Episode 1. It's a spelling + telling situation, because this post also has words in it. Some rules to follow, some encouragement, and we're off with this 4-episode gem.
- Anytime I hear someone being questioned about a murder with a British accent I immediately think of “Broadchurch”…
- The Director (SJ Clarkson) is definitely not one to linger on a shot…
- She also is a HUGE fan of vertical lines: stairways, gates, fences, and especially spindles they are EVERYWHERE in this episode…
- The scene in the container was seriously over lit…
- I thought it was interesting how after the assassin sent the “Job Done” text on train there was a triple reflection with two of her reflections looking back at her…
- At the end the Pizza manager was filmed in almost identical fashion to the assassin: Rear POV, lots of hallways/tunnels and soft focus… (and of course VERTICAL LINES)
Overall well written and acted, I’m in intrigued and I love that BBC series are generally short and keep things moving…
A bit late, but only just watched, first time for me. I feel silly complaining about how solid and good it is. Lots of great casting, intriguing narrative. Reminiscent of so many excellent British crime/police dramas. But ... and I wonder if it felt this way in 2018 ... so much television today has a kind of flash, both visual and narrative, with our other Box Set, Station Eleven, being an example. Collateral felt accomplished, but my viewing habits seem to have changed, so I wanted something more. Something like Happy Valley was so remarkably vicious that I couldn't take my eyes off of the screen. Again, there's nothing wrong with simple excellence ... just trying to figure out why I got a good-not-great feel from the first episode here.
This is a rewatch for me and like many, I originally watched based on Tim's recommendation and enjoyed it. It's been long enough that I can't remember how it gets solved so very happy to revisit with The Box Set gang. I'm not as observant/astute to notice all of these great observations and will just add that the John Simm character's tv interview seemed over the top even then. The best part for me is seeing all the great British actors that one sees over and over on other shows. Lots of love for Nicola Walker in particular.
Second time with this (thanks TV Talk Machine for the recommend back in the day!) A few things jump out on rewatching the first episode.
- politician character feels way out of place, scene with GF at beginning was off, felt like married couple. He had a very inorganic character intro in episode (just appeared, not flowing from the previous scenes) and kept being inserted into others scenes (what alternate timeline has Billy Piper's character marrying him for even 4 months?!)
- camera work is very studious, using technique to inform narrative although to the point where it loses intimacy. Defiantly feels like the director or writer had the music for certain scenes in mind before filming. Not as consistent as something like Mr Robot or Station Eleven but logical within scenes. Interesting and certainly a step above jerky cam cop show technique but often too cinematic for the story, taking me out of the moment and into the shot composition or prismatic distortion
- interesting how most of the important roles are women, didn't jump out in first viewing as part of the text but will be interesting to see how the gender roles are explored in this second run through
- bodes well for the Game of Thrones prequel that the director and dp collaborated again on that pilot. fingers crossed
- would be interesting to compare this series to other "auteur" short dramas like Honorable Woman, The Night Manager or an unintentional short run drama like "The Game" (gone too soon)
Great to have you back Tim, hope to watch one of your shows someday. Keep it up.
Feb 1, 2022·edited Feb 1, 2022Liked by Tim Goodman
First of all, I LOVE this feature that Tim has brought to his Substack. Developing a community to watch and discuss TV isn’t anything new, but doing so in this forum and with shows like this is a great addition.
Second, I watched the first episode of Collateral at Tim’s request, and I’m not sure how I feel about it. So far, there is enough mystery to make it compelling, and the acting is very good. But it didn’t grip me to the degree that I can’t wait to watch episode 2. Part of the problem is that we are introduced to so many characters in 58 minutes or so that I didn’t really get a sense of what they’re about, perhaps aside from Carey Mulligan’s character.
One of the big reveals of the episode (one of many) was the identity of the shooter, but even that was difficult because I wasn’t completely sure who that person was. Was that the woman in bed with David earlier? The reporter interviewing the politician on TV? That looked like it could be the same actress/character, but I didn’t get to see/know any of them long enough to know for sure.
