes it a breath of contemporary air.