Top drama with a great cast. It had humour, suspense and a believable plot. Some well known and not so well know actors and actresses feature. The setting was dark and edge of the seat stuff. I liked all the characters and they all played their parts superbly. It didn't show Belfast in a great light but not too dissimilar from many major cities when you look below the surface. I hope that the BBC will write more of this gripping series very quickly. This is what quality tv is all about and what writers should aspire to create. It's probably one of the best written series since the brilliant Happy Valley. Well worth watching.
106 Reviews
Beautifully written, acted and directed.
ravivenkitaraman31 January 2024
Much of the first episode had me shaking my head at the seemingly over-the-top stupidity and incompetence of the show's newbie cops. Just another show with tons of frustrating idiot-factor lathered on, I figured.
But then a nice thing happened. The plot lines thickened. The characters assumed nuance and complexity. Every actor came through in spades. And each episode from then on just got better. Until, at the end, I was rooting for every single player on the show. That can only happen when there's outstanding character development; so thank you, writers, actors, directors, for providing me with several hours of very high quality entertainment. Bravo.
But then a nice thing happened. The plot lines thickened. The characters assumed nuance and complexity. Every actor came through in spades. And each episode from then on just got better. Until, at the end, I was rooting for every single player on the show. That can only happen when there's outstanding character development; so thank you, writers, actors, directors, for providing me with several hours of very high quality entertainment. Bravo.
Excellent dark drama
zenjunkie28 March 2023
Ignore any critics. This is really good.
It's a good insight into the type of incidents all police have to deal with. The added interest is that this is in Northern Ireland.
OK, the Troubles have been and gone, but trouble is still present.
Some of it is political.
As we all know, there are still additional problems present in NI, even though one person has criticised the BBC as depicting all Irish people are criminals.
Not so - but like everywhere else, Northern Ireland does have its fair share of criminals up to no good, and this programme is all about that element through the eyes of the NI Police Force.
There is absolutely no bias toward Irish people here. The critic that said that surely must agree that ALL of Great Britain has an abundance of criminals who are well portrayed in countless drama series.
Does he think Northern Ireland should be portrayed differently?
The programme is about criminality. Its gritty, well written and well acted with a lot of good characters.
An added bonus is that there is no irritating background music obliterating the dialogue.
Very refreshing.
It's definitely not biased toward the Irish as one critic has said. That's just rubbish.
If you enjoy the likes of Happy Valley you'll enjoy this too. I hope there's more to come.
Watch it.
It's a good insight into the type of incidents all police have to deal with. The added interest is that this is in Northern Ireland.
OK, the Troubles have been and gone, but trouble is still present.
Some of it is political.
As we all know, there are still additional problems present in NI, even though one person has criticised the BBC as depicting all Irish people are criminals.
Not so - but like everywhere else, Northern Ireland does have its fair share of criminals up to no good, and this programme is all about that element through the eyes of the NI Police Force.
There is absolutely no bias toward Irish people here. The critic that said that surely must agree that ALL of Great Britain has an abundance of criminals who are well portrayed in countless drama series.
Does he think Northern Ireland should be portrayed differently?
The programme is about criminality. Its gritty, well written and well acted with a lot of good characters.
An added bonus is that there is no irritating background music obliterating the dialogue.
Very refreshing.
It's definitely not biased toward the Irish as one critic has said. That's just rubbish.
If you enjoy the likes of Happy Valley you'll enjoy this too. I hope there's more to come.
Watch it.
Police drama as it should be. (S1&2)
daveditch-532913 April 2023
Series 1 : I'll start with a caveat. It's a drama not a documentary. If you made a police drama that reflected the real pace of things you'd soon get bored watching 90% same old mundane or hurry up and wait. Therefore some poetic licence and speeding up is required and the trick , that this series manages magnificently , is not to let that detract too much from the attempts at realism. Keeping that in mind this has the lot. Not all cops are heroes (though many are very much so ) , not all baddies are as they seem, some in authority or in responsible roles are far too far up their own whatever and some are simply stupid. There's fair amoint of of politics but balanced by lots of willingness backed up by humour be it dark or comic. It's a gritty drama well written directrd and acted that ranges from making you laugh through to holding back the tears. Most of the characters or type of characters are identifiable and are out there, maybe not all together at the same time but they're there.