So I enjoyed the first episode. It wasn’t so mysterious or esoteric that I couldn’t follow what was happening, but there’s just enough to bring me back. I just hope that we’re given the chance to get to know the characters better and connect with them.
Jan 31, 2022·edited Feb 1, 2022Liked by Tim Goodman
Interesting choice! Unlike most here, I remember not particularly liking it when I first watched it. But maybe I’ll feel differently about it now?
A couple of thoughts:
Opening Song
I guess I was more critical when I first rewatched it. That opening song just put me off more than I thought. And while it didn’t annoy me as I thought it would on my second rewatch, I still think the song is a bit much and doesn’t really fit with the tone of the show. Also, if I’m not mistaken, the only other time there was a song was when Laurie Stone left her mum’s place. And even that song didn’t fit. It just felt somewhat manipulative for the sake of being emotionally dramatic.
Linh’s POV
This isn’t so much a critique as it is just me questioning the purpose of POV shots. But I noticed that Linh/we don’t get a good look at the killer. The POV shot is mainly out of focus or blurred (as she’s off her head) except for a split second. And yet she’s somehow able to make out that the killer is wearing a diving suit under a hood?! (which the police assume is a balaclava) but still… It just made me question the validity of POV shots (or the use of them) when what we’re seeing and what the characters are seeing don’t add up.
DS Nathan
The scene where DS Nathan Bilk stopped and looked over his shoulder to Karen Mars’ door after interviewing her. That little moment just felt - for lack of a better word - forced, like its sole purpose was just there for dramatic effect. It didn’t add anything, as we already knew he was suspicious of her. This might feel like nitpicking, and it might be, but I feel like what separates a bad series from a good one, or even a great one, is what lies in the details. And whether those moments are good or bad, they eventually all add up.
Not my type
While actively watching the show, it kind of dawned on me that I’m probably not the biggest fan of this type of crime show where we’re ‘randomly’ introduced to these seemingly unconnected characters within the first 15 minutes, including the killer.
That said, I did like the scene where the killer meticulously changes into civilian clothes, which again confirmed by showing and not telling that she was a professional. And I also thought it was neat that we never got a good look at her face UNTIL she came out of the bathroom stall.
The cast
But I did think the casting was great.
[Looks up names on IMDB.] Like, Billie Piper as Karen Mars, Brian Vernel as Mikey Gowans, and Hayley Squires as Laurie Stone (the manager at the pizza parlour). And Nicola Walker is always great.
It's been so long since I watched this that I don't remember how it ended up, so I guess that's a good thing. I usually watch while simultaneously doing other things, so I'm consciously not doing that for the Box Set. I was enjoying the tension between the two detectives. Lots of LOOKS.
OK, last thought for tonight, but one to think about as you watch (anything, for that matter), which is related to the "where is the camera?" thing I mentioned in an earlier post. Very good shows do almost everything on purpose. Meaning, you can reliably believe that every shot matters. Now, has this theory been proven wrong sometimes even in excellent shows? Sure. But it holds up. So, if something falls just short of the Chekhov's Gun Theory (if a gun is introduced in the first act it's definitely going to go off in the third) -- and not every "oooooh" directorial flourish or clue qualifies as a CGT moment -- then I like to think of them as "Not for nothing" moments. Meaning, if you were shown something, in a really good show, it probably matters. What we can all take out of this is just noticing those moments. No big deal if you don't, but (almost) always key to your understanding when you do. Like, for example, when our (alleged) killer returns to her military compound to change and the camera swings momentarily to her bed side table, which features a picture of two men, then swings back to her. All quick, but subtle. And probably not for nothing.
Also, not a huge critique, but one thing I remember here and of a lot of shorter Brit-like (or, you know, exactly-Brit) seasons, is that the tradeoff you make for economy and impact is that, almost out of necessity, there's more exposition and sometimes a "pushing forward" of thoughts rather than letting than more subtext or just the ability to have characters breathe more. The deal I've made with these shows as a critic is, yes, I give you that free pass, because it's worth it. As a viewer, it's more like, OH ABSOLUTELY, I love the quick pace....
