I'm going to review this as season one, even though no second run is confirmed and (based on the real events that transpired next) another one seems unlikely. Wearing it's "Peaky Blinders" legacy strong, "SAS Rogue Heroes" was a fun series, but one that I felt suffered a little in it's second half.
Disgruntled with how badly the North African campaign is going, three soldiers; David Stirling (Connor Swindells), Paddy Mayne (Jack O'Connell) and Jock Lewes (Alfie Allen) decide to start their own unofficial brigade. More concerned with results than the rules and discipline of War, the small agile group have a disastrous start, but soon start to earn a reputation with their destructive skirmishes.
By its own admission, "SAS Rogue Heroes" plays a little fast and loose with the truth of the establishment of the elite wing of the British Army, though some of the more extraordinary elements, such as that catastrophic first mission are (based on some Wikipedia searching) mostly true. In what might be its most divisive decision, it also chooses at lot of anachronistic music (mostly AC/DC) to establish the feeling of bouncing across sand dunes, hepped up on amphetamines, to blow up some Messerschmitts. I didn't mind that choice.
I really liked the three leads. Alfie Allen and Jack O'Connell have been established for a while and fit their characters well - even the Irish accent seems to suit O'Connell's particular delivery. Connor Swindells though is the shows real lead, an actor I only really know from "Sex Education", and he's really good, keeping Stirling charming enough despite his propensity for self-destruction. The first three episodes, as he essentially blags his own command and chooses his fellow officers are really good.
It's less effective in the second half though, once the SAS has been established. Constrained a bit by real life, ideally, you'd like it to build to a big mission with huge success justifying their existence. Instead, their largest assault is another mixed bag of outcomes leading to an ending which would allow for the series to run on, though based on the real history would likely be quite a different show. I'd certainly watch it though.
Disgruntled with how badly the North African campaign is going, three soldiers; David Stirling (Connor Swindells), Paddy Mayne (Jack O'Connell) and Jock Lewes (Alfie Allen) decide to start their own unofficial brigade. More concerned with results than the rules and discipline of War, the small agile group have a disastrous start, but soon start to earn a reputation with their destructive skirmishes.
By its own admission, "SAS Rogue Heroes" plays a little fast and loose with the truth of the establishment of the elite wing of the British Army, though some of the more extraordinary elements, such as that catastrophic first mission are (based on some Wikipedia searching) mostly true. In what might be its most divisive decision, it also chooses at lot of anachronistic music (mostly AC/DC) to establish the feeling of bouncing across sand dunes, hepped up on amphetamines, to blow up some Messerschmitts. I didn't mind that choice.
I really liked the three leads. Alfie Allen and Jack O'Connell have been established for a while and fit their characters well - even the Irish accent seems to suit O'Connell's particular delivery. Connor Swindells though is the shows real lead, an actor I only really know from "Sex Education", and he's really good, keeping Stirling charming enough despite his propensity for self-destruction. The first three episodes, as he essentially blags his own command and chooses his fellow officers are really good.
It's less effective in the second half though, once the SAS has been established. Constrained a bit by real life, ideally, you'd like it to build to a big mission with huge success justifying their existence. Instead, their largest assault is another mixed bag of outcomes leading to an ending which would allow for the series to run on, though based on the real history would likely be quite a different show. I'd certainly watch it though.