Warin_West-El Reviews

Black Earth Rising (2018)

I thought my nephew loved me

[5/10 · 6 May 2024]

I watched this because my nephew recommended it. Gee, I thought my nephew loved me but now I have my doubts. LOL

Main points . . .

1) Unsympathetic Lead Character - Kate Ashby is a classic antisocial personality. She's rude, demanding, insensitive, overly aggressive and a pain to watch.

2) Lack of Excitement - Despite being labeled a "thriller", this story turned out to be a sleeper. Numerous reviewers deemed the series dull, and I share their sentiment.

3) Poorly Crafted Screenplay - The screenplay frequently falls into a fundamental error warned against in basic screenwriting: it relies on protracted dialogues to develop characters, rather than demonstrating their nature through their actions. Given that film is inherently a visual medium, the failure to communicate through action contradicts the essence of cinematic storytelling.

4) Ambiguous Relationships - The screenwriter portrays the characters as mere props rather than fully realized individuals. Bibi and Alice are presented as if they are sisters, yet they are not, which leads to confusion. Similarly, the nature of Kate and Michael's relationship is also ambiguous.

5) Convincing Performances - John Goodman, as expected, delivers his performance with great skill. Michaela Coel appears to be a talented actress, capable of intense performances. However, her character is so unappealing that it becomes difficult to support her. The remainder of the cast also gave convincing performances.

6) Fabulous Settings - The one consistently wonderful feature of this production were the inspiring locations and resplendent environments.

7) Reverse Roller Coaster - Several episodes played out like a roller coaster in reverse, starting with a major thrill and gradually becoming more and more mundane until the credits rolled.

I would only suggest this series if you're aiming to settle a score with someone. Imho, It's not worth watching on your own.

Black Earth Rising: The Forgiving Earth (2018) Season 1, Episode 8

Too Little, Too Late

[6/10 · 6 May 2024]

In my previous review of the last episode, I said the filmmaker should have given us scenes where the two sisters, Bibi and Alice, establish their relationship for the audience.

Sure enough, that's what occurred this episode. Which inspired the title "Too Little, Too Late." This story unfolds chronologically and I don't know if it would have helped to edit the story using flashbacks or if there needed to be scenes of those two at a younger age.

However, it's clear from having watched this entire story, the plot was severely hampered by allowing those two characters to remain relationally undefined until this final episode.

The filmmaker finishes off by tidying up and not allowing any loose ends. But as the story ends you're left with the gnawing feeling this could have been so much more than what it turned out to be.

Black Earth Rising: Double Bogey on the Ninth (2018) Season 1, Episode 7

Starts Well, Ends Slow

[6/10 · 6 May 2024]

The opening of this episode delivers the promise of thriller that ends unrequited.

There was an odd scene with Kate and Michael that really didn't make any sense. Moreover, there's a sequence with Kate sculling by herself, which is the setup for the odd scene. And it all turns out to be a lot of something over nothing.

Michaela Coel offers some acting chops but who cares if Kate is crying? When she's not crying, she's biting someone's head off.

A lot of screen time is wasted and should have been used to flesh out the two sisters (or are they just acquaintances?) Bibi and Alice.

There IS a sense of cloak and dagger during this episode. But the lines are not clear cut. We have a sense there's a lot of backstabbing going on. However, without a firm central narrative and at least one character we can depend on and believe in, the would-be tension is nonexistent. Mysterious occurrences come across as performative plot points.

At this point, I'm genuinely confused about who is doing what. I'm aware that some terrible events have occurred. It appears that some characters are attempting to make amends for the past. There's also an apparent, yet unclear, tension among some of the characters. However, it all seems incoherent to me.

Black Earth Rising: The Game's True Nature (2018) Season 1, Episode 6

Extremely Tedious

[4/10 · 6 May 2024]

I'm watching this series because it was recommended by my nephew. At this point, that's the ONLY reason I'm viewing it. Otherwise, I would have stopped watching two episodes ago.

Before I started, I read some of the non-spoiler general reviews. Several of them mentioned there was an abundance of vomit scenes. With this episode, I have reached my limit. The critics were correct. There are WAY too many vomit scenes in this story. Don't the filmmakers realize many people are eating while watching movies?

The screenwriter continues to make the mistake of trying to carry this story forward by means of extended dialogues, instead of revelatory action.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention one scene used an American song during a would-be traumatic scene. Which was totally out of place considering the scene took place in Africa.

