POLITICAL THRILLERS. “Down Cemetery Road.” / “The Last Frontier.”

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“Down Cemetery Road” (Apple TV+) British television thriller series based on the novel of the same name by Mick Herron. A woman hires an investigator after an explosion and a girl goes missing on the same night in a quiet suburban neighborhood. 



       “Down Cemetery Road” is from the poem by Philip Larkin, “Toads Revisited.” The line: “Give me your hand, old toad; / Help me down Cemetery Road.” But nope, I still don't get its significance to the entire thriller drama. No matter, never mind.

       Emma Thompson as bored private investigator Zoë Boehm, with spiky hair, and Ruth Wilson as “an inquisitive Nancy Drew wannabe by personal circumstance” Sarah Trafford, with her perennial nerdy/clueless look--are the life and spice of this series. Although the other characters are not in the stereotypical mode, kinda darky/funny actually in the nature of Mick Herron's creations. “Slough House” or TV's “Slow Horses,” you dig? 

       Anyhow, the backstory is compelling enough to pursue but 8 episodes are too long for this one. This would have worked better in a 3 or 4-part show. 🎥💻📽


“The Last Frontier” (Apple TV+) thriller drama. A U.S. Marshal in the outskirts of Fairbanks, Alaska must protect his town while he investigates the plane crash that set free multiple fugitives, now on the loose.


       This series started bombastically, literally a huge bang! Right in the snowy mountains of Alaska. I think it was in Episode 3 when that kickass stunt happened, a bus dangling off a cliff. And then as we are led to why all these circuitous shebang happened, plus an implausible love story, and a backstory, and more side-stories, stretched to ten episodes (mostly dimly-lit again!) I just wanted to end this icy farce. 

       I don’t question Jason Clarke’s performance as Frank Remnick, the local Deputy U.S. Marshal. Right on target, Mr Clarke embodies or lives inside those snowy boots! But Dominic Cooper as (supposedly bad dude) Havlock, Haley Bennett as CIA agent Sidney (miscast!) and the usually fine Alfre Woodard as CIA boss Jacque? They all portrayed cliches. 

       But then this is co-created by Jon Bokenkamp, with Richard D'Ovidio. Mr Bokenkamp gave us all 10 seasons (majority 22+ 1-hour episodes per season) of “The Blacklist,” when it should have ended in Season 3 or 4. 🎥💻📽

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