I have watched SAS Rogue Heroes from the very beginning and I have to say it’s compulsive viewing, although I would imagine not for the reason writer of Peaky Blinders, Steven Knight may have intended. Sadly, it is compulsive viewing because it is absolutely awful in every way shape and form and is addictive to the point where one has to watch the next episode to see if it really is as dreadful as the last.

I do not have the energy to give much time to this subject and have to qualify my opinion by stating, I am a man of some mature years and one bought up on such films as Ice Cold in Alex and the Cruel Sea and not the modern type of over the top action thriller which seems so prevalent in this current age.

It may well be an age thing, having seen a review in the Guardian newspaper by Jack Seale, who judging by his photo is somewhat younger than myself, stated; Steven Knight’s cool-as-hell second world war drama is back – and it’s still an utterly thrilling romp of a watch. Charge on!

A thrilling romp, it might have been, were it not based on truth and even with a trigger warning that the drama is not a history lesson, doesn’t cut the mustard for those of us who know differently.

Jack O’Connell’s portrayal of Paddy Mayne as a man who spends most of his time effing and blinding in some bizarre attempt at a northern Ireland accent, quite different from the real Paddy who was staunchly against swearing. Damien Lewis, who has written more than a dozen books on the history of the SAS also slammed the portrayal.

Sadly, Con O’Neill as Field Marshal Montgomery fared no better as he neither looked nor sounded like Montgomery and one has to admit there are some very professional forties reenactors who are far more capable of portraying the man and I’m sure would have been only too happy to have embraced the task, had they been asked.

As for Eve Mansour the spy/journalist played by Sofia Boutella, one has to wonder if the storyline of her fictional character wasn’t a tad far fetched, especially from the wardrobe department who most of the time made her look like a catwalk model than a serious journalist. That said, her costumes were excellent, although more suited to a drama based in a Bond Street shopping arcade.

At least in this series they attempted to use some period music occasionally, although the majority of the punk rock style did grate on my sensibilities, as did the director’s continual use of setting up the shot as if it were an opening scene from the Magnificent Seven or some other similar spaghetti western.

I would be most interested to hear other opinions on this drama, so please do feel free to comment.