Raindrop

I would take half a star off for the silly monsters and sometimes cheesy aspects, but since that's not possible, I have to give this 5 stars because it's so darned charming and fun - not to mention hilariously funny at times too. The chemistry between the two leads Bradley James and Colin Morgan is off the charts and may well be the best thing about the series. It was a shame it didn't have more seasons, but GOT set a new standard for smutty, gritty content, and wholesome shows like Merlin didn't fare well as a result. Give me Merlin any day!

I'm really only here to sing the praises of Ben Mendelsohn. He is compelling as Danny, the eldest and mostly unloved son/brother of the Rayburn family. His performance was heart breaking really, and the only thing that kept me watching to the end of season one. Danny is a misfit, troubled and constantly *in* trouble. He's a source of discord in a family he's desperate to feel he belongs to, while at the same time being deeply resentful of the part he's been forced into as the black sheep and scapegoat. There is one scene that sticks in my mind, a moment where Danny tries to shake his father's hand. His father refuses even him that much - the look that crosses Danny's face at that rejection, profound hurt and despair mixed with fury cut me to the core. That look came from Ben's soul. Mendelsohn is able to do something extraordinary in this role. He's charming, cunning, infuriating and full of pathos. You can't help but sympathise with someone who you would normally steer well clear of. Danny reeks of danger and villainy but he's never cartoonish or one dimensional in the hands of this masterful actor.

I'm truly baffled by the high ratings for this show. To be fair, the first two episodes (the only episodes directed by Jason Bateman) were absolutely terrific, but the decline from ep 3 onwards was sharp and shocking. What on earth happened? Even the usually marvellous Ben Mendelsohn and Paddy Considine couldn't save this tedious tale of boredom. There was zero tension or suspense which is utterly unforgivable in a 'horror' story, and I didn't care about a single character except perhaps for Terry and Glory Maitland (Jason Bateman and Julianne Nicholson). It was a meandering, nonsensical, beige tale, that failed to even hold my interest let alone frighten or disturb. Eight hours of background noise.

Superb! I didn't quite understand why they liked each other at first, but the slow build from genuine friendship to romance and true love was unlike anything else I've seen. Leo and Ambika are astonishingly good in their roles, especially Leo, and if they don't scoop awards for their work, I'll be very much surprised. One of the best TV shows I've ever watched.

There isn't a single comedy (panel) show from anywhere in the world that compares to this. It's the greatest.