This is an attempt to show how ordinary people were affected by the war and by Nazi power. There is some good acting and some complexity to some of the characters. But - other characters are so shallow or simplistic as to leave me groaning or shouting at the screen. Overly emotional people acting in ways that defy common sense. The plots are a little predictable in places. What I like - Helen Hunt's naive American, Sean Bean's damaged veteran, the posh lady who finds redemption in the little boy Jan, most of the Poles. This week's episode left me puzzled. How the hell do two