This 5 part BBC1 drama is an AU tale where the Nazis carried out Operation Sealion after the Battle of Britain was lost. It is 1941 and there is a German/Soviet friendship pact, London has been occupied by Nazis for 14 months, Buckingham palace is a bombed out ruin and there are few surviving spitfires. There is no moral atmosphere and the opening credits are dull. Archer is a police man and not an unstoppable sentinel of justice. He has travails and bangs his secretary Sylvia.
There is mumbling and the doddery Harry Woods is Archer’s co-worker. Why wasn’t Archer in the military? He looks old enough. People smoke cigarettes while doing poisonous stares. Archer does not face a frozen moment of decision or discovery. The SS set up an official brothel and the media are still allowed to operate. The police are non-political. I eye roll. The book was way better. There is a murder, Archer styles and profiles and looks a bit young to be a top copper. There is no emotional frailty. This was not hugely entertaining or exquisitely dark. Barbara a Yank scribbler lurks. There is no moral choice or splendidly horrible Nazis.
There is fighting up North. A top Nazi named Kellerman wears an ugly ugly tweed suit. Sylvia despairs over a box of yellow stars. Dr Huth, a Nazi in a leather trench coat, glowers. Sylvia does stuff. Archer is beset. Huth is frighteningly powerful. But this was insufficiently interesting with no genuine moments of wonder. Archer skulks in the occupied zone and there is creaky dialogue and Sylvia turns out to be Resistance and this was mediocre.
Best Lines:
“Control zone.”
“She’s got herself on the list.”
“The one the Resistance burnt down.”
“Bag up these ashes please.”
“Weed out the undesirables.”
“He has the subtlety of a pig.”
“None of this need have happened.”
“Is that what you’ve heard?”
“I’d be careful who you tell that to.”
“There’s still a chance.”
“Took out a panzer with a tire iron.”