Moses Jones [DVD]

There is no doubt that 'Moses Jones' has it's problems. As already stated it is overlong for the plot it has been given, it gives away it's secrets too quickly, (never a good idea for a police drama), and has a pretty tight budget.
However these do not destroy the overall enjoyment but rather are just annoying.
The plot has a black detective being assigned to a case of ritual murder inside the African community in London. His bosses feel it needs someone with an African background and so Jones is sent to investigate alongside his somewhat racist sidekick. The plot revolves around a former dictator trying to re-establish himself and using force to gain some power among the African expats.
There are one or two stereotypes and the wheels come off a little with the far fetched ending but Shaun Parkes is convincing and very watchable in his role as the detective whose talents are less important to his bosses than his family background. He is tired of the continual barrage of institutionalized bigotry but remains calm and manages to rise above it with some wit and charm. Matt Smith is a great sidekick with his clueless and ham fisted way of dealing with people given some relief by his humour.
There are some good plot twists and solid support acting.
While not the BBC's greatest effort this is very watchable and it's quiet appearance is a little surprising given the rarity of a strong black lead in a police drama,( or any drama really ), set inside a black community. That Parke's role has been so well written is a refreshing change from the near exclusive sidelining of black actors to either comedy, support roles or the 'disposable one' in disaster plots.
Not the strongest of starts then but strong enough and certainly an opener to raise hopes of more to come and the introduction of a series that will improve and gather a larger following as it progresses.

Looking for something that would pass time on a recent long train journey I came across this series - had never heard of it but I like Shaun Parkes and was curious to see Matt Smith. It was great to see such a well-acted, gritty, bleak drama unfold - definitely one for grown ups with themes of identity, belonging and exclusion as well as gut-wrenching violence. The first episode in particular is a bit slow but it's worth sticking with. You see a different London to the one normally shown in TV series like Spooks - and an insight into the lives of people we don't normally see on TV. If you like intelligent crime dramas with a political slant it's worth giving a try and if you've seen the Last King of Scotland this is like the other side of the coin.

Award winning playwright Penhall explores a forgotten corner of multi-cultural London in his first original screen play that focuses on his lead character's struggle to comprehend his own cultural identity and where he fits into this lost world as he examines a very brutal murder.

Parkes makes a charming lead with his powerful central performance that holds together a diverse cast that includes an insipid performance from Smith (the new Doctor Who), Walker, Varma, Akuwudike, newcomers Mosaku and Abili, and veteran Waterman.

Episode one layers on the intrigue as Parkes and Smith become uneasy bedfellows as they commence their investigation and make their first contacts with the charming Walker, the gorgeous Mosaku and the menacing Abili who seems to stand above it all. You're a sick man, Moses Jones.

Episode two sets Parkes and Smith at each others throats as the frustration builds until Mosaku and Varma point them in the direction of the slimy Waterman and subsequently pay for their indiscretion. Even bad guys need music.

Episode three builds up to an explosive conclusion as Parkes and Mosaku become close, Abili goes over the edge, and all reveal more personal links to the case the previously suspected. We need armed backup, now!

The creators use the gritty back alleys of immigrant London as the setting for a dark and violent drama series with nauseating scenes of violence that are not for the feint of heart that dissects it's main character with all the subtlety of Soloman's baseball bat and comes to a confused and somewhat rushed conclusion.

To make peace, first you must make war.