Collateral

David Hare, to many, is a literary god. He - most definitely - is a literary giant. Nominated for two Oscars with The Hours and The Reader - he has now tipped his toe into the world of the limited series. Well, let us hope that this is a limited series and no further episodes are looming in the background...not that it is bad, it's just limited...and, a trifle convoluted.

Nicola Walker plays a lesbian vicar whose [now-illegal] girlfriend witnesses a murder...she [the girlfriend] has out-stayed her visa...a visa that was endorsed by the lesbian vicar's brother who just happens to be an MP...his pill-popping, dope-puffing, booze-swigging ex-wife [Billie Piper] just happens to be the 'recipient' of the pizza that is delivered by the man who gets murdered. Now, if that's not convoluted...then, what is?

Now...one could argue that collateral damage - in itself - is - indeed - convoluted. The law certainly treats it as so! So...you would be forgiven into thinking that this is all very clever...alas, being too clever, too contrived...can have disastrous results.

Especially when...in walks a dowdy, heavily pregnant Carey Mulligan as the Detective Inspector in charge of this convoluted nonsense - there is no way that she would be allowed to investigate such a violent crime, she's just about to drop a baby!!! In her condition, she would have been restricted to the desk...even if she wasn't, a mother-to-be really ought to think of the safety of her unborn...rather than gallivanting across London in search of murderous people traffickers!

Yes...this has [illegal] immigration at its heart. A subject that many a writer has [recently] tackled...with a diminishing scale of success. Mr Hare's effort is no exception.

However, there is one scene - between the lesbian vicar and her bishop - that is jaw-dropping. An explanation in how-to-live the 'gay' life within the church. Lie. It's the stuff a future series could be made of!

Collateral suffers under the weight of [needless] inclusivity and political correctness...of course, these broad statements will appeal to a certain demographic [i.e. those already converted to the cause]. What writers need to do is to write something more cerebral...for that demographic who require food for thought [to change]...David Hare has the talent...unfortunately, he missed the boat with this one!

Trailer...