The locations continue to be inspiring and awesome. That's the one consistent highlight of this series.

The heroine of this story is a character I loathe. She has horrible manners and exhibits all of the traits of an antisocial personality. When you write a screenplay, either it has to possess compelling action or contain characters that you deeply care about. This story has neither.

Black Earth Rising: The Eyes of the Devil (2018) Season 1, Episode 5

Slow Again

[5/10 · 5 May 2024]

Purely on technical terms, there is a great acting scene in this episode between Michaela Coel and Tyrone Huggins. I won't spoil it for you. But as far as drama goes, that's it.

This series suffers from characters that are difficult to identify with. Kate Ashby is a screwed up young woman who indulges in being as antisocial and profoundly self-righteous as she possibly can.

Someone died during this episode and there was really no tension because we all wanted to see that person to die. As a result, the death scene was performative rather than suspenseful.

This series consistently delivers the screenplay within remarkably stunning settings. However, atmospheric elements cannot compensate for a narrative which lacks the essential tension necessary to propel the story forward.

We can only hope the next episode will rise to the heights of the third one.

Black Earth Rising: A Bowl of Cornflakes (2018) Season 1, Episode 4

Slooow

[5/10 · 3 May 2024]

This episode is heavy with dialogue. Which works better in plays than in film. There is one dramatic event but it happens to a minor character, so the impact on the story is moot.

Also this episode is an older man's fantasy. Out of the blue two major female characters develop the hots for John Goodman's character, Michael. Imho, there hasn't been enough lead up to these intrigues and it feels somewhat forced and out of character. Fortunately for the audience, Michael is infirmed and puts the kibosh on both potential romantic encounters.

During this episode, a few plot points are moved forward. However, there are very few scenes with any drive. The one exception is when Kate confronts lawyer, Blake Gaines. Who is deftly played by the screenwriter/director, Hugo Blick.

This episode was a let down from the last one. Hopefully the next episode will be more engaging.

Black Earth Rising: A Ghost in Name (2018) Season 1, Episode 3

That's More Like It

[8/10 · 1 May 2024]

This episode unfolded with the same mastery as an episode of Bron/Broen, captivating and full of dynamism. The only slight misstep was an excessive dependence on the "blocked communication" trope.

In this episode the heroine, Kate Ashby becomes self-righteously aggressive and steps over the boundaries of decorum. Which places the viewer in a state of anxiety. How are we supposed to empathize with this character when she's clearly placing herself and others in danger?

Of course, this dilemma is resolved by the end of the episode but not before several tense scenes play out. I don't know what those commentators who said this series was "boring" were talking about. This episode certainly wasn't.

We also learn Kate's family and associates have been hiding substantial secrets from her. I suspect many more secrets will be revealed as this story unfolds.

Looking forward to watching the next episode.

Black Earth Rising: Looking at the Past (2018) Season 1, Episode 2

The First Ten Minutes

[7/10 · 30 April 2024]

The first ten minutes of this episode are riveting. I'm not going to narrate the story, so just enjoy the ride. After that, the tension dips until the last five minutes.

After that first 10 minutes, the context of the story completely changes. Episode 1 was a straight morality play. Episode 2 transforms into a mystery drama with potential tragedies looming ahead.

The production company spared no expense on locations which take the viewer on a journey through evocative settings. Even so, the middle of this episode teetered on the verge of boring. However, the ending was suspenseful and we realize the mystery we're about to embark on has several levels of danger.

This episode was better than the opener. It was certainly far more believable. However, Black Earth Rising is a co-production between BBC Two and Netflix. Which means it follows the usual pacing of BBC productions, i.e. It's slow. Either you like that sort of thing or you don't. Commentators who have rated the whole story have said it grows slower and slower. However, I found this episode to be quite watchable.

Thus far, the filmmakers have skillfully avoided the common pitfall of unnecessarily complicating the story. We haven't been taken down a series of extraneous rabbit holes just to burn up screen time. I'm looking forward to episode 3.

Black Earth Rising: In Other News (2018) Season 1, Episode 1

Past Its Prime

[6/10 · 30 April 2024]

This series was recommended to me by my nephew so I took a look.

