Terrible, just terrible! The premise itself is interesting and certainly could have worked had the producers not gone for some 'edgy' production values that are clearly staged for maximum dramatic effect and consequently make the whole thing look contrived.
You'll know what I mean from the moment we are shown the 'briefing room' with a huge ECHO-OPS logo (the production company) on the wall befitting some arch-villain's secret headquarters, suitably backlit by strategic placement of spotlights etc.
The quality of investigative journalism itself is shallow to say the least. Little analysis is given to the particular backstory for each episode presented (I have only seen the first 2 episodes to date) and instead the viewer is shown images such as the aftermath of the Twin Towers or Embassy bombings (to remind us that terrorists are bad) and some testimony of minor third parties such as bombing victim or former intelligence bit-player (to tell us that terrorists are bad, in case we didn't get the message from the videoclips).
Rather than examining facts, the show instead relies on tugging at emotions. This may certainly work for an American audience where the events of 9-11 are now firmly embedded in the national psyche, but not so much for non-Americans who can watch this with a degree of detachment.
Then we are shown dramatic (and illegal since they supposedly exceeded local speed restrictions) chase sequences that achieved nothing except provide some action, as well as questionable tradecraft. If you are surveilling a target that is trying to draw out anyone following (by erratic and overly fast driving etc) you *don't* continue with the op but withdraw to try again at another time. I won't comment on interference of other agencies' operations either...
I could go on, but I won't. In short it is a worthy concept let down by execution, production values, and lack of credible journalism.
You'll know what I mean from the moment we are shown the 'briefing room' with a huge ECHO-OPS logo (the production company) on the wall befitting some arch-villain's secret headquarters, suitably backlit by strategic placement of spotlights etc.
The quality of investigative journalism itself is shallow to say the least. Little analysis is given to the particular backstory for each episode presented (I have only seen the first 2 episodes to date) and instead the viewer is shown images such as the aftermath of the Twin Towers or Embassy bombings (to remind us that terrorists are bad) and some testimony of minor third parties such as bombing victim or former intelligence bit-player (to tell us that terrorists are bad, in case we didn't get the message from the videoclips).
Rather than examining facts, the show instead relies on tugging at emotions. This may certainly work for an American audience where the events of 9-11 are now firmly embedded in the national psyche, but not so much for non-Americans who can watch this with a degree of detachment.
Then we are shown dramatic (and illegal since they supposedly exceeded local speed restrictions) chase sequences that achieved nothing except provide some action, as well as questionable tradecraft. If you are surveilling a target that is trying to draw out anyone following (by erratic and overly fast driving etc) you *don't* continue with the op but withdraw to try again at another time. I won't comment on interference of other agencies' operations either...
I could go on, but I won't. In short it is a worthy concept let down by execution, production values, and lack of credible journalism.
