Hiding behind a rather generic title, Patriot is not the Clancyesque thriller I was expecting. Instead of a slick Jack Ryan type whose plans always come together, Michael Dorman's John Tavner/Lakeman starts the show as a broken man, sleepwalking through his mission, bearing enormous guilt for his actions, and lives in a world where mistakes are often made, snowballing into a huge cock-up that takes us through two seasons (or 18 episodes) before things are resolved(?). And he would have bailed out of the intelligence service if it weren't a family affair. Writer Steve Conrad spins an achronological web of causality and coincidence, with amusing (and amusingly sad) characters who are all in over their heads, following the theme of taking something from A to B (which is why the pipeline company John must infiltrate is so well chosen). Great use of music as well, with our man John having a sideline as a folk singer, and especially good performances from Terry O'Quinn as the warm but ruthless father, and Kurtwood Smith as the company man/foil for our hero. This is a perfect series, in my opinion, but for one thing. A lot of the action takes place in Luxembourg and Paris, two French-speaking locales, and they went and hired a Swedish actress to play the main French speaker in this. To my Francophone ears, it's all wrong. Viewers of other ethnic persuasions won't see (or hear) it, of course, so enjoy this send-up of the spy thrillers that have by now become formulaic.
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theZeffo
Became my partner's and my favorite tv show ever. NEVER do generic stuff. thanks steven conradSiskoid
Hiding behind a rather generic title, Patriot is not the Clancyesque thriller I was expecting. Instead of a slick Jack Ryan type whose plans always come together, Michael Dorman's John Tavner/Lakeman starts the show as a broken man, sleepwalking through his mission, bearing enormous guilt for his actions, and lives in a world where mistakes are often made, snowballing into a huge cock-up that takes us through two seasons (or 18 episodes) before things are resolved(?). And he would have bailed out of the intelligence service if it weren't a family affair. Writer Steve Conrad spins an achronological web of causality and coincidence, with amusing (and amusingly sad) characters who are all in over their heads, following the theme of taking something from A to B (which is why the pipeline company John must infiltrate is so well chosen). Great use of music as well, with our man John having a sideline as a folk singer, and especially good performances from Terry O'Quinn as the warm but ruthless father, and Kurtwood Smith as the company man/foil for our hero. This is a perfect series, in my opinion, but for one thing. A lot of the action takes place in Luxembourg and Paris, two French-speaking locales, and they went and hired a Swedish actress to play the main French speaker in this. To my Francophone ears, it's all wrong. Viewers of other ethnic persuasions won't see (or hear) it, of course, so enjoy this send-up of the spy thrillers that have by now become formulaic.