I guess the script writer faced a dilemma with this series. He couldnโt glamourise violent drug dealers but at the same time he needed viewers to empathise with the main protagonist, Michael.
He tried to do this by making him look vulnerable in having a low sperm count but desperately wanting to have a baby with his girl friend. He also tried to make Michael look like someone who cared greatly for his girl friend who was also painted as vulnerable. It didnโt work for me as there didnโt seem to be any real chemistry between Michael and Diana, I didnโt care about their IVF bids and I still saw Michael as a scum bag. The device that made you sort of root for him in the end was that his arch nemesis, Jamie, was a bigger scum bag than him. Jack McMullen is brilliant as the mendacious, unpredictable Jamie.
At the other end of the spectrum, Ronnie the gang leader sounded more like someone from the Samaratind than a thug. I think Sean Bean, who is a brilliant character actor, was wrongly cast; there was nothing sinister about him.
The plot, however, was fantastic with many exciting twists and turns. As the episodes went on the relationship between Michael and Diana became more believable but the former actor is the stronger of the two. The best actor of the series was Elaine , Ronnieโs wife, who was convincing throughout.
There was some great music including a recurring and significant โMac the Knifeโ.
The urban criminal slang sounded very authentic and added to that feel of the criminal underbelly of Liverpool. This series has been called the Liverpool Sopranos but it could have usefully have imitated some of the features of the American Sopranos. For instance, amongst the violence and corruption of the Sopranos there is lots of warmth and humour. I felt cognitive dissonance because the characters I loved were then so violent. Liverpool people are known for their warmth and humour ; the writer would have done well to include this in this script. As it is, we are left with a stereotype of Liverpuddlians as โscalliesโ which is incorrect. It was a thrilling series this, but I wouldnโt have shed any tears for the demise of any of them - except, perhaps, Cheryl whoโs husband was murdered by Ronnie but no one had the backbone to tell her.