The episode soundtrack starts off with "You Want It Darker" by Leonard Cohen, a song that I actually own. The first time I heard it was on the series "Billions", season 3, episodes 3 & 4. I was so impressed with how that song fit into the story, I purchased it.

So as this episode began to unfold, there was an underlying sense of familiarity. The opening dialogue was extremely well written. No wasted words. Every sentence was expository and simultaneously drove the story forward. Something that only the best screenwriters achieve.

However, this story has not aged well. The series was produced in 2018 before the most recent revelations concerning the ICJ and the ICC came to light on the world stage, reducing the reputation of those institutions to a shadow of what they used to be.

Consequently, as the story continued to unfold my suspension of disbelief dissolved. It became more and more obvious that what I was watching - was absolute fiction.

Some commentators have criticized the acting but I thought the cast was superb. However, neither the fine acting nor the adept direction could solve the dilemma of a story jarringly out of touch with the prevailing consciousness of the world at large.

At this point in the series it has become crystal clear that we're watching a drawn out morality play. The only compelling drama that remains is: who will the filmmakers say are the good guys and the bad guys when this series concludes?

As is the case in an obvious morality play, the action is somewhat stilted and performative. For example, in this episode we see a self-righteous soldier who winds up causing an innocent person to be killed. MORAL: Don't be self-righteous - got it.

But as that scene was playing out there was a truck full of troops wearing blue helmets. And that ruined the premise for me. Because sentient beings know in real life there are no UN troops protecting anyone. So, once again, I was reminded that I was watching fiction.

No doubt, just a couple of years ago I would have rated this episode much higher. However, due to the subject matter, this series has not aged well. I will continue to watch. But imho, this story is past its prime.

Fallout: The Head (2024) Season 1, Episode 3

Disgusting and Stupid

[4/10 · 28 April 2024]

How in the world did this series get rated 8.6 ???

First of all: to create a good drama, there has to be some sort of compelling challenge that propels the hero's (in this case heroine's) journey. THAT'S completely missing.

In this episode, the filmmakers distastefully introduce a character who describes his prior job in a way that you had better not be eating when that scene occurs. The Hollywood fascination with inserting bathroom bodily functions into the script is beyond me. Call me old fashioned.

I don't like ANY of these characters. So this will be the last episode I watch. The heroine is saccharine beyond belief. The cowboy is not a bad guy but he goes out of his way to be mean. It comes off as a strain. The vault dwellers are freakishly politically correct. The fake Knight is emotionally immature. The only character that's honest is a coward. I TRULY HATE ALL OF THESE CHARACTERS.

Some of the acting was pretty good. But the guy playing the knight is terrible. Unlike the previous episode, there were no veteran character actors to infuse the story with depth and credibility.

Based on the ratings, I kept waiting for this series to take off. But it hasn't. So I'm outta here.

Fallout: The Target (2024) Season 1, Episode 2

Rapa Dapa

[6/10 · 27 April 2024]

I was surprised to see a couple of viewers were turned off by the fact that one of the characters was played by Michael Rappaport. Actually, I didn't find that scene off-putting. In fact, I thought it was a pretty good casting choice. After all, we only get to see Knight Titus right before he dies. Rappaport came off as prickly and offensive, which is exactly what that scene called for.

My beef is with the Maximus character. If you didn't know better you'd think that scene and many of them to follow were written by the same people who scripted Amos and Andy. Could that character be any more excruciatingly stereotypical? Nearly every Maximus scene was painful to watch.

I agree with many other commentators: the level of believability was relatively low. But you have to take it all in stride since the heroine, Lucy, is truly clueless.

Actually, the best part of this episode were the character actors, who did a sensational job of selling the premise of Lucy being entirely out of her element. Special Kudos to Dale Dickey who truly stole scenes with her spot on portrayal of the irascible Ma June. That performance alone made the episode worthwhile.

Walton Goggins' character is quite confusing. A bad guy that is not necessarily a bad guy. His performance will be hard to judge until we see him in more episodes.

Moreover, I share the commentator's observations regarding the blatant animal cruelty depicted at the start of this episode. The filmmaker presents it abruptly, without preparing the audience, making it a direct and jarring experience. They could have made the same point in a much more subtle way. So it appears to be an intentional attempt to shock people (probably for ratings).

Overall, this was an uneven episode with scenes that were offensive due to the subject matter or the lack of credibility, combined with portions that contained a couple of stellar performances.

