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Belfast Live
Belfast Live
Entertainment
Sophie McLaughlin

Blue Lights: First episode of NI crime drama builds series' suspense from the jump

BBC's new crime drama Blue Lights burst onto our screens on Monday night, shedding light on the world of policing in Northern Ireland.

Set and filmed in Belfast, everything about the show is quintessentially NI with creators Declan Lawn and Adam Patterson saying portraying their home on script has been one of their "toughest challenges" yet.

Episode one, titled 'The Code', opened up the Blue Lights world and has undoubtedly left viewers (very much like myself) wanting more.

Read more: Everything you need to know about BBC NI police drama Blue Lights

Crime dramas are not usually my thing - I am ashamed to reveal that I've not seen Line of Duty or finished Bloodlands just yet. So when I was invited to the press screening of Blue Lights, I wasn't sure what to expect.

I do, however, love seeing Northern Ireland on the screen and once you can get past cringing at our own accents, I enjoy seeing our country get the recognition it deserves on the TV.

Blue Lights follows three new police officers working their probation at the PSNI.

In episode one we meet Grace, Tommy and Annie - each of them with different reasons for joining the police and their individual personalities immediately set the tone that there is more to each of them than we get to see in the first 60 minutes.

Without giving too much away for those who haven't had the opportunity to sit down and catch the first episode this evening, Blue Lights has mastered the suspense needed to make a show like this work.

Grace Ellis (Siân Brooke) (BBC Pictures)

Police dramas are a plenty but Lawn and Patterson have nailed the art of giving us a little bit to let our minds run with what is going to happen next and immediately have you hooked.

A good first episode should leave you with a handful of burning questions and just reflecting back on Blue Lights now, I think I have a dozen more.

As someone who has no experience with the police service and grew up in a post-conflict Northern Ireland, the show is an eye-opener for me as I don't think I had much considered what it must be like for those who put their lives at risk when they go to work.

The sense of danger and suspense that I felt just sitting in my chair watching as the drama unfolded throughout the episode was something I surprisingly enjoyed. Pair that with the local accents and setting, it was hard not to be taken by Blue Lights.

Every character we've met so far seems to have some sort of underlying story to explore and while a few plot points I think I can see coming, what to make of Annie and Tommy at this stage is what is drawing me in - both seemingly around the same age that I am, if not younger, I want to know more about the decisions that lead someone down a path such as this.

With the heavy subject matter covered in the series, it perfectly matched with our quick (and often dark) sense of humour.

While viewers from across the UK may be taken aback at some of Stevie's quick whips or Gerry's one liners, the NI audience will immediately see themselves in these characters and know it is just our way of dealing with things.

For someone who isn't a fan of police dramas, I couldn't be more delighted that the entire series is on iPlayer already as I think this will be one for binging.

Blue Lights continues on Monday on BBC One at 9pm or watch the full series on iPlayer

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