Waking the Dead (TV Series) Mask of Sanity: Part 1 (2007) User Reviews

Bleak, violent, but very good.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 8/10 · 13 November 2020]

James is released from psychiatric care, years after committing triple murder.

Waking the Dead was never known for its cheerful storylines, but goodness me, Mask of Sanity is so incredibly bleak.

Nicholas Beveney is one impressive man, he is physically imposing, but his acting stature is even greater, he is seemingly the villain of the piece, but as a viewer you will have a huge deal of sympathy for him.

Boyd is getting angrier and angrier, Mel's death has definitely destabilised him, another little snippet about her past for the upcoming series finale.

It's bleak, but the story is very powerful, 8/10.

Deeply disturbing

[pjdickinson-27822 · 8/10 · 12 July 2022]

Waking The Dead was known for its looks at difficult topics but this is a deeply disturbing take on a difficult subject and, I have to admit, this was at times difficult to watch. As usual it is very well done but its definitely not easy entertainment.

Much violence and Boyd more over the top than usual

[LFTSmith · 6/10 · 18 February 2007]

Despite the excellent cast (James Fox and Jemma Redgrave in addition to such excellent regulars as Sue Johnstone) the overall impression was of excessive, gratuitous violence and Boyd, played by Trevor Eve so over-the top as to be unbelievable (I hope). As usual, performances by secondary characters were excellent. Tara Fitzgerald seems less convincing than her predecessors as the 'scientific expert'.

It was nevertheless an exciting and enjoyable episode, rather better than some recent ones. It stands up well to US competitors like CSI, not least because the lead character is so unsympathetic. He seems to lack some of the redeeming qualities of 'Vic' in the Shield. But the 2-episode produces an unnatural peak halfway through - it would seem very unbalanced if the two episodes were combines into a single play.