intruders_f_600BBC, out now

What goes around comes around…

Regular readers of Sci-Fi Bulletin will know that I thoroughly enjoyed this eight part adaptation of Michael Marshall Smith’s novel when it was aired last year. It’s one of those series that you need to stick with and, as John Simm points out in the short documentary on the second disc, you do have to engage some brain cells. Which of course makes it unusual for a lot of material nowadays!

I have a feeling that this series will probably go down in television history as the first major role for Millie Brown, the young British girl who plays Madison/serial killer Marcus. (She’s since turned up on NCIS in a moderately similar role without the supernatural overtones.) You simply can’t take your eyes off her when she’s on screen.

The 10 minute documentary shows just how much of a British influence and there was on this apparently very American show. Marshall Smith is an ex-pat Brit living in California and the series was produced by Jane Tranter and Julie Gardner both of whom are also ex-pats. That’s before you get to the main cast with John Simm, James Frain and Brown all British and showing it in their interviews out of character!

If you didn’t catch this on its BBC2 airing – particularly after they switched its transmission slot – then you should definitely pick this up on Blu-ray or DVD. Sadly there aren’t any extras other than the documentary; based on the very brief comments from Daniel Stamm, a director’s commentary from him or his colleague Eduardo Sanchez could have been very illuminating.

Verdict. An intelligent creepy thriller that deserves a wider audience. 9/10

Paul Simpson

Click here to order Intruders [Blu-ray] from Amazon.co.uk

Click below for our reviews of the separate episodes:

1  //  2  //  3 //  4

5  //  6  //  7  //  8

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