Following on from Slow Horses and Treason, I have now finished Jack Ryan and am almost done with The English.
Th third season of Jack Ryan (Amazon) is perhaps the best yet, albeit I don’t have the clearest of memories of the first two seasons (which isn’t necessarily the greatest of endorsements). The premise of this season leaves me undecided: the threat of Russian invasion of Eastern Europe. Whether this was decided before or after the very real invasion of 2022, it gives the show a sense of realism while at the same time leaving a little bit of a bad taste that current events are being trivialised in the inevitable sensationalism of a Tom Clancy-based drama.
The performances are really good. In particular, James Cosmo as an ageing Russian agitator is very convincing and does enough with his character to leave the audience wondering about his motives as much as the US spies. The filming locations are great, with a whistle-stop tour of multiple European cities forming the backdrop for the season’s drama. Plots within plots, like Russian dolls, are believable enough, or at least as believable as this kind of espionage treatment is going to be. Pacing is good and there are enough twists and big events across the eight hours to keep you hooked.
Having finished Jack Ryan a little too quickly, I am now working through The English (also Amazon). While I don’t mind a Western, it isn’t my favourite genre. This show though, developed in collaboration with the BBC, offers a novel storyline and some really good performances. Guest appearances from the likes of Toby Jones and Ciaran Hinds show the quality the producers wanted to instil in the programme. My favourite thing about this whole show though is the cinematography. While the actors do a great job delivering the story, the scenery plays just as vital a role and there are some stunning shots and scenes throughout the series. At six hours, this is well worth a watch.
Ten minutes to midnight but at least it is three days out of three.
Commonplace 