POLICE PROCEDURALS: “Blue Lights.” / “Boston Blue.” / “Agatha Christie's Seven Dials.”

“Blue Lights” (Amazon Prime) Season 3. Northern Irish police procedural television drama series set in the present day and based at the fictional Blackthorn police station in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

       Season 3 follows PSNI officers Grace, Annie, and Tommy a year after season 2 as they confront a massive, sophisticated criminal conspiracy flooding Belfast with drugs, extending into Dublin. 

       This is an apparently low-budget police procedural that heavily relies on outstanding ensemble acting, smart scripting, and tight, no-chasers direction. Definitely a magnetic binge-watch distraction. 

        But this is not all about an edge of your seat thrill ride or high-drama crime pursuit. The police characters are not the tough-guy peeler or “don't mess with me” copper. These dedicated men and women are as vulnerable and touchy as a grocery clerk, hospital intern, or bank teller. 🎥👍📽

“Boston Blue” (Paramount+) Season 1. Police procedural drama. Starring Donnie Wahlberg, a spin-off of “Blue Bloods” focusing on his character Danny Reagan taking a position with the Boston Police Department. 

       I am not saying “Boston Blue” is an awful series. Nope. In fact, this first season presented a tight narrative per episode and the ensemble acting is engaging. But after wallowing in 14 seasons of “Blue Bloods,” I can't help comparing.

       I find the “diversity quota” in this series pretentious. Contrived. I prefer the straightforward honesty of the Reagans’ Catholic family dinner, authentic and real. The family on “Boston Blue” is kind of “forced.”

But as said, the standalone episodes here are tight, focused, and involved, without saying they're better than “Blue Bloods.” 🎥💻📽

“Agatha Christie's Seven Dials” (Netflix) British miniseries based on the 1929 novel “The Seven Dials Mystery” by Agatha Christie. 

       I was a huge fan of Dame Christie when I was in high school. I read her books like I devour rice! But with the exception of “Murder on the Orient Express” and “Death on the Nile” + a few more, most of Agatha's work that we translated to cinema sucked! Including this 3-episode bore. An example of literature better off left as literature (irrelevant that “Seven Dials…” was of the detective story legend's least popular work.

       This movie has bankable performers, Helena Bonham Carter and Martin Freeman + the lead Mia McKenna-Bruce as Lady Eileen or Bundle wasn't so bad. 

       But the asymmetrical storytelling, choppy editing and cliché acting of the rest of the cast are deplorable. Plus again! The dim lighting. Most British projects aren't as most U.S.-made movies/series these days but this “Seven…” thingy is that! 🎥💻📽