BLOODLANDS BBC 1 sun 21 Feb - 9pm no spoilers - at weekly tv pace

[Blondeshavemorefun]

James nesbitt pays a detective hunting an evasive killer who he believes Murdered his wife

Who has been missing over 20yrs ago and presumed dead but no body ever found

New case haunts him when a new abduction happens

4 part series

Surely way too obvious!

I really hope so, it would make a nice change

I disagree with you hopeishere.
I think Charlene Mc Kenna, James Nesbit sidekick is good.
I love her Monaghan accent.
Birdy is gormless

So far so good, DH and I are sticking with it.
But next week we'll have the subtitles on.
And we're Irish !!!!

The Irish Times review says it's not a good ad for Belfast Tourism.
I'd love to go up and explore the Strangford Lough area.

Day to day I wouldn't notice the registration plates on my car.

I dont think it was that bad, and in fact i was worried by the Line of Duty connection, as I think that is one over rated show and should have stopped years ago. And in fact the Bodyguard which started out great just became another line of duty.

So if it turns out to be just another police corruption plot line will be disappointed.

Have to say that although I am usually happy to let tv shows exploit things in the news, I am always uncomfortable when plot lines include the NI Troubles. For so many this must be still really raw.

And not being from there am always worried that the crude way tv shows divisions that the Protestant Catholic narrative is just used crudely for plot device.

And not being from there am always worried that the crude way tv shows divisions that the Protestant Catholic narrative is just used crudely for plot device.

This. It's so crude. There are vast swathes of the population who don't live these lives or anything remotely like them.

I enjoyed it and didn't find the accents difficult to understand. I was fully expecting rapid-fire gunshots once they'd rescued Keenan. I wonder why he's still alive?

I had high hopes for this but it's not all that gripping so far. I'll see what next week's episode is like.

Thanks to a PP for telling us that Goliath is a nickname of one of the cranes.

Somebody wanted the missing Keenan guy to be found, then, if the number plate was on purpose and the bomb trigger wasn't working?

I heard an interview about it on the radio (Radio 4 I think maybe Front Row) and when asked about the sensitivities of a plot line about the Troubles, they replied that they wouldn't say which side the criminals were on - so I was then surprised that of course it's made quite clear who is on which side of the divide. Perhaps the plot will keep switching.

After watching the utter shite that was Finding Alice last night I really enjoyed catching up on this.

I've met James Nesbitt a couple of times. He's very nice, charming, but exactly like he is in every tv drama.

Also, slightly insensitive to call a character Keenan and have him chained to a radiator (having read Brian Keenan's book about being held hostage).

Suspect the postcards are a message directly to James Nesbit's character? Presumably, all actions are to lure him further into a trap?

@FiveFootTwoEyesOfBlue

Also, slightly insensitive to call a character Keenan and have him chained to a radiator (having read Brian Keenan's book about being held hostage).

I thought that! Am sure the writers and producer would have been aware.

I quite enjoyed it. I did expect the younger female office to break into ‘Alf a Sixpence though, as I’ve only ever seen her on Ripper St. I too think the doc is a wrong ‘un and I was certain that Keenan’s wife was wearing a wig. Nothing to do with the plot, I can usually just spot them (from experience)

Nesbitt’s partner is really good. Like a copper rather than an actress.

I grew up in Liverpool in the 70’s and 80’s when there were still elements of sectarianism, sufficient enough for me to notice in the suburb I lived in, so that aspect is interesting to me. I thought the explosion scene was brilliantly done, they were so matter of fact about it which I imagine you are once it’s happened many times over.

A friend is a writer, says Nesbitt isn’t great to work with but considers him a good actor.

I've met Nesbitt too but he wasn't too charming. More like obnoxious unfortunately.

Was anyone else expecting to find the dodgy detectives from Marcella milling about?

Agree someone wanted Keenan alive

But why go to the trouble to kidnap etx

You had me at James Nesbit. And by JM? I’m in. Annoyingly I just started a 4 parter crime drama box set (hidden series 2) so will blast through that to avoid confusion.

I think kidnapping Keenan was to get James Nesbit's character 'on the case' and luring him further and further into a spider's web. Maybe he's not the innocent he currently seems to be?

And the clue of the yellow towers

@Blondeshavemorefun yes indeed. Something that James Nesbit's being reminded of, almost like a calling card!

I was hoping not to think too deeply about this programme but you've got me speculating now about the shipbuilding towers. Keenan is in engineering isn't he? Some dodgy past activity linking him to a motive for his kidnap perhaps?

I hope it's going to be nice and complex and no, I don't believe any of the bodies in the grave is Nesbitt 's wife's. Too obvious.

The photo of Samson and Goliath the two cranes -Goliath was the (presumed) inside man assassin.

[quote NewModelArmyMayhem18]@Blondeshavemorefun yes indeed. Something that James Nesbit's being reminded of, almost like a calling card![/quote]
It was a calling card

The other 3 all had the same card

Nah, had hopes of this but it was just another "Troubles" miseryfest. After watching the first series of No Offence on All 4 which I'd missed first time round and loved it was very disappointing

Has Mercurio lost his sense of humour. I loved Cardiac Arrest which was really funny in places. I work with a couple of Belfast docs who also have me in stitches at times. This was a N Ireland where no one smiles let alone makes black humour jokes.