I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

It really made me laugh, but for some moments I was tearing up because I could relate so much.

Yes, absolutely, there is fun to be had, as well as many, many things to go boom, all amid an atmospheric urban jungle.

I adore this show--the writing is excellent, the cases are intriguing, and the actors are very, very good (especially the lady who place Grace, the far-too patient Psychiatrist profiler of the team.The one part of the show I can't stand is the way Boyd, the leader of the team treats his people. He talks down to them, berates them, humiliates them, and is a blatant hypocrite. Some of his actions during interviews of suspects are so out of line that in real life, he would have--and should have been fired. In at least one show, he is directly responsible for the deaths of others, due to the way he handles the case (and I am tempted to believe that this occurs--directly or indirectly, more than once).I'm currently into the 6th season, and if anything, his behavior gets progressively worse, but like abused children forever trying to earn their abusers' love, his team is desperately loyal while at the same time overtly exasperated and upset by the way he treats them. In real life, no one would willingly work for this jerk. None of this dynamic is accidental or incidental, the characters and their interactions are obviously written this way--and the acting by the cast is spot on, not a false note among them--including the actor who plays Boyd. I just can't fathom why the writers would continue to paint this character in such a dreadful light. I find it extremely distracting and perplexing in an otherwise excellent and interesting crime show.I've grown to hate Boyd so much that I actually stopped watching the show for several months. And that's just sad, because it really is an excellent program with interesting and unique cases that avoid cliché, and characters that avoid stereotype. I keep waiting for Boyd to get a wake-up call and change his ways, but so far, after watching most of the 6 seasons, his behavior gets progressively worse with no improvement in sight. Just be forewarned.

Let's clarify this title early on - it's not about Zombies. Waking the Dead is a BBC series that focuses on a cold case murder squad. They probably could have chosen a better title, because I passed over this show multiple times after seeing the word "dead" and thinking "waking" was "walking." (That was before I got my new glasses.)Anyway, I just finished five seasons, but apparently there are many more. If you like British detective programs and love hearing, "I'm DCI..." whoever, you'll probably get into this one too. The British titles are so much cooler...Detective Chief Inspector.It focuses around Detective Boyd, who runs the show, played by Trevor Eve (not bad looking for a man his age). Dr. Grace Foley, played by Sue Johnston, is always analyzing everyone as the profiler of killers and her coworkers. Like so many other shows, this one reminds me not to get emotionally involved with the actors and certain characters. Claire Goose, who plays one of the detectives, leaves the show (via a horrific on-screen death), which totally changes the flavor of the team after her departure. Coupled with a change in the forensic team at the same time, it's a shocker. When that happens, I grieve the loss and often find myself loosing a tad bit of interest trying to get into the replacements who I often don't like as well. It was no different in this case either, but it's like work -- people come and go all the time.After watching so many British detective police shows, this one carries the usual underlying themes in the series that I am finding occur over and over.The main detective is a bit wonky with either work or personal problems. They are either emotionally detached from others, unable to make close relationships, have some fault like yelling, drinking, or whatever.The top guy always is a little rebellious refusing to obey orders, and there is usually someone on the force that is out to get them in the upper echelons. Though the team works well together, there is always some undermining strife and rivalry in the ranks.Some of the crime stories can be downright sick, especially upon the discovery of a dead body and how gruesomely the poor victim had been killed. The newer shows go for the shock factor more than the mystery, and I wish they would spare me the gory details.Of course, these stories always leave me with unanswered questions:Is forensic science that advance it figures out everything?Do DCI's ever carry guns? How much tea do they drink on the job and what kind?When they are in the pub sloshing down the ale, are they on duty or off?I may never know the answer to these perplexing questions, however, it doesn't stop me from searching for the next BBC crime show. As you can see, I've watched a few. Do I have favorites? I am a bit partial to the older shows with less gore and murders of only stabbings, strangulation, and poison, which occur at night while the peacocks are screeching in the background. The more complicated the lead detective, the better. These are some of my favorites:Midsommer MurdersDetective LewisPrime SuspectWallenderMurder in Suburbia So that about sums it up. BBC or ITV better keep cranking these series out, or I'm going to be disappointed.It's time for an Earl Grey.

Now 14 years old,"Waking the dead" continues to reign supreme in what has become a very overcrowded field - the TV forensic/cop show. It has always had a terrific ensemble cast and despite losing actors of the quality of Miss Claire Goose and Miss Holly Aird around the halfway mark it has maintained its momentum in a way few long - running TV series have managed. It benefits greatly from a superb double- act from the leads,Miss Sue Johnston and Mr Trevor Eve as the forensic psychologist and the boss cop,ostensibly a chalk and cheese combination,but one in which each one complements the other although they often violently disagree. As Peter Boyd Mr Eve is passionate and eager to pursue justice sometimes careless of the rules of evidence and procedure in doing so. As Grace Foley,Miss Johnston is more analytical,takes a step back to see the bigger picture and reins Boyd in when he threatens to get out of control. We know nothing of Dr Foley's personal life,but Boyd's is,predictably, disastrous with a son who goes missing from home and,as the series develops,begins to play a big part in his father's professional life,causing him to have more sympathy with disaffected young people than he might otherwise have had. Over the seasons many fine and well - known performers have appeared to much advantage,but the core of the programme remains Boyd's squad of sometimes disparate but always intuitive and dedicated people. The only caveat I have is that sometimes the camera dwells with lipsmacking relish a little too long at the bodies of Boyd's clients,particularly in the later episodes.Apart from that,"Waking the dead" is ,for me,a completely positive experience and still the one to beat for the many similar shows that have followed it.

I have seen episodes of this series where I have felt entertained in a good way. But most often I feel annoyed, even insulted.The (lack of) realism makes Midsomer Murders look like a documentary. Add to this the complete disrespect for proper procedures, Boyd's occasional beating up witnesses and suspects - outrageous but apparently with no consequences - and so many other ridiculous things, it's hard to keep score.Alas, the acting of the abysmal plots is quite good, and the cast always seem to entice me to watch another episode in the hope that it will not disappoint. Looking back, I just can't really remember any episode where this has not been the case in some way.All in all, a terrible waste of great talent.