Great to watch but after a while the brooding and completely humourless characters begin to jar. Is there no happiness at all in these people's lives? Even the joy of a confirmed pregnancy has to be tempered by a nagging delay as the nurse checks her scanner and looks worryingly at the screen while her patient looks worryingly at Gabriel. It's as though the director has deliberately checked every scene to ensure maximum gravitas from his characters as they go about their admittedly fascinating lives. I just wish it had the kiss of reality that The Sopranos brought to the small screen. Shadow Line bears some comparison with Tinker Tailor in terms if its unremitting gloom but none of its characters feel like their gloom has been earned through years of unremitting grind and conflict. I enjoyed it for what it is but in the end, I found it less than it was hyped up to be.
Review of The Shadow Line
