Happy Valley star’s new crime drama is a lukewarm watch with wavering intensity

Review based on Safe Harbor episodes 1 and 2 – spoilers follow.

Based on real-life events, Safe Harbor represents ITVX’s newest contribution to the growing crime drama genre. The series follows hackers Marco (Martijn Lakemeier) and Tobias (Alfie Allen from ‘Game of Thrones’), who find themselves inexorably pulled into the treacherous underworld of the Irish mob.

Led by siblings Sloane (from shows like Happy Valley and Peaky Blinders’ Charlie Murphy) and Farrell Walsh (known for his role as Jack Gleeson), Marco and Tobias find themselves convinced to join forces with a Dutch criminal group, who aim to infiltrate the security system of Rotterdam harbor, Europe‘s largest port.

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In my perspective, pulling this off isn’t exactly a walk in the park. However, the Walshes are in dire need of a discreet method for moving their shipments, and nobody likes to refuse the Walshes, let alone Farrell.

In a fresh take, Actor Gleeson shines brilliantly in Game of Thrones as the psychotic, erratic mob boss. His past roles as the cruel and tyrannical King Joffrey Baratheon have undoubtedly prepared him, yet his portrayal of Farrell’s warped wickedness presents a new facet of Gleeson’s acting talent.

Despite being unstable and spontaneous, there’s a certain pattern to Farrell’s behavior that makes him understandable. His actions in any scenario can easily be anticipated once you know the plot developments and the kind of character he represents.

We can predict when he will dismiss someone, perform something incredibly extreme, or exhibit a lack of compassion – behaviors that we’ve noticed in other TV characters portraying psychopaths.

Fortunately, what truly counts is the execution, and even though Gleeson seems to be teaching us how to play a villain, he’s providing an exceptional performance that maintains an intensely suspenseful atmosphere.

His portrayal contrasts effectively with Murphy’s Sloane, who is firm, composed, and all business. Sloane exudes an assertiveness that seems designed to keep Farrell in check, yet a subtle power struggle between them suggests tension building towards a significant event.

As a devoted admirer, I’d say Murphy exudes an unflappable calm around Sloane that, for the majority of times, seems impenetrable. However, occasionally, there are fleeting moments when the facade appears to crack just a little.

From a devoted fan’s perspective, the intrigue lies in the contrast between my favorite character’s personal yearnings and her hunger for power. Sloane’s thirst for dominance and control seems to clash with other aspects of her life, and I can hardly wait to see how she navigates these conflicting aspirations as the story unfolds.

On the contrary, as we shift focus to the second key duo, it seems there’s an element of authenticity absent in Tobias and Marco’s connection. While both have captivating individual narratives, the brotherly affection they portray appears insincere.

Due to its current state, Safe Harbor falls short when it comes to evoking emotion, particularly the intense tension necessary to maintain a heightened, suspenseful mood throughout.

In my gaming world, I often find myself in situations where Marco’s reckless moves put the naive Tobias in harm’s way. However, it’s hard to fully grasp the gravity of Marco’s actions considering their friendship seems more like a casual acquaintance than a deep bond.

In certain areas, there’s palpable tension within the narrative of Safe Harbor, and scenes that border on intense discomfort. However, overall, the sense of urgency seems to be missing, which gives the story a somewhat leisurely pace.

As a gamer, I found Safe Harbor to be just okay. The bond between the main characters didn’t quite grab me, which made the viewing experience a tad underwhelming.

The second part of the series might become more intriguing, since some events have been set up that could lead to exciting complications. Fingers crossed that the relationships among the characters also deepen and grow as complexly as those plotlines.

Safe Harbor will be available to stream exclusively on ITVX from Sunday 20 April.

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2025-04-20 10:49