Streaming giant Netflix regularly acquires content from overseas to feature as “originals” on its slate of offerings in the United States.
The six-episode BBC series “Bodyguard” is one such offering, and it’s a good one.
My friend Barb Thompson recommended I watch the series — figuring it was something I’d enjoy. I’m glad she did.
“Bodyguard” is an espionage thriller following the exploits of Police Sergeant David Budd (Richard Madden).
Budd is a war veteran who served in Afghanistan. When “Bodyguard” opens, our protagonist is traveling on a commuter train to London’s Euston Station with his young son and daughter.
Note: Budd is reading a book on the train titled “A Powerful Adversary” by Lance Sinclair. A cursory Google search revealed that neither the book nor author exists, but it caught my eye:
Note: Budd is reading a book on the train titled “A Powerful Adversary” by Lance Sinclair. A cursory Google search revealed that neither the book nor author exists, but it caught my eye:
Unfortunately for Budd, this isn’t a routine trip, and he finds himself having to thwart a terrorist plot to detonate an explosive device on the train.
The early moments in “Bodyguard” set the stage for a taut story that combines a geopolitical thriller with a shot of police procedural.
The result is a contemporary tale harkening back to the glory days of the Kiefer Sutherland series “24” (one of my favorite shows). While the concept guiding “Bodyguard” might not be as novel as “24,” in its prime, the result is just as fresh and intriguing.
I won’t give away any spoilers, but the meat of the first season finds David Budd assigned as a Protection Command bodyguard for Home Secretary Julia Montague (Keeley Hawes). The hawkish Montague was a strident supporter of the Iraq War — something that creates conflict within Budd, who suffers from PTSD and has certain doubts about his service in Afghanistan.
Political tensions in Great Britain are at a boiling point due in part to MP Montague’s support for legislation that will impinge on the civil liberties of the citizenry (in an effort to provide more comprehensive surveillance to law enforcement agencies).
Budd soon finds himself embroiled in a conspiracy where nothing is as it seems. He starts to question his friends, co-workers, and associates as he struggles to keep things together, and do his bit for queen and country.
Madden does a solid job playing a war veteran about to come unhinged in “Bodyguard.” There is a quiet intensity to his performance. He does a good job alternating between heroic and tragic as he navigates the narrative during the six-episode first season.
I’ll be honest... I wasn’t familiar with actor Richard Madden before I watched “Bodyguard.” He apparently starred in the HBO series “Game of Thrones” (playing Robb Stark) and has received a number of award nominations for his work.
Madden just won a Golden Globe for “Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Drama” for his performance as P.S. Budd in “Bodyguard” (the show was also nominated for “Best Television Series - Drama”).
The accolades are well deserved, in my opinion.
“Bodyguard” was quite popular when it aired in Great Britain on BBC One, and Richard Madden has hinted in interviews that a second season is in development.
It’s no secret that I’m something of an Anglophile when it comes to my TV viewing preferences. “Bodyguard” is right up my alley in that regard. More than that, it is a terrific thriller perfectly suited to binge watching.
Definitely worth your time.
Nice summation, Jon. I really enjoyed the mystery of who Budd is as he navigates ethical personal decisions, while dealing with the moral issues of his nation. The writing is tight in the way Sorkin has done in his brilliant moments, but not with his signature trappings.
ReplyDeleteNot quite Sorkin, but very good narrative structure in the series. :-)
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