Jackson Booth-Millard In recent years I have always made an effort with most TV shows to try at least 10 minutes of the first episode in a new series, and if it grabs me I'll stick with it, this one from the BBC hooked me quickly, and not just with the recognisable cast, many who have starred in EastEnders. Basically the series revolves around top- secret UNIT (Undercover Narcotics Investigation Team), who track down, trace and try to capture and bust shipments of drugs, especially cocaine, and the criminals dealing, selling, distributing and buying them. Special Agent Marcus "Ash" Ashton (O.T. Fagbenle), an HM Revenue and Customs agent, is the most reliable member of the team who will spy on, identify and pursue the criminals involved in a large shipment, his big aim is to identify the man at the top of the chain, Roach (Trevor Eve). Ash's partner is Tommy (Robert Lonsdale), together they follow the criminals spotted, given the places and locations from tapped phone calls, including Roach's right-hand man Docker (EastEnders' Gary Beadle) and street-based criminal distributor Michael "Xavier" Duffy (Lee Boardman). The UNIT team consist of head Jack Cartwright (Titanic's Ewan Stewart), ex-UK Customs Valerie (Lorraine Ashbourne), ex-Met Police Flying Squad Kim (Anna Skellern) and ex-MI6 Martin (Charlie de Melo), and Ash gets some support from his wife Lorna (EastEnders' Jo Joyner) and their children. Also starring Anthony Grundy as Bernie, India Ria Amarteifio as Hannah, Denzel Assiamah as Footballer, Melissa Johns as Sadie, Rayne Obili as Chloe, Felix Scott as Connor, Jeany Spark as Gemmill, Nathan Whitfield as Kenny, Simon Armstrong as Stannard, Neal Barry as Smoke, David Troughton (Patrick's son) as Ralph, Bob Cryer as Rob Kane, Valeria Vereau as Sonia, Paul Kaye as Jago, Doctor Who's Adjoa Andoh as Anderson, Crims' Theo Barklem- Biggs as Buster, EastEnders' Tiana Benjamin as Mandy, Sacha Dhawan as Astin Ray, Dexter Fletcher as Scooter, EastEnders' Lisa Hammond as Alison, The Office's Ralph Ineson as Yorkie and The Royle Family's Ralf Little as Alex. I admit I have seen much more gripping things than this, but many of the moments, and of course the pursuit to get to the head of the criminal organisation, was good enough for me to stick with to the end, Fagbenle was very good as the title character, and spotting many faces I recognised from my favourite soap opera, if there is another series I suppose I would watch, it is a worthwhile enough drama. Very good!

jonnithomas This series may become worth watching and I found it OK for a first episode. The basic idea is interesting and it may develop well.The acting of the lead character isn't of the best quality as his petulant storming around is more akin to a 13-14 year old having a paddy than a professional detective/ customs officer.However, the suggestion of another reviewer that the IT abilities are 'way beyond capabilities' is farcical. They are speaking without any knowledge. I worked in an IT surveillance role years ago and reality was beyond those 'capabilities' many years ago.So back to the series. Directing is poor and lets unrealistic acting rule. The characters may develop well as may the story lines.I would suggest that you watch it and give it a chance. It is entertaining.

bruce-bmacfar Channeling his inner Luther via many an EastEnders grimace ,our hero sets out to cock up the best laid plans. Procedurally unconvincing,overacted and not a patch on most US dramas. Fights were staged with the brio of The Chuckle Brothers. Computer usage was way beyond capabilities and a mere plot device. Bad guys not bad enough Good guys implausible. This show does not warrant the 10 lines of text that IMDb insists that I write. I hope that it gets better but I have seen too many British shows that have been stymied by bad writing , poor effects and stilted acting to remain convinced.As other reviewers will point out the protagonist comes across as a petulant toddler with control difficulties. Indulged by his all new "Top Secret" task force bosses he still manages to stuff it up. I am not very confident in this shows future.

jc-osms The first of a new 8 part BBC crime-drama series centring on a young, idealistic but ultimately frustrated field-based HM Customs Officer who burns his bridges with his employer when a drugs bust goes wrong, severely injuring his partner and best mate. Nevertheless, he soon finds himself enlisted into a somewhat shadowy parallel Drugs Intelligence Agency who work covertly, it would appear sometimes inside, sometimes outside the law, with their own "Snoopers Charter" to listen in on any and apparently every phone-call made in the UK.Once you get past the awful series title which makes it sound like some Will Smith-type action-fest, I quite enjoyed it. The series continuity will undoubtedly come from the Unit's pursuit of the drug world's Mr Big, played by Trevor Eve, but I anticipate several time-honoured moral dilemmas, shoot-outs and stake-outs, not to mention family dramas as our talented but headstrong hero gets out there in the job he was made for.Resemblances to any other BBC show featuring a black male lead with Holmes-like deductive skills, total dedication to the job and Duracell-type energy and stamina are probably coincidental, but putting the Lutheran connection to one side, this could be the Beeb's best crime series since then.O.T. Fagbenle as the lead Ash might lack Idris Elba's magnetism but he's believable from the start and should improve with increased familiarity, and is well supported by a supporting cast, which, Eve apart, appears to lack a big name, not that I'm complaining. With its topical story-lines and persuasive mixture of street-smarts and road chases this looks like it could be one to watch.