Prey: Series One (2014)

Prey: Series One (2014)

Dir. Nick Murphy | 3 episodes, approx 47 mins each.

It kicks off with an overturned police vehicle on a public road and a subsequent prisoner escape, but that event isn't the start of the story. After the damage is assessed there, it jumps back three days to the life of DC Marcus Farrow (John Simm) of the Manchester Metropolitan Police, characterising him through his job, his friendships, and his relationship with his ex-wife and their two young children.

Of the three things mentioned, the most notable for the viewer seems to be the job, specifically regarding the discovery of a body on the moors. But things thereafter don't go the way that most investigative TV procedural dramas usually do, it takes a left turn into a man-on-the-run conspiracy thriller. The body is important, but the main drive of the series is that of an innocent man (the 'prey' of the title) trying desperately to find the real killer so he can clear his name - all the while unsure of who he can trust.

The concept is one that's been explored many times in film and TV, and isn't one that I was particularly interested in revisiting yet again. But seeing as how it's just three episodes, I gave it a chance. It's a good thing that the story is concluded in such a short time because, while the finale is well-made, the journey towards it had very little to set it apart from the others.

There were two things, however, that are worth mentioning. The first is that the officer who's put in charge of the case, DS Susan Reinhart (Rosie Cavaliero), isn't a perfect crime fiction sleuth; in fact, it's suggested by a co-worker that she's not up to the task. Sadly, the actress was likewise perhaps not the best choice for the role. The feeling that, like the man she's chasing, she too was trying to prove herself never came across enough in the writing or the performance.

The second thing worth mentioning isn't story or performance related, but technical: according to IMDB the series was shot using only natural lighting (i.e. with no additional lamps). I realise that for many viewers that won't matter, but for folks that have an interest in how what they're watching was created, it's an interesting detail and one that serves the visuals well.

I don't feel that either aspect makes the series worth recommending, but please do make your own mind up. If you're a fan of John Simm, you may be able to overlook the failings elsewhere.