The drama will illuminate viewers about the origins of the SAS regiment (Picture: Kudos/BBC/Banajay)
It’s rare for a new TV drama to come roaring out of the blocks like a fully-formed beast, but there’s a swagger about SAS Rogue Heroes that’s hard to resist.
A World War II adventure that motors along to the power chords of AC/DC? That’s a lot of bases covered.
Given that combo, it’s no surprise that the creative mind behind this caper is Steven Knight, the writer behind Peaky Blinders.
And while it’s not quite fair to say that SAS Rogue Heroes follows the same formula as the smash-hit saga of Tommy Shelby and co, the two shows are certainly blood brothers.
Where Peaky Blinders called on Nick Cave and PJ Harvey to bridge the time gap between past and present, Knight’s story of the unorthodox trio behind the creation of the SAS enlists punk legends The Clash, The Damned and more to join AC/DC in evoking the madcap maverick spirit of the enterprise.
The story centres on how army buddies David Stirling, Paddy Mayne and Jock Lewes, a trio of musketeers from very different backgrounds, hit on the idea of forming a parachute squad aimed at confusing the Nazis in the north African desert.
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It’s a cracking idea for a story but one sprinkled with so many far-fetched events it needs to get the period detail spot on.
And it does. Where Knight has drawn the line in the sand between fact and fiction is hard to pin down but, in a firecracker of an opening episode, it feels like we’ve been parachuted directly into both the unforgiving Sahara desert and the smoky backstreets of Cairo as the seed of the idea plants itself in posh boy David Stirling’s irreverent brain.
The performances are top drawer. Connor Swindells leads from the front as the arrogant yet charming Stirling and he takes centre stage.
Swindells (centre) leads the charge as Sir David Stirling (Picture: Kudos/BBC/Banajay)
Jack O’Connell is perfectly cast as Irish loose cannon Mayne while Alfie Allen gives us a Jock Lewes quivering with dangerous intensity. These are only sketches yet, but you want to know them better.
So, even if war dramas aren’t your normal kit bag, give it a go. And if they are, well, to borrow from AC/DC’s signature theme, if you want blood, you got it.
SAS: Rogue Heroes premieres tonight at 9pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
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The drama has a swagger that’s hard to resist.