Fallout: The End (2024) Season 1, Episode 1

High Production Value

[5/10 · 26 April 2024]

I'm not a gamer and have never heard of Fallout, so my only concern was the entertainment value. The lead character, Lucy, was somewhat interesting.

But I have to agree with the commentator who said Jonathan Nolan seems to have trouble writing pilots. I remember watching the first episode of Westworld and wondering why it got such high ratings. Especially since I had watched the original movie.

I agree with the commentators who said this episode is clunky and somewhat disjointed. The writer's task is to provide a compelling obstacle that needs to be addressed. Johnathan Nolan failed to do that. Yes, we know that Lucy wants to find her dad. But so what? Moreover, the story of Maximus interfered with the flow of events.

Where I WILL give credit is the production values were stellar. The sets were believable and well detailed. A smart move on the producer's part. This is Sci-Fi. If you want us to accept an alternative world, you have to sell it.

Hopefully, this story will get better as we go along.

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes: The Blue Carbuncle (1984) Season 1, Episode 7

Not a Good Mystery

[5/10 · 23 August 2023]

This is a Christmas story pretending to be a Sherlock Holmes mystery. The positive thing I can say is the production level was impressive. The village scenes especially were designed with care and detail.

However the story itself was hobbled by the restraint of trying to exude a holiday theme. Pretty much all of the characters were of the type you would expect to encounter in a Dickens novel.

The filmmakers decided to keep everything light, so no one is murdered or even injured. Rather, a jewel is stolen and the opening sequence goes out of its way to telegraph who the thieves will turn out to be. Essentially, this is less of a mystery and more along the lines of a treasure hunt.

I found the ending to be quite peculiar. Holmes and Dr Watson sit down to eat. Suddenly they decide to first go to the police station and inform them they have the wrong man behind bars.

Then we cut to the hokey scene of the freed suspect reuniting with his children and wife while Christmas music plays. Everything in this episode took a backseat to Christmas, including the story.

The Family That Preys (2008)

Pretty Good

[7/10 · 18 August 2023]

Up til now I have refused to watch a Tyler Perry movie simply on principle. But this one was recommended by someone I consider trustworthy, so I sat down and watched it.

Kathy Bates and Alfre Woodard really make the movie. As several reviewers have stated, this movie is really soap opera material. Combined with Tyler Perry trying to pack in corny humorous gags. Like the baptism of Charlotte Cartwright.

There were exceptional moments like when KaDee Strickland portrayed Jillian Cartwright detecting perfume on her husband's shoulder when they hugged. But overall, outside of Bates and Woodard, the acting and timing of scenes was stiff.

But what makes this movie worthwhile to a segment of viewers is the willingness to address themes that register with them. Such as respect for elders, the importance of marital loyalty and the realization that wealth isn't all it's cracked up to be.

The movie isn't all it could be. Several scenes were gratuitous and could have easily been trimmed. Nevertheless, the wholesome underlying morality play stays true to form and carries this production over the finish line.

Äkta människor: The Lord Shall Be Our Companion (2012) Season 1, Episode 3

An Intriguing Premise

[7/10 · 7 August 2023]

I learned about this series from an IMDb review. It's an interesting premise.

So far the granddad has turned out to be a real curmudgeon and liar. And that's what makes this series tick. The question is: What is a human - really? Are they any better than robots?

So far, all of the characters are interesting and the story is well-rounded. We have robots who are renegades. And robots that are dutiful. There are humans who are doing their best to be civilized and others that are fascists against the robots. Meanwhile, this story even includes a female priest who is also a lesbian. Truly, there's something in this series for everybody.

I was impressed enough that I decided to write this review. Only time will tell whether the writers can bring the story forward while maintaining balance of the elements they've set in motion. But so far, so good.

Äkta människor (2012–2014)

First Season - Nearly Perfect

[9/10 · 7 August 2023]

I discovered this series by reading comments for Almost Human and deciding to watch the original Swedish concept. The production values of the first season are stellar. No minor details are overlooked.

The plot is somewhat flashback dependent, which can be annoying at times. Other than that, the story is consistently intriguing and raises deep questions regarding the qualities that make us human.

There are plot twists but none that are strained. Some reviewers have mentioned there are PC elements, a subplot actually. But I didn't find it jarring or offensive. And it only lasted for an episode.

