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benjamin_ashworth
Reviews
By Any Means (2013)
Tries to be clever but doesn't succeed
By Any Means tries to be clever using what the writers think are twist endings in each episode, but they fail to understand how twist endings actually work. Instead of planning ahead and weaving clues into the storyline, they have each episode meander around until the last five minutes where they suddenly show you a load of storyline that was previously missed out. An ending you stood no chance of seeing coming is then pulled out of a hat to a great fanfare of victory for the heroes. It's the laziest style of writing since the, "It was all a dream," ending.
Whilst the idea of a police force that can set criminals up and give them a good hiding without worrying about the due process of collecting evidence or about human rights might seem like a good idea briefly, it's an insult to all that's just and decent. I can forgive it to some extent on the grounds that it's obviously just fantasy but it is set in the real world. It's not a mysterious future or a sci-fi reality or anything like that. It should, therefore, be believable and realistic.
The characters also aren't likable. They betray those vulnerable people they are supposed to protect and, in some cases, get them killed in acts of violence that are shocking for the sake of it and, instead of just showing how bad the bad guys are, show how weak the good guys are.
The BBC has invested in far better written dramas in the past and can still show some good stuff now. There are writers out there who can put together a genuinely well thought out plot. It needs to take a long hard look at what it's spending its money on and provide something that gives people's minds a workout instead of "brain out" television that people who don't want to think about what they're watching believe is clever because they don't quite get it.
Atlantis: The Rules of Engagement (2013)
Bad pantomime with token reference to classical legends.
I was hoping that Atlantis would be, to a certain extent, a retelling of classical Greek legends with maybe a storyline unique to the show running through. Merlin was poor but it was at least faithful to the overall legend of King Arthur. Atlantis, however, just throws in names from Greek legends and vague references to the stories without any kind of context or accuracy whatsoever. Instead we get twee story lines based around a man not being able to marry the princess he loves and pretty much the same plot of a fight and a few people getting run through with a sword every week. It might be a Saturday night family show but the pointless killing and suicide/murders are maybe things you wouldn't want to expose children to.
The characters are basic with pantomime heroes and villains and tend to annoy rather than encourage you to empathise. Overall I feel it's an opportunity for something good wasted by treating viewers like they're stupid and creating something totally superficial and dumbed down.