Surely that's what it's all about and something many armchair critics who learn about police work from shall we say , less competent police dramas , miss entirely.
Series 2: All the above still applies . Its as easy as that . The original cast plus some great additions carry along the slightly different approach. That slightly different style is the excellent way they've slipped in a few more looks at the local residents behaviour (no spoilers), interactions with the "peelers" and the consequences. The behaviour , comments and attitude of the cops remain well researched , advised and well played, still subject to a bit of artistic licence but that keeps it going . All the unpredictable plots and sub plots keep you wondering whats going to happen next and are you watching a baddy , a hero or an anti hero . Thats what its all about and as a result it remains a fantastic series and I wish I could give it more than 10.
Surely that's what it's all about and something many armchair critics who learn about police work from shall we say , less competent police dramas , miss entirely.
Series 2: All the above still applies . Its as easy as that . The original cast plus some great additions carry along the slightly different approach. That slightly different style is the excellent way they've slipped in a few more looks at the local residents behaviour (no spoilers), interactions with the "peelers" and the consequences. The behaviour , comments and attitude of the cops remain well researched , advised and well played, still subject to a bit of artistic licence but that keeps it going . All the unpredictable plots and sub plots keep you wondering whats going to happen next and are you watching a baddy , a hero or an anti hero . Thats what its all about and as a result it remains a fantastic series and I wish I could give it more than 10.
Very believable and realistic
mswinterphillips3 April 2023
I live in Belfast and I was born in London. I found this drama to be believable and most of the characters very easy to identify with. Love watching things that are filmed in Belfast too as it's such a great city... most of the Northern Irish people I know can't stand to hear their accents on the TV! I personally love it.
I enjoyed the dynamic of the new recruits - even some of the longer serving officer's stories which were a little cliched but can be forgiven because life is often the same...
Absolutely LOVED the character of Gerry and his warmth with the younger officers also.
Definitely worth a watch if you liked Line of Duty et al.
I enjoyed the dynamic of the new recruits - even some of the longer serving officer's stories which were a little cliched but can be forgiven because life is often the same...
Absolutely LOVED the character of Gerry and his warmth with the younger officers also.
Definitely worth a watch if you liked Line of Duty et al.
I enjoyed this police drama.
lennydixie29 March 2023
Being from, lived, experienced and witnessed the worst of NI through the troubles., I have just finished watching the complete six episodes of Blue Lights. And contrary to some other reviewers on this page I enjoyed the drama and laughed at the ni humour throughout this series. Naturally, it is a tv series and I suppose you have to allow for a certain amount of 'artistic licence' in these type of programmes. But I have to say the sequence of events on the drugs/gun running and or 'sneaky beakers' is very much a realistic story that occurred quite often in the quest for law and order in our we country N. I. I have to single out the character PC Gerry Cliff played by the excellent actor Richard Dormer. I do hope there is a second series to follow.
Superb NI Police Drama, bough back many memories..
albatosh20 April 2023
Having stinted in NI 1973-1981 this thought provoking drama brough back some happy, and a lot more unhappy memories of NI (during 'the troubles').
Realistic, excellent action and tension, my only very minor point of technical correctness would be that when 'out on a shout' you always parked up with your vehicle 'pointing' outward to enable a speedy 'escape' should matters turn nasty (as they often did).
The early scenes in the Creggan like area were so very typical of what was happening in those days, and I guess from recent news coverage what is still happening right now.
Every police character had been well thought out, so believable, and inner tensions were excellently captured.
Like other reviewers I sincerely hope there will be more series to follow. Once again, well done to the BBC drama dept, sometimes you just 'hit the nail on the head' e.g. Line of Duty, Happy Valley, Last Tango in Halifax etc.
