'Bodyguard' Is a Tense, Absorbing Thriller

I thought Jack Ryan was going to end up as the undisputed greatest thriller of  the year.  But as it happens, Bodyguard has given it a run for its money.

The six-episode British drama series focuses on Sergeant David Budd (Richard Madden), an ex-soldier turned police officer for the Royalty and Specialist Protection Branch of London's Metropolitan Police Service, who is dealing with a deteriorating marriage and PTSD.  He’s assigned to be in the protection detail of MP Julia Montague (Keeley Hawes), the ambitious Home Secretary whose political agenda goes against Budd’s principles.  Soon, the troubled bodyguard and his principal get entangled in a complex conspiracy that puts both of them in the cross-hairs.

Addicting.  That’s the best word for this show.  Every episode ranges from 56 to 75 minutes.  But because it’s so absorbing, one can easily watch the entire series in one sitting – which I did.  Tedious parts are minimal.  Mostly, the narrative is thrilling and gripping. The direction masterfully builds and releases tension, resulting to several unforgettable nail-biting scenes.  Furthermore, it subverts expectations with truly surprising twist-and-turns.  The red herrings may come off as frustrating at times, but they are undeniably effective.  One is left guessing up until its jaw-dropping final reveal.

The acting is phenomenal across the board.  But the standouts, for me, are Anjli Mohindra and, of course, Richard Madden, whose performance here is probably more compelling than his performance in Game of Thrones.  In addition, there’s something magnetically amusing about how he says “ma’am” and how often his character had to do so – basically making it into his catchphrase.

However, if one goes into this show expecting Madden’s character to be an uber-competent badass, he or she might be left disappointed.  This is not that type of story.  David Budd is indeed intelligent, resolute, resourceful, and competent; and he does undergo an interesting arc.  But it doesn’t necessarily involve him constantly being the strongest, smartest, or most collected man in the room – always “coming out on top” in the end.  No.  Actually (SPOILERS), though the character receives a happy ending, I don’t think he “came out on top” as a hero in a traditional sense.

Nevertheless, Bodyguard is a smart, suspenseful, and stimulating thriller all in all – an absolute must-watch.