Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 7/10
Cast: Suranne Jones, Rose Leslie, Shaun Evans, Paterson Joseph, Adam James, Connor Swindells, Gary Lewis, Lolita Chakrabarti, Anjli Mohindra, Lorne MacFadyen, Stephen Dillane, Lois Chimimba, Bobby Rainsbury, Cristian Ortega, Martin Compston, Daniel Portman, Tom Gill, Anita Vettesse, Orla Russell, Reuben Joseph, Cal MacAninch, Aisha Toussaint, Stephen McCole, Lauren Lyle, Theresa Bradley, Parth Thakerar, Oliver Lansley, Dan Li, Jim Sturgeon, Angelique Fernandez.
Like oil and water, moments of high drama and head scratching scenario don’t mix well. You might get away with such an effect if the serial was condensed down to the size of a more expansive film, a two-parter in which the tension is watertight, in which the situation is as unbearable as the energy to withstand the creeping horror of claustrophobia, but even a murder mystery which has the added weight of relationship fallout and chaos engrained within its writing soul, cannot withstand the bulk of pressure baring down on it when it is struggling to surface.
Such a conundrum on how design and put together a meaningful modern drama when faced with an airtime that is perhaps more than twice that is needed in which to drive the various points and suspicions home, is the pressure of intent facing the six-part series of the B.B.C. series, Vigil.
Time, arguably a resource that those who place their lives in the hands of the Admiralty and live part of their life in the unnatural surroundings of the cold waters around Britain, have to fill, lest they succumb to the unquenchable burden of boredom, the time in between the seconds where dark thoughts can take root; and it is in that burden of time that the fear of propaganda can be found, for Vigil is not just a murder mystery set on the uncomfortable surroundings of one the nation’s nuclear submarines, it is reminder that whilst many millions would naturally wish to see nuclear weapons destroyed, in the silent war of the 21st Century, they are still there, taking a hideous centre stage when it comes to the defence of the realm.
Propaganda, misinformation, sabotage and lies, aided by the rule book, the measure of hidden agendas and nestling in between a love story that was at least convincing in its portrayal, leads Vigil out of the also ran average home-grown dramas, and into the arena of the insightful and poignant, but only by the barest moments that are captured in the struggle between life and death.
Despite the added bonus of being a deserving spy story, there are moments when the whole premise feels shaky, that the story-line is a concealed advert for both the Royal Navy and the continuation of a war fought by weapons of mass destruction, and yet once Suranne Jones is placed in several life defying encounters, when the brutish reality of her situation in the world of cloak, dagger and under water threats become clear, the drama rises to the occasion it deserves.
Ms. Jones can seemingly do no wrong, her presence as a lead actor is one of assured positivity, and her dynamic with Adam James, Shaun Evans, Paterson Jospeh and Rose Leslie is what ultimately saves this series from going under one time too many.
It takes commitment to keep going with the series, and whilst the shake in the proceedings can be a turn off, ultimately the drama comes off well; the oil and the water of television drama managing, on this occasion to at least keep the viewer’s interest afloat.
Ian D. Hall