Realistic, excellent action and tension, my only very minor point of technical correctness would be that when 'out on a shout' you always parked up with your vehicle 'pointing' outward to enable a speedy 'escape' should matters turn nasty (as they often did).
The early scenes in the Creggan like area were so very typical of what was happening in those days, and I guess from recent news coverage what is still happening right now.
Every police character had been well thought out, so believable, and inner tensions were excellently captured.
Like other reviewers I sincerely hope there will be more series to follow. Once again, well done to the BBC drama dept, sometimes you just 'hit the nail on the head' e.g. Line of Duty, Happy Valley, Last Tango in Halifax etc.
Entertainment At It's Best
mickeygreyeyes31 March 2023
For those of you mourning the end of Line Of Duty, and i am one of them, then switch on to this fantastic, entertaining and quality cop drama. You soon latch on to the characters in this superb cop drama, and this production contains thrills, comedy and edge of your seat excitement. Of course in any series there is usually stand out stars and Blue Lights is no exception. There are too many to mention, but one person that stands out in the crowd is Inspector David 'Jonty' Johnston played wonderfully by Jonathan Harden. He is a joy to behold and i cannot wait to see what he does next in his career. Give Blue Lights a chance you will not be disappointed and my wife and i are praying for a second series.
Dark and powerful drama
misfit-7944328 March 2023
The first episode was slow to build, but it did built up to be a dark and powerful police drama set in Belfast.
Some reviews have slated this for not being genuine of how things are in Belfast with how the police and public interact because of old history. I personally have no idea if it is true to life or not, but I enjoyed it for what it was, a drama series.
I thoroughly enjoyed it and binged watched all six episodes in one go. A couple of actors were exceptional, overall the acting was good. I'm glad. I watched this, and I hope that this show continues with another season and not be a one season drama.
Some reviews have slated this for not being genuine of how things are in Belfast with how the police and public interact because of old history. I personally have no idea if it is true to life or not, but I enjoyed it for what it was, a drama series.
I thoroughly enjoyed it and binged watched all six episodes in one go. A couple of actors were exceptional, overall the acting was good. I'm glad. I watched this, and I hope that this show continues with another season and not be a one season drama.
Dark and authentic Belfast rookie cop drama fits the bill
JRB-NorthernSoul27 March 2023
The first episode took a while to get into its stride, but once it did I found it compelling. The show has decent production values, it was nicely directed and written and the cast, many of who were new to me performed well across the board.
I think Blue Lights will appeal to viewers who like their drama on the dark side, fans of Jimmy McGovern's writing or last years 'The Responder' with Martin Freeman - its in that kind of ball park.
There are a few shafts of light and humour as it develops, particularly between the three rookies but its hard-hitting and realistic throughout.
Well worth a look if you like a bit (or a lot!) of noir in your cop shows, I recommend it highly, a quality show that will grip you.
I think Blue Lights will appeal to viewers who like their drama on the dark side, fans of Jimmy McGovern's writing or last years 'The Responder' with Martin Freeman - its in that kind of ball park.
There are a few shafts of light and humour as it develops, particularly between the three rookies but its hard-hitting and realistic throughout.
Well worth a look if you like a bit (or a lot!) of noir in your cop shows, I recommend it highly, a quality show that will grip you.
Impressive cast, good drama
ianrhodes-0616328 March 2023
It has a strong story line, through all the episodes. The actors on the police side are allowed to develop, as is the crime family. Drama at its best with an edge. It holds tensions and surprises in the complex web that is Northern Island. Since none of the actors are well known, to me, it made for greater appeal. In many ways I found it to be better than many other of the current police series, we have seen in recent years. Carrying fire arms, as normal adds another dimension to there activities. The human side also came out. Small acts of kindness and practical solutions to very challenging outcomes were an extra in the series.
Enjoyable
martyntaylor-2916913 April 2023
Enjoyable but by no means realistic, I've watched just about every UK traffic police documentary series, intercepter, motorway and traffic cops etc and the dashboards look like fighter aircraft cockpits compared with the ones in the programme and I've never heard anyone "call for back up", the probationer Grace appears to be in charge ( the classic American maverick cop) and has got results that none of the security services managed in over 30 years, in fact I dare say had she been around in 1968 we would never have heard of the troubles, I'd have thought the production team could have researched that side better.
