Waking the Dead (TV Series) Yahrzeit: Part 2 (2007) User Reviews

Brings together everything that is excellent about "Waking the Dead"

[hindsonevansmike · 9/10 · 12 June 2019]

In 2019, one of the UK satellite channels is broadcasting (either side of midnight) the back-catalogue of "Waking the Dead". The original two-parters are being shown in one continuous episode (apart from the adverts on "Drama" channel - fair enough, they need to make money!)

We occasionally caught the odd episode of WtD during the original broadcast, but this time the stories merit a further look (even if you sometimes fall asleep!).

This episode casts long shadows back to 1945 (and beyond), covering Jewish oppression, Nazi malfeasance (even Joseph Mengele gets a mention!) and a reminder that "nothing disappears forever".

The scrip is well-written, the ensemble cast bounce off each other and the layers of history - like the layers of flooring in the old man's house - are peeled back to reveal the truth.

Peter Boyd gets a love interest (Played with feline grace by Michelle Forbes) in a side-line which continues into the next story in this season.

This was tense, taut, well-detailed (without overkill - pardon the pun!) and a thoroughly enthralling two-hour story.

A superb conclusion.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 10/10 · 14 November 2020]

It doesn't lose any steam, it powers on through to its conclusion. Yahrzeit is a heart breaking story, of course it deals with the Nazis cruelty, the diabolical treatment of the Jews, but it goes deeper than that, giving you an insight into the Megele regime. You'd be thick skinned not to be moved.

Michelle Forbes has been excellent as Sarah, was finally nice to see Boyd let his hair down, and relax, we've not seen Boyd at peace since series one. Why, oh why, did they have to give us that awful backdrop, we know it was probably the United States of London in reality.

The best story of this mixed series, we've had Indiana Jones, LSD, and several other crazy themes, this one is altogether more believable somehow.

Superb performances, they were all excellent, Eileen Atkins though, she's the show stealer here.

I wonder if they knew whether or not the show was coming back at this point, it does have a final end feeling to it.

Outstanding, powerful drama 10/10.

One of the best

[elchaggis · 10/10 · 25 April 2021]

It's hard to fault the majority of Waking the Dead episodes and thus to pick out favourites. This one has to be in the Top 10 due to the good acting, multi layered storyline and themes presented within the story.

It is a sad one as it involves the Holocaust, Nazi regime, meddling with nature and child murder. And rightfully no humour appears in this story as it does in others which makes it one of the most dramatic and serious of the series. As usual Trevor Eve leads the team with his skillful portrayal of Boyd.

Twists and more twists.

[Wisewoman62 · 10/10 · 5 December 2021]

For those of us who are at least one generation removed from WW2, we might not think of the personal tragedies and atrocities that went on in Hitler's Europe. We know it was a horrible war, yes, but what was done to the Jews is beyond words. This episode shows just one small corner of it, and I had a stomach ache all the way through because of it. Kudos to both the acting and the writing!

As usual, the pieces were unraveled and the case was solved. It has a lovely surprise ending as well, so the viewer can look forward to that.

We had a much calmer, kinder Boyd, too. Grace is back, and there is some frostiness between them, but if he keeps on as he did in this episode, they'll soon be on firm footing again.