Jumping in after a long day of no internet...Love the comments. Will have more thoughts on some of those. But it's funny that my partner has never seen this show and she's absolutely ALL IN like a lot of you and wants to binge it but has agreed to watch it one at a time. "How did I miss this?!" It's kind of funny, given the situation. But she was talking about how Carey Mulligan has this great look she gives people -- sly, a very British thing where she's already several steps ahead and just assessing....Also we talked about jamming so many topics into this captivating first episode. How could you not want to just devour this, she said. True.
The BBC and ITV are both very good at these shorter-episode series (3, 4 or 6 and done.) We get them here all the time. The great ones have some topical references, and this one seems no different. The Syrian immigration "problem" was a huge hot topic here around 2018. The Labour Party historically has been very pro-immigration, which may be why the John Simm character is even in this. Interested to see where that story line goes.
I immediately clocked the pizza "extra toppings" as drugs, the slighter build of the murderer as possibly female (seemed like a good twist and yes, it was!) But like Tim wrote in the comments, it's never good to try to second guess these series or try to predict where it will go, because it will always zig when you think it will zag.
Thanks for setting up your Substack and for this recommendation. Turns out that this show was on my Netflix list but I was busy spending my time re-watching ARCHER and SEINFELD. 😆 Aside from the interesting camera angles mentioned in previous comments, a particular music cue caught my attention. The scene where Laurie Stone Is leaving her apartment featured a track with female vocals. It’s a song called "Good Girl" by Ruth Barrett. For those interested, the official soundtrack is available on streaming platforms. DO NOT look it up until watching all 4 episodes. Some of the song titles are SPOILERS.
Like a number of others I had never heard of this series before Tim recommended it. Very much enjoyed the first episode, though so much happens, so many twists and turns, I clearly need to watch it again to get both the characters and the story line straight. A complete aside: Carry Mulligan is, and always will be for me Sally Sparrow, in what is perhaps the greatest stand alone Doctor Who episode ever made and surely is the most haunting, Blink.
Jan 30, 2022·edited Jan 30, 2022Liked by Tim Goodman
So, is anyone familiar with London able to weigh in on geographic things — for instance, what are the various neighborhoods mentioned, how far apart are they from each other for the characters to travel between them, do they have any class significances that a British viewer might infer something from?
(First time watching)
Random thoughts/observations (mostly aesthetic):
- Anytime I hear someone being questioned about a murder with a British accent I immediately think of “Broadchurch”…
- The Director (SJ Clarkson) is definitely not one to linger on a shot…
- She also is a HUGE fan of vertical lines: stairways, gates, fences, and especially spindles they are EVERYWHERE in this episode…
- The scene in the container was seriously over lit…
- I thought it was interesting how after the assassin sent the “Job Done” text on train there was a triple reflection with two of her reflections looking back at her…
- At the end the Pizza manager was filmed in almost identical fashion to the assassin: Rear POV, lots of hallways/tunnels and soft focus… (and of course VERTICAL LINES)
Overall well written and acted, I’m in intrigued and I love that BBC series are generally short and keep things moving…
Can’t wait for the next episode!!!
A bit late, but only just watched, first time for me. I feel silly complaining about how solid and good it is. Lots of great casting, intriguing narrative. Reminiscent of so many excellent British crime/police dramas. But ... and I wonder if it felt this way in 2018 ... so much television today has a kind of flash, both visual and narrative, with our other Box Set, Station Eleven, being an example. Collateral felt accomplished, but my viewing habits seem to have changed, so I wanted something more. Something like Happy Valley was so remarkably vicious that I couldn't take my eyes off of the screen. Again, there's nothing wrong with simple excellence ... just trying to figure out why I got a good-not-great feel from the first episode here.
This is a rewatch for me and like many, I originally watched based on Tim's recommendation and enjoyed it. It's been long enough that I can't remember how it gets solved so very happy to revisit with The Box Set gang. I'm not as observant/astute to notice all of these great observations and will just add that the John Simm character's tv interview seemed over the top even then. The best part for me is seeing all the great British actors that one sees over and over on other shows. Lots of love for Nicola Walker in particular.
Second time with this (thanks TV Talk Machine for the recommend back in the day!) A few things jump out on rewatching the first episode.