Found it hard to watch
davoswa29 July 2023
Warning: Spoilers
I could not finish the first episode. I love a good police series and wanted this to be good, and as a former police officer try not to get over critical when characters do totally unrealistic things, but nearly every scene in the first episode would have never happened in a real situation, or would have resulted in the new recruit (or the trainer) being fired. The first scene where a new recruits son is walking around the house waving his mums pistol around was not a good start. I stopped watching when a new recruit was told the situation was a set up and they needed to get out of the area and she told her senior officer 'No'. Not only did she put herself in danger for a person she only just met, but caused other officers to come to help her. That alone would have been her last shift at any police station around the world.
If Belfast was half as dangerous as it's portrayed officers who acted like this wouldn't last a week.
If Belfast was half as dangerous as it's portrayed officers who acted like this wouldn't last a week.
So far, the best drama of 2023.
Sleepin_Dragon23 July 2023
A team of rookie Officers join The Belfast Police, after their initial training is completed, they're thrown straight into the thick of things. The Streets are mean, the threat, very real.
It wasn't long before a second series was announced, and if you watch even a single episode, you will understand why, you don't get many like this.
There is a harsh realism about this show, yes it's a cop show, but somehow it feels very different to what is usually presented, they show the job of The Police as being far from glamorous, it's shown as being intensely pressured and virtually impossible.
Episodes one, two and three were very good, episode four blew my mind, after that it became the drama highlight of the year.
Don't expect any half baked romance stories, that's not what this show is about.
It initially focuses on the trio of rookies, and every single one of them plays a key role, but the mix of regulars are all terrifiic. Gerry is perhaps my favourite of them, a no nonsense, Maverick, brave and supportive as they come, Jen undergoes the biggest transformation, from lazy good for nothing, to hero, she's impressive.
9/10.
It wasn't long before a second series was announced, and if you watch even a single episode, you will understand why, you don't get many like this.
There is a harsh realism about this show, yes it's a cop show, but somehow it feels very different to what is usually presented, they show the job of The Police as being far from glamorous, it's shown as being intensely pressured and virtually impossible.
Episodes one, two and three were very good, episode four blew my mind, after that it became the drama highlight of the year.
Don't expect any half baked romance stories, that's not what this show is about.
It initially focuses on the trio of rookies, and every single one of them plays a key role, but the mix of regulars are all terrifiic. Gerry is perhaps my favourite of them, a no nonsense, Maverick, brave and supportive as they come, Jen undergoes the biggest transformation, from lazy good for nothing, to hero, she's impressive.
9/10.
Refreshing and Original, Funny and Suspensful
whiterhys-740275 April 2023
Blue Light is a refreshing take on a hard trodden genre.
It manages to bring characters to life without it being a soap opera, it manages to be funny without a joke writer, it manages to be refreshing in its style and original in all those ways.
There are no stand out performances and neither are there any weak characters, there are no helpers just designed to move the plot along - the cast is good and all are having a good day.
It shouldn't be compared with any other shows, continuity errors should be ignored (or the newspapers who write about them should be) and simply enjoy this refreshing and original show.
It manages to bring characters to life without it being a soap opera, it manages to be funny without a joke writer, it manages to be refreshing in its style and original in all those ways.
There are no stand out performances and neither are there any weak characters, there are no helpers just designed to move the plot along - the cast is good and all are having a good day.
It shouldn't be compared with any other shows, continuity errors should be ignored (or the newspapers who write about them should be) and simply enjoy this refreshing and original show.
Don't listen to the killjoys.
xmfbpy30 March 2023
Not at all your typical police procedural. First there is the context of policing in 'post conflict' N. Ireland where the peace of the last twenty five years still involves armed cops as routine and some sectarian divided areas under the sway of paramilitaries running drug operations.
