The North Water - based on a book by academic and author Ian McGuire - is a dark and fairly uncompromising quest into the dark heart of humanity aboard a doomed whaling ship in the arctic wastes. A flawless cast (with a mesmerically beastly Colin Farrell), beautiful location shooting in Svalbard (and some of the furthest North for television) and the esoteric soundscapes of Tim Hecker make this a seriously riveting watch. The pace can sometimes slow to a crawl and the heady themes may get a little muddled along the way, but the whole is atmospheric and intoxicating. Seriously good TV - one of the highlights of the year for me.
Review of The North Water