- politician character feels way out of place, scene with GF at beginning was off, felt like married couple. He had a very inorganic character intro in episode (just appeared, not flowing from the previous scenes) and kept being inserted into others scenes (what alternate timeline has Billy Piper's character marrying him for even 4 months?!)
- camera work is very studious, using technique to inform narrative although to the point where it loses intimacy. Defiantly feels like the director or writer had the music for certain scenes in mind before filming. Not as consistent as something like Mr Robot or Station Eleven but logical within scenes. Interesting and certainly a step above jerky cam cop show technique but often too cinematic for the story, taking me out of the moment and into the shot composition or prismatic distortion
- interesting how most of the important roles are women, didn't jump out in first viewing as part of the text but will be interesting to see how the gender roles are explored in this second run through
- bodes well for the Game of Thrones prequel that the director and dp collaborated again on that pilot. fingers crossed
- would be interesting to compare this series to other "auteur" short dramas like Honorable Woman, The Night Manager or an unintentional short run drama like "The Game" (gone too soon)
Great to have you back Tim, hope to watch one of your shows someday. Keep it up.
First of all, I LOVE this feature that Tim has brought to his Substack. Developing a community to watch and discuss TV isn’t anything new, but doing so in this forum and with shows like this is a great addition.
Second, I watched the first episode of Collateral at Tim’s request, and I’m not sure how I feel about it. So far, there is enough mystery to make it compelling, and the acting is very good. But it didn’t grip me to the degree that I can’t wait to watch episode 2. Part of the problem is that we are introduced to so many characters in 58 minutes or so that I didn’t really get a sense of what they’re about, perhaps aside from Carey Mulligan’s character.
One of the big reveals of the episode (one of many) was the identity of the shooter, but even that was difficult because I wasn’t completely sure who that person was. Was that the woman in bed with David earlier? The reporter interviewing the politician on TV? That looked like it could be the same actress/character, but I didn’t get to see/know any of them long enough to know for sure.
So I enjoyed the first episode. It wasn’t so mysterious or esoteric that I couldn’t follow what was happening, but there’s just enough to bring me back. I just hope that we’re given the chance to get to know the characters better and connect with them.
Interesting choice! Unlike most here, I remember not particularly liking it when I first watched it. But maybe I’ll feel differently about it now?
A couple of thoughts:
Opening Song
I guess I was more critical when I first rewatched it. That opening song just put me off more than I thought. And while it didn’t annoy me as I thought it would on my second rewatch, I still think the song is a bit much and doesn’t really fit with the tone of the show. Also, if I’m not mistaken, the only other time there was a song was when Laurie Stone left her mum’s place. And even that song didn’t fit. It just felt somewhat manipulative for the sake of being emotionally dramatic.
Linh’s POV
This isn’t so much a critique as it is just me questioning the purpose of POV shots. But I noticed that Linh/we don’t get a good look at the killer. The POV shot is mainly out of focus or blurred (as she’s off her head) except for a split second. And yet she’s somehow able to make out that the killer is wearing a diving suit under a hood?! (which the police assume is a balaclava) but still… It just made me question the validity of POV shots (or the use of them) when what we’re seeing and what the characters are seeing don’t add up.
DS Nathan
The scene where DS Nathan Bilk stopped and looked over his shoulder to Karen Mars’ door after interviewing her. That little moment just felt - for lack of a better word - forced, like its sole purpose was just there for dramatic effect. It didn’t add anything, as we already knew he was suspicious of her. This might feel like nitpicking, and it might be, but I feel like what separates a bad series from a good one, or even a great one, is what lies in the details. And whether those moments are good or bad, they eventually all add up.
Not my type
While actively watching the show, it kind of dawned on me that I’m probably not the biggest fan of this type of crime show where we’re ‘randomly’ introduced to these seemingly unconnected characters within the first 15 minutes, including the killer.
That said, I did like the scene where the killer meticulously changes into civilian clothes, which again confirmed by showing and not telling that she was a professional. And I also thought it was neat that we never got a good look at her face UNTIL she came out of the bathroom stall.
The cast
But I did think the casting was great.
