Bluestone 42
| Bluestone 42 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | Comedy Drama |
| Written by | Richard Hurst James Cary |
| Starring |
|
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language | English |
| No. of series | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 8 |
| Production | |
| Executive producer | Stephen McCrum |
| Producer | Michelle Farr |
| Production location | South Africa |
| Running time | 30 minutes |
| Production company | BBC Productions |
| Original release | |
| Network | BBC Three |
| Release | March 5, 2013 – present |
Bluestone 42 is a comedy drama series about a British bomb disposal detachment in Afghanistan during Operation Herrick, first broadcast on 5 March 2013 on BBC Three. The comedy focuses on the camaraderie between the soldiers, situational comedy, bureaucracy, conflicts of interests and relationships, and is contrasted with the deadly situations the soldiers are required to defuse. A major plot arc revolves around a will-they-won't-they relationship between the Captain and the Padre. The series was filmed in South Africa. The name of the show refers to the unit's callsign.
On 23 April 2013, it was announced that there will be a second series airing in 2014.
Cast
- Oliver Chris as Captain Nick Medhurst
- Kelly Adams as Padre Mary Greenstock
- Gary Carr as Corporal Christian "Millsy" Mills
- Tony Gardner as Lieutenant Colonel Phillip Smith
- Jamie Quinn as Private Kevin "Mac" McDowell
- Scott Hoatson as Private Euan "Rocket" Armstrong
- Stephen Wight as Lance Corporal Simon "Skip" Lansley
- Katie Lyons as Corporal Lynda Bird
- Keeno-Lee Hector as Faruq Harrif
- Ndoni Khanyile as Private Pamela Roberts
- Rory Acton-Burnell as Sergeant James Hogg
- Mike McShane as Colonel Randall Carter
- Birgitte Hjort Sørensen as Astrid Nygaard
- Murray Todd as Captain Peter Softly
Episodes
| # | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | UK Viewing Figures | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Episode 1"[1] | Iain B MacDonald | Richard Hurst & James Cary | 5 March 2013 | 969,000.[2] | |
|
The team experience a tough roadside ops, whilst Mary catches Nick's attention. | ||||||
| 2 | "Episode 2"[3] | Iain B MacDonald | Richard Hurst & James Cary | 12 March 2013 | 652,000.[4] | |
|
Nick is desperate to find some decent food to use in an attempt to seduce Mary, whilst Simon gets into trouble on roadside ops. | ||||||
| 3 | "Episode 3"[5] | Iain B MacDonald | Richard Hurst & James Cary | 19 March 2013 | 676,000.[6] | |
|
After Bluestone 42 join a midnight raid on a bomb factory and rescue a kidnapped Danish aid worker (Birgitte Hjort Sørensen), they find more than they bargained for. Simon tries to get a book deal for his memoir. | ||||||
| 4 | "Episode 4"[7] | Iain B MacDonald | Richard Hurst & James Cary | 26 March 2013 | Less than 624,000.[8] | |
|
Mary reveals a secret about her past before she became a padre and Nick tries to take full advantage. Bird is offered a promotion. | ||||||
| 5 | "Episode 5"[9] | Iain B MacDonald | Richard Hurst & James Cary | 2 April 2013 | Less than 662,000.[10] | |
|
Nick tries to prove he is not superstitious to the padre, while Simon tries to earn respect by joining in dangerous homemade games with Mac and Rocket. | ||||||
| 6 | "Episode 6"[11] | Iain B MacDonald | Richard Hurst & James Cary | 9 April 2013 | Less than 660,000.[12] | |
|
Nick and Simon help each other to learn to dance, whilst the arrival of veterinary corps Captain Parikh reveals Bird as a terrible flirt. | ||||||
| 7 | "Episode 7"[13] | Iain B MacDonald | Richard Hurst & James Cary | 16 April 2013 | 651,000.[14] | |
|
A mortar attack on the patrol base sends Bluestone 42 diving for cover. | ||||||
| 8 | "Episode 8"[15] | Iain B MacDonald | Richard Hurst & James Cary | 23 April 2013 | 677,000.[16] | |
|
Nick faces a gruelling challenge with a booby-trapped car bomb, while Simon finally stands up to his fiancée. | ||||||
Reception
Bluestone 42 has met with positive reviews. In The Independent, James Rampton described the show as "The Hurt Locker meets Miranda" and said that it "strikes the right balance between edgy and entertaining".[17] Rich Johnston of BleedingCool.com compared the show favourably to M*A*S*H.[18]
References
- ^ "Episode 1" at BBC Online
- ^ "Top 10s / BBC3 / Mar 04 - Mar 10". Broadcasters' Audience Research Board (BARB). Retrieved 10 April 2013.
- ^ "Episode 2" at BBC Online
- ^ "Top 10s / BBC3 / Mar 11 - Mar 17". BARB. Retrieved 10 April 2013.
- ^ "Episode 3" at BBC Online
- ^ "Top 10s / BBC3 / Mar 18 - Mar 24". BARB. Retrieved 10 April 2013.
- ^ "Episode 4" at BBC Online
- ^ "Top 10s / BBC3 / Mar 25 - Mar 31". BARB. Retrieved 16 April 2013.
- ^ "Episode 5" at BBC Online
- ^ "Top 10s / BBC3 / Apr 01 - Apr 07". BARB. Retrieved 16 April 2013.
- ^ "Episode 6" at BBC Online
- ^ "Top 10s / BBC3 / Apr 08 - Apr 14". BARB. Retrieved 22 April 2013.
- ^ "Episode 7" at BBC Online
- ^ "Top 10s / BBC3 / Apr 15 - Apr 21". BARB. Retrieved 29 April 2013.
- ^ "Episode 8" at BBC Online
- ^ "Top 10s / BBC3 / Apr 22 - Apr 28". BARB. Retrieved 7 May 2013.
- ^ Rampton, James (5 March 2013). "Bluestone 42: The Hurt Locker meets Miranda in military comedy set in Afghanistan". The Independent. Retrieved 29 March 2013.
- ^ Johnston, Rich (28 March 2013). "Bluestone 42 – A New M*A*S*H?". BleedingCool.com. Retrieved 29 March 2013.
External links
- Bluestone 42 at IMDb