At first glance, SS-GB seemed to hold promise, depicting a world in which Nazi Germany won WWII. Unfortunately, the BBC falls short on delivering a truly riveting series, instead giving us a second rate crime drama.
Perhaps the main issue with SS-GB is the excessive comparisons to similar works. Stories where the Nazis won WWII have been relatively common for decades now, so it is far from an original story. Most notably, Amazon Studios’ The Man in the High Castle received widespread critical and public acclaim. It is very likely that the success of the Amazon original production was what made the BBC decide to strike where the fire was hot. Unfortunately, SS-GB does not live up to the standard of Nazi drama set by Amazon Studios’.
The dialogue feels very awkward at times, the lines often seem forced and can be hard to hear due to the sound quality and low volume at which the entire cast seems to constantly speak. When the dialogue can be understood, it is generally loaded with poorly delivered exposition. By the end of each episode, my attention has usually been drawn elsewhere several times due to the lack of action on screen.
Despite the flaws of the program, it is not totally without merit. The opening sequence and set design both contribute greatly to the atmosphere and make the show seem far more interesting.
Overall, I would have to rank SS-GB fairly poorly considering the quality of entertainment expected in this day and age.
The BBC is capable of creating truly amazing things, but every now and again, even the greatest will fail, and it seems very likely that this is one of those times.
Image Credit: Taak @ English Wikipedia
