Respira. Season 1 : Soapy but stylish Spanish hospital drama with a pleasingly greater awareness of connected social and political issues.

https://youtu.be/kFoDTm0heec

Engaging and often quite thoughtful hospital;-based drama. There is a good mix of the personal and medical. The incorporation of wider world political issues is a commendably original feature and is central to the drama without feeling forced into the narrative. The intersection and consequent stresses and strains shown as arising from this is done in a convincing and non-melodramatic way.

The range of characters is wide without feeling tick-boxed in terms of covering all types and the series has shown itself from the outset as not afraid to confront much darker issues. If there is a second series (as it seems there will be) here’s hoping it will continue the standards of this opening one.

 

 

 

Slow Horses. Series 3. Spook Street: Gripping and wildly idiosyncratic UK spy drama

Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story: Erratically focused but spasmodically gripping re-telling of the Menendez brother’ crimes and trials.