[Looks up names on IMDB.] Like, Billie Piper as Karen Mars, Brian Vernel as Mikey Gowans, and Hayley Squires as Laurie Stone (the manager at the pizza parlour). And Nicola Walker is always great.
It's been so long since I watched this that I don't remember how it ended up, so I guess that's a good thing. I usually watch while simultaneously doing other things, so I'm consciously not doing that for the Box Set. I was enjoying the tension between the two detectives. Lots of LOOKS.
OK, last thought for tonight, but one to think about as you watch (anything, for that matter), which is related to the "where is the camera?" thing I mentioned in an earlier post. Very good shows do almost everything on purpose. Meaning, you can reliably believe that every shot matters. Now, has this theory been proven wrong sometimes even in excellent shows? Sure. But it holds up. So, if something falls just short of the Chekhov's Gun Theory (if a gun is introduced in the first act it's definitely going to go off in the third) -- and not every "oooooh" directorial flourish or clue qualifies as a CGT moment -- then I like to think of them as "Not for nothing" moments. Meaning, if you were shown something, in a really good show, it probably matters. What we can all take out of this is just noticing those moments. No big deal if you don't, but (almost) always key to your understanding when you do. Like, for example, when our (alleged) killer returns to her military compound to change and the camera swings momentarily to her bed side table, which features a picture of two men, then swings back to her. All quick, but subtle. And probably not for nothing.
Kip Glaspie is a great name
Also, not a huge critique, but one thing I remember here and of a lot of shorter Brit-like (or, you know, exactly-Brit) seasons, is that the tradeoff you make for economy and impact is that, almost out of necessity, there's more exposition and sometimes a "pushing forward" of thoughts rather than letting than more subtext or just the ability to have characters breathe more. The deal I've made with these shows as a critic is, yes, I give you that free pass, because it's worth it. As a viewer, it's more like, OH ABSOLUTELY, I love the quick pace....
Jumping in after a long day of no internet...Love the comments. Will have more thoughts on some of those. But it's funny that my partner has never seen this show and she's absolutely ALL IN like a lot of you and wants to binge it but has agreed to watch it one at a time. "How did I miss this?!" It's kind of funny, given the situation. But she was talking about how Carey Mulligan has this great look she gives people -- sly, a very British thing where she's already several steps ahead and just assessing....Also we talked about jamming so many topics into this captivating first episode. How could you not want to just devour this, she said. True.
The BBC and ITV are both very good at these shorter-episode series (3, 4 or 6 and done.) We get them here all the time. The great ones have some topical references, and this one seems no different. The Syrian immigration "problem" was a huge hot topic here around 2018. The Labour Party historically has been very pro-immigration, which may be why the John Simm character is even in this. Interested to see where that story line goes.
I immediately clocked the pizza "extra toppings" as drugs, the slighter build of the murderer as possibly female (seemed like a good twist and yes, it was!) But like Tim wrote in the comments, it's never good to try to second guess these series or try to predict where it will go, because it will always zig when you think it will zag.
Tim,
Thanks for setting up your Substack and for this recommendation. Turns out that this show was on my Netflix list but I was busy spending my time re-watching ARCHER and SEINFELD. 😆 Aside from the interesting camera angles mentioned in previous comments, a particular music cue caught my attention. The scene where Laurie Stone Is leaving her apartment featured a track with female vocals. It’s a song called "Good Girl" by Ruth Barrett. For those interested, the official soundtrack is available on streaming platforms. DO NOT look it up until watching all 4 episodes. Some of the song titles are SPOILERS.
Like a number of others I had never heard of this series before Tim recommended it. Very much enjoyed the first episode, though so much happens, so many twists and turns, I clearly need to watch it again to get both the characters and the story line straight. A complete aside: Carry Mulligan is, and always will be for me Sally Sparrow, in what is perhaps the greatest stand alone Doctor Who episode ever made and surely is the most haunting, Blink.
Much appreciate the suggestion. Really tight writing and I feel like I already know these characters (as much as they want me to know at this point).
So, is anyone familiar with London able to weigh in on geographic things — for instance, what are the various neighborhoods mentioned, how far apart are they from each other for the characters to travel between them, do they have any class significances that a British viewer might infer something from?