Lisette T. Pagler did an incredible job as Mimi/Anita, the house robot. Her solid acting chops made everyone else look on point. Pia Halvorsen was also excellent in the role of the compassionate (albeit overly liberal) wife of the family.

I found the season ending a little confusing. The filmmakers were tying the bow to a lot of loose ends and some of the final scenes were (in terms of continuity) jarring.

So it wasn't absolutely perfect. BUT it was the best and most original sci-fi that I've seen since Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey. Yes, it was THAT good.

The Little Things (2021)

NOT Worth the Wait

[1/10 · 5 August 2023]

This movie hits you with a great twist during the final 52 seconds. HOWEVER, that was NOT worth waiting for.

The Little Things is overly long, boring and dull. Moreover, it's rather piecemeal. The movie starts with what seems to be a thriller opening that gets botched because the filmmakers never firmly connect the initial premise to the rest of the movie.

Read the reviews and you'll see a vast consensus: THIS IS THE WORST DENZEL WASHINGTON MOVIE EVER MADE !!!

Rami Malek did a good job but the filmmakers failed to draw a detailed picture of the motivations behind that character.

If you're crazy enough to watch the entire movie, you'll probably enjoy that twist at the end. But honestly, it's NOT worth the wait.

The Great Debaters (2007)

Formulaic at Best

[4/10 · 5 August 2023]

This movie was tough to watch. It was trite, formulaic and felt like the official, Matrix-authorized version of the story.

Especially trying was Denzel Whitaker's portrayal of James Farmer Jr.. How much simping are we supposed to endure? It's one thing for a character to begin as a simp and over the course of the movie, grow into an alpha male. But in this fabricated movie James Farmer Jr starts off gelded and never becomes a virile thoroughbred.

I also agree with other reviewers who say there were several unnecessary plot points that should have been replaced with more emphasis on debating tactics and practice. For example, what was the point of the gratuitous scene with the pig farmers?

Apparently, this story is a cheat. There was no debate at Harvard. And I agree with the reviewer who said the real story would have been more interesting. But the filmmakers chose a concocted feel-good ending that seemed forced.

The production design of this movie was excellent. Too bad the excellence ended there.

The Company Men (2010)

Excellent

[10/10 · 25 July 2023]

A timeless story that reveals the emptiness of materialism. This movie was released in 2010 and yet it's just as apropos today.

We see the two overarching capitalist philosophies: service oriented vs profit oriented. The main characters (Gene McClary, Phil Woodward, Bobby Walker and Salinger) played respectively by Tommy Lee Jones, Chris Cooper, Ben Affleck and Graig T. Nelson, built a shipbuilding company from the ground up.

In the beginning their company was service-oriented but over time it shifted to being profit-oriented. Which is where the movie opens. One by one we witness every character being fired until only one remains.

What makes this film important is the reactions of the wives when their lifestyle is undermined. Bobby Walker's wife sticks by him. Moreover, their marriage grows stronger. But not before Bobby learns a lesson in humility.

Kevin Costner does a wonderful job of underplaying his role as Bobby's brother-in-law. Instead of bludgeoning us with heavy drama, the relationship between those two characters is subtle and yet strong.

How this film affects you depends upon your POV. There is redemption in the end and hope for the future. This film has something to say without being preachy.

It's definitely not an action flick. Nor is it intensely dramatic. Nevertheless, this film is morally instructive and that's a refreshing change.

Hollywoodland (2006)

What . . . that's it?

[6/10 · 23 July 2023]

Several reviews complained about seeing microphones in the shot. I watched the whole movie and didn't see one.

Here's where I DO agree with the other reviewers: This movie is actually two movies. One movie is about Adrian Brody's character, a fictional private detective. The other is about George Reeves. Unfortunately, the directorial choice was made to emphasize the fictional character to the detriment of the George Reeves story.

Because of that choice, the relationship between George Reeves and Toni Mannix is not fleshed out to the extent necessary to develop some heat between those characters. The relationship between them is formulaic rather than romantic or dramatic.

As a mystery, this movie truly fails. The director guides the audience through three possible scenarios and then neglects to nail down the one that is most plausible. When the film ended, I actually found myself saying, "What . . . That's it?"

Chris Rock: Selective Outrage (2023)

Pretty Good

[6/10 · 12 July 2023]

I laughed out loud several times during Chris's performance.

