SS-GB

Secrets Revealed/Artwork by Kate Dorsey

            The only reason I found SS-GB was because there was a preview of it on the discs for another show I was watching.  I may have seen the book this show is based on somewhere, but I’m not sure.  Either way, I was curious to see how someone imagined what the world would be like had Germany won the Battle of Britain during World War II.  It is a horrifying thought.  One that would have certainly made life very different.         

            It’s 1941 London and the Germans are in control of Great Britain.  All the rules and laws in existence are changing to what the Germans want them to be.  Little, if anything, is being kept as it was before.

        Amongst this upheaval, Detective Superintendent Douglas Archer (Sam Riley) is claiming the police will remain unpolitical.  They will investigate crimes and criminals as they always have, without German influence.  It is unclear as to whether Archer truly believes this, or he just wants to. 

Whether he believes the Germans will stay out of the police or not, Archer decides to go about doing business as usual.  His current case involves a man killed in his apartment.  When Archer discovers the man, William Spode, is connected to the Resistance, his illusion about how life will be under the Germans begins to fall apart.

One of the first things that happens is Archer’s secretary, Sylvia Manning (Maeve Dermody), takes off.  Unbeknownst to Archer, she is a member of the Resistance and is about to get caught.  Still, she manages to warn Archer about something the Resistance is planning on doing.

The Resistance wants Archer’s help, and they’re willing to kidnap his son to do it.

Of course, this is not at all okay with Archer.  In response, Archer tries to find the man Sylvia says is responsible for the plot, John Spode (James Northcote), who turns out to be the brother of William Spode.  This connection ends up being a good thing, because it looks like Archer is going to Spode's apartment for inquiries into the murder investigation, and nothing else.  With the Germans, the SS in particular, taking more and more control of the police, this connection keeps them from asking too many questions about what Archer is really up to.

        Eventually Archer tracks down Spode, but he is killed before Archer can get the answers he needs.  Archer figures out a member of the German military, Hans Hesse (Ronald Zehrfeld), killed Spode while they were in an interrogation room.

          Wanting to know why things are happening the way they are, Archer follows Hesse to a secret meeting.  When Archer breaks in on the meeting, he learns some members of the German military are working with their “enemies” to save King George VI (Jonathan Cullen) and bring him to America.

        Still wanting to stay out of things, it isn’t until a young officer is killed and two of his friends are arrested that Archer decides to act.  Seeing how the Germans are randomly arresting and killing people, Archer sends his son, his housekeeper, and her son out of town to keep them safe.  He then agrees to save the King.

          There are so many characters in similar costumes it is sometimes difficult to keep track of who is who in this show.  The ones always recognizable are Archer, his partner Detective Sergeant Harry Woods (James Cosmo), American journalist Barbara Barga (Kate Bosworth), and usually Sylvia.

         Woods and Sylvia are part of the Resistance.  They also blame Archer for pretty much every bad thing that happens.  This really isn’t fair, especially since Archer is the one always looking out for and trying to save them.  Yes, he is connected to many Germans because of his job, but it also puts him in contact with those working against the Germans.  Someone like Barbara Barga.

      Archer first sees Barbara at William Spode’s murder scene.  He tracks her down afterwards and gets an explanation about why she was there.  It is an explanation Archer does not fully believe, but Archer lets her go anyways.  Later, they meet again at a party.  It is from here Archer forms a relationship with Barbara and learns what she is really up to.

          For what could have easily been a slow show, it moves really fast.  There are only five episodes, about one hour each, making each episode crammed with events and action.  The ending is left on the ambiguous side, making me curious about how the book ended, or if there are any talks about creating a second season.  There are so many stories that could be created and told surrounding this situation.  A series could go on a for a very long time.