aldmph

This Sky TV series (now on Peacock) won't be everyone's cup o' tea. It's largely an intense recounting of the decades-long investigation into the Pan Am 103 bombing that technically remains unresolved. Episode 1 was riveting with a gut-wrenching reenactment of the airliner crash over Lockerbie Scotland. Some will find the rest of the series tedious, unless they enjoy investigative journalism and/or legal dramas. Colin First plays Dr. Jim Swire, the father of one of the bombing victims. Swire was obsessed with uncovering the truth - both for his daughter and eventually for the convicted Libyan man who he came to believe was innocent. The lengths he went to were incredible and startling. The attempts to spur an independent inquiry and the uncovering of the intricate details of the event were fascinating. I learned so much about this case. Like many people, I thought it was all settled, but another criminal trial is coming up in 2025. Overall, I found this to be a very compelling series.

I haven't read the book, and I understand this series deviates significantly from it. I watched Season 1, was thoroughly engaged and somewhat exhausted afterwards. I forged ahead with Season 2 and became similarly engrossed. More and more, they were showing the progressively greater lengths some people will go to for those they love, and it ain't always pretty. There were some extreme acts that I didn't see coming - to the point that I started thinking of the protagonists as a crime family (extended family that includes certain close friends). The acting was excellent. The show represented rural PA very well except for the level of diversity (there's some validity to the Pennsyltucky stereotype). I had some difficulty seeing all of the action clearly and distinguishing some of the characters, as the lighting was sometimes too dim for me. I had to look up a couple of online discussions to be sure I knew the who and the what. In the end, there were a couple of major cliffhangers for which I wanted some resolution, but it appears the show has not been renewed.

I had been looking forward to seeing this film since I learned about it six months before its release. It was quite the learning experience. I had never heard about the logjam of mail to and from military servicemen, and I knew nothing about this special regiment of black women who worked so hard to resolve it. I never expect a Tyler Perry script to be very heavy or cerebral, but the historical aspect of this film definitely makes it more substantial. What these women went through, including the shameful treatment they endured by the white male establishment, is shameful and heartbreaking. A couple of scenes brought tears to my eyes.

Kerry Washington was outstanding, as always, and what a delightful surprise to see the real Lena at the end of the film. If this hadn't been a true story, I'm not sure I would have stuck with it, but I found it to be a great learning experience and well worth the watch.