Second, the placing of rookie probationers experiences at front and centre of the drama. There is plenty of tension and some shocking scenes as the story develops but a thread of dry humour adds much to the entertainment. Coming from Belfast I have to applaud the authenticity of the dialogue. Several of the performances are really excellent.
Incidentally, I expect one outcome of the show will be that the word 'thran' (stubborn, pig headed) will be catching on across the UK just as 'craic' has done in recent years.
Stick with this series for an emotional payoff.
Second, the placing of rookie probationers experiences at front and centre of the drama. There is plenty of tension and some shocking scenes as the story develops but a thread of dry humour adds much to the entertainment. Coming from Belfast I have to applaud the authenticity of the dialogue. Several of the performances are really excellent.
Incidentally, I expect one outcome of the show will be that the word 'thran' (stubborn, pig headed) will be catching on across the UK just as 'craic' has done in recent years.
Stick with this series for an emotional payoff.
Decent enough Cop Show.
pjpmcauley4 April 2023
I have to say, initially I was sceptical about watching Blue Lights, generally I find Northern Irish productions can be quite irritating, I'm from here so I can indeed confirm that when I seen this advertised I thought here we go again...
Alas I was pleasantly surprised, contrary to some of the user reviews on here that have picked this show apart, there is no maximum age for recruits into the PSNI, so a 41 year old joining is not some kind of dramatic oversight, it does occur more than you would think. The characters are for the most part convincing,and the criminality portrayed in some of the dodgier areas of Belfast does actually occur and I commend the producers of Blue Lights for portraying these activities fairly accurately. You have to remember that this show is shown to a UK wide audience and the accents have been toned down for this and I thinks that it works. Overall it comes across as a fairly sympathetic portrayal of modern day Policing in Northern Ireland in general. Recommended!
Top Class
seeleytony31 March 2023
Police dramas are two a penny, but this is a special and fairly unique one, I think the best since Happy Valley! I watched this on iPlayer over 5 days and am hoping there will be a 2nd series. You find yourself drawn into knowing the characters and their quirks. An unusual approach, is to focus on the 3 new recruits and follow their journey. The criminal characters are presented well, but you don't get to know them as well as the coppers. There is nothing too predictable in the script which tends to keep you guessing and retains your interest. The Belfast dialect is not too strong, although subtitles may be helpful!
Loved It ! Better Than Line of Duty !!
jennfinn5 February 2024
I constantly see people gushing over Line of Duty and Happy Valley as if they are the only two British police procedural shows worth watching. I just finished season one of Blue Lights which was finally made available to watch in the US on BritBox and it was so much better than the first two shows I mentioned.
I loved and cared about all the main characters in the show including Jen as she definitely redeemed herself in the end. The writing and acting is so much better than Line of Duty that it's not even close. I also love a show that isn't afraid to kill off a main character even if it's heartbreaking for the viewers which seems to be popular with UK police shows. I've seen a few police procedural shows that take place in London but this is the first one I've seen set in Ireland and I'll definitely be looking for more of them to watch.
I loved and cared about all the main characters in the show including Jen as she definitely redeemed herself in the end. The writing and acting is so much better than Line of Duty that it's not even close. I also love a show that isn't afraid to kill off a main character even if it's heartbreaking for the viewers which seems to be popular with UK police shows. I've seen a few police procedural shows that take place in London but this is the first one I've seen set in Ireland and I'll definitely be looking for more of them to watch.
Good OTT drama but...
paul-6301510 June 2023
It's supposed to be a standard Police procedural about the "unique dangers" faced in Belfast but....it's more of an OTT soap opera style drama. There's lots of drama (psychodrama). As a Police procedural it's riddled with inconsistencies and downright howlers (rookie cop who isn't authorised to carry a firearm outside the firing range has a service weapon by the bed)....the list goes on. The vehicles the cops use all are standard mainland cop cars, not armoured vehicles. Yes, the PSNI do use a lot of standard cop cars these days but not when they know they're going into dangerous crowd disorder situations. But by putting them in unarmored cars increases the drama value.
