Legends

In the 1990s, a team of Customs workers were recruited to help stop the flow of heroin into the country as part of Margaret Thatcher’s war on drugs. Neil Forsyth (The Gold and Guilt) takes this real-life investigation and adapts it into a gripping six-part Netflix drama, Legends. Steve Coogan plays Don, a former undercover police officer who’s put in charge of the operation. After a brief process to find suitable candidates, he hires a small group of ordinary people who trade their mundane jobs in favour of infiltrating dangerous drug gangs. A stellar ensemble cast leads the charge in this tightly paced thriller. However, the show’s social commentary doesn’t quite hit its mark.

The operation is fought on two fronts. In London, Guy (Tom Burke) is tasked with posing as a drug trafficker to find out about the Turkish gang controlling the city. Meanwhile, Bailey (Aml Ameen) and Kate (Hayley Squires) are sent to Liverpool to figure out who’s distributing the drugs there. Each plotline progresses at a brisk tempo, with exciting revelations and set pieces at every turn. Forsyth likewise does an excellent job of moving between each investigation, maintaining the momentum throughout.

Whereas Kate is headstrong and willing to take risks, Bailey is more cautious and level-headed. It’s somewhat of a clichéd pairing, but the wonderful chemistry between Ameen and Squires outweighs the genre convention. Coogan is delightful as their boss, lending his signature dry wit to great effect. The bulk of narrative focus is spent on Burke, who gives the series’ standout performance. As he delves deeper into the criminal underbelly, he risks being consumed by the persona he creates for himself (his legend). This constant push and pull between these two identities quickly escalates into the’ main source of tension.

Less successful is the show’s social commentary. Scenes of young people caught up in addiction intend to provide emotional ties to the ongoing mission, but their loose connections to the plot cause them to feel more like extraneous story beats than meaningful additions.

Forsyth turns a remarkable real-life operation into a sensational crime drama with Legends. Although its thematic substance is little more than set dressing, its star-studded cast deliver constant thrills.