While many probably tuned in to hear his take on the Will Smith debacle, the special is so much more than that. It is cutting edge, smart, and funny. He talked about the state of PC without being directly offensive.

Moreover, Chris told a particularly poignant story about raising his daughter. And of course he ended with his very vitriolic and funny account of the slap heard round the world. In his monologue he added some aspects that didn't appear in the press.

Chris' routine was tight, funny and thought provoking. I applaud him for his honesty and his sense of humour.

Silent Witness (1996– )

Too Much

[4/10 · 9 July 2023]

I have to agree with another reviewer. 100 things going on in each episode. I tried to watch episode 3 of Season 1 and after five minutes, I'm done.

A crime drama is supposed to start off with a crime. Instead, you have a whole bunch of disconnected scenes that are uninteresting and meaningless. Do I even care if the son doesn't want to live where he's living? What's that got to do with the crime?

I stopped watching because the story was developing at a snail's pace. Apparently, the writers are attempting to create a soap opera instead of a crime series.

Really wanted to like this series but they failed to focus in on the crime and the intensive search for the solution.

Outside the Wire (2021)

Unrealistic

[4/10 · 1 July 2023]

There were several things wrong with this movie.

FIRST The notion that a soldier could disobey a direct order AND kill people yet not be immediately put in the brig and court marshalled strained credulity.

SECOND Futuristic war robots would be calibrated to the nth degree. Nearly every shot should have been a kill. Also, that scene where the soldiers are messing with the robot and hitting it with the stock of their rifle wouldn't happen. Because the robot is a military-grade weapon. So it would have a built-in defense mechanism for situations like that.

THIRD I agree with the reviewers who said Damson Idris was not a strong enough actor to pull off that role. Anthony Mackie left him in the dust.

FOURTH The ending was trite. This would have been a MUCH better movie if the nuke launched and a major city in the US was destroyed.

FIFTH This movie needed expository scenes featuring Pilou Asbæk. Without background, Victor Koval is merely a cypher. There was no dramatic tension when Leo and Victor confronted each other.

SUMMATION This movie had great potential but it was tragically executed by people who - ironically - were unable to think "outside the wire."

Foyle's War: War Games (2003) Season 2, Episode 3

Propaganda

[4/10 · 27 June 2023]

The writer presented a stereotypical and highly unrealistic story. I agree with the reviewer who described the villains as cardboard. Unlike "They Fought in the Fields" (Season 3, episode 3), the Nazis in this episode were portrayed without nuance. It was a completely simplistic characterization: Nazi = Bad, English=Good. Which was absurd when you consider that by the end of the story the "bad guys" in this episode turned out to be ENGLISH.

As another reviewer pointed out: there was a missed opportunity to focus on uncovering companies that were violating the Trading with the Enemy Act. That would have been an interesting episode.

ALSO at this point in the series, melodrama has become emphasized to the point that absurd events are now being written into the plot. For example, in this episode, little kids conveniently recovered evidence essential to Foyle's case. Which, of course, had nothing to do with Foyle's acumen to solve the mystery.

I enjoy Michael Kitchen's acting so I will stick with this series. But it's becoming less and less enjoyable to watch.

Foyle's War: Enemy Fire (2004) Season 3, Episode 2

Melodrama is NOT Mellow

[3/10 · 27 June 2023]

Having produced a superb story last episode, devoid of ethnic propaganda and unnecessary melodrama, the filmmakers turned right around and dumped so many soap opera scenes into this story, for the first time ever, I had to fast-forward through a Foyle's War episode.

Sadly, this is the standard trajectory for crime dramas. Even the acclaimed Borgen suffered from this treatment. In fact, that was what made Bron/Broen SO special. They never went down the melodrama road. It started out as a crime drama and continued as such all the way through.

One reviewer described this episode as "emotionally rich", so apparently some people buy into the melodrama shtick. What was particularly sad was devoid of the melodrama, this was a very good mystery. The revelation of "Pip" at the end was particularly satisfying.

But I'm just NOT interested in Sam being interested in Andrew. Who cares? Other than drinking, have we ever seen them sharing some overarching common interest?

And, of course, there was the lack of realism just to serve the plot. That mechanic would have been court marshalled and thrown in the stockade for dereliction of duty. He might have been murdered. But it would have happened while he was behind bars.

This story had the makings of an excellent mystery but it was ruined by soap opera diversions that drained the story of its power.