As a drama it's quite entertaining. As a Police procedural it's not that good.
As a drama it's quite entertaining. As a Police procedural it's not that good.
Exciting and educational
john-839698 April 2023
There are many police dramas, but this deals with the reality of a constable's life and training better than any I can remember. Add in Belfast as the city, and it is truly eye-opening. You soon forget that you are watching actors, and so you identify with the characters. The acting is superb: Richard Dormer and Joanne Crawford in particular. The writers are ex-investigative journalists who did a lot of research with The Police Service of Northern Ireland. The dialogue is well-crafted and taut. The final episode is very satisfying. There is a good chance that you will "binge-watch all six episodes.
chicken police? not for me
boryagin17 April 2024
Maybe the show makes sense for the locals. But I hardly suffered through the first episode.
It's just disgusting to see those.dumb and undertrained rookies who can't shut their mouths when superiors are talking to them. Who don't obey orders and cannot follow procedures.
I am not a fan of police and governments but it's feels sick to see police acting like cowards without authority when mob curses them and throws bricks at them. Why they even need their guns if they are acting like that and cannot resist another street jerk?
I am surprised by the high reviews. I am not liking any of the main characters. Maybe I need to watch more episodes to start liking the show? How many more?
It's just disgusting to see those.dumb and undertrained rookies who can't shut their mouths when superiors are talking to them. Who don't obey orders and cannot follow procedures.
I am not a fan of police and governments but it's feels sick to see police acting like cowards without authority when mob curses them and throws bricks at them. Why they even need their guns if they are acting like that and cannot resist another street jerk?
I am surprised by the high reviews. I am not liking any of the main characters. Maybe I need to watch more episodes to start liking the show? How many more?
What is this?
jeppepalmari24 June 2023
Warning: Spoilers
Is this really what policing in Belfast is really like? I mean everyone is bad at their jobs. The training officers are awful at actually training the new officers. 3/4 of the new officers are not suited to be police officers at all. The only one with any credibility is Grace Ellis. The other 3 are completely unsuitable for law enforcement. To put it bluntly they're a bunch of cowards.
Why are the new recruits acting like this? This is supposed to be their 5th week of on the job training and they all act like it's their first day. It would've been way more believable if this was actually their first days. Then the nervousness would've been somewhat acceptable. Them just approaching a car while pulling them over on a traffic stop made all the new recruits absolutely nervous wrecks. 3 of them would never have made it this far. They would've been washed out in day one.
You either have what it takes to be a cop or you don't. If just the fact that you have to pull a car over and talk to the driver makes you into a nervous wreck, then this isn't the line of work you should be in.
I was so excited for this, but no. Just no. You have to do better than this. None of the characters were believable. Maybe next time hire some former cops to advise you on how actual cops behave in the real world. This was a real let down.
Why are the new recruits acting like this? This is supposed to be their 5th week of on the job training and they all act like it's their first day. It would've been way more believable if this was actually their first days. Then the nervousness would've been somewhat acceptable. Them just approaching a car while pulling them over on a traffic stop made all the new recruits absolutely nervous wrecks. 3 of them would never have made it this far. They would've been washed out in day one.
You either have what it takes to be a cop or you don't. If just the fact that you have to pull a car over and talk to the driver makes you into a nervous wreck, then this isn't the line of work you should be in.
I was so excited for this, but no. Just no. You have to do better than this. None of the characters were believable. Maybe next time hire some former cops to advise you on how actual cops behave in the real world. This was a real let down.
A Belfast I recognize.
gmznffvs23 April 2023
I've learned very in Belfast for a looong time and this was a great series. The ins and outs of life for the police in a post conflict society is brought to life with a mixture of big and small storylines. The language was local but everyday, without highlighting the colloquialisms. The acting was good all round and to find fault would be to quibble. As the series developed the tension rose, the threads were brought together and the great areas became even more dense. The recruits grew in confidence and the acting did too. The small parts added to the authenticity, well written and performed. Belfast as a real city, characters that are recognizable with a mix of seriousness and craic.
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