Serangoon Road TV Series 2013

Its 1964. The world is changing the global balance of power is shifting and Singapore is at a crossroads. The colonial rule of the British has finally come to an end and independence is on the horizon. Its an exciting time where the island state can finally forge its own identity. The heartbeat of the nation stems from one main artery that runs through the island. Whether it is culture or crime politics or patriotism espionage or enterprise all paths lead to Serangoon Road. This is the world of Sam Callaghan Kang Patricia Cheng and the clients of the Cheng Detective Agency. Sam Callaghan agrees to help Patricia Cheng after her husband is killed while working on a case. Patricia may not be a detective but she knows her company needs a good investigator with contacts in the various local communities as well as among the expats. Sam is all of that. But after a childhood in a POW camp and a checkered career in Military Intelligence during the Malay Emergency he is also ...

Review

Living in Asia I was looking forward to this Singapore drama promoted by HBO for months. Many of my favorite programs come from HBO expectations were high. The cast is good the Asia backdrop inviting and the premise engaging.

Still the idea of entire episodes being formulaic predictable and riddled with bizarre moral preachiness left everyone in our house deeply troubled... this is NOT daring fresh biting or exhilarating work an embarrassment as HBO was involved.

Smoky bars and prostitutes galore (with transvestite darlings) check. Ridiculous fist fights that are sprinkled in every 20 minutes that serve absolutely positively no purpose check. Forlorn broody looks from love interests that go nowhere check. Americans and America evil all Australians saints Ahh yes this is very very clever .... And the ONLY black person in the series is an innocent falsely accused by the Evil Empire check. Zero humor zero twists zero tension zero... just zero.

Ending guessed from the first 10 minutes check. The death knell for a detective series is when the audience is able to determine the ending with precision after a few minutes... wow how did this get past quality control

Rrrrr such hope... more Boardwalk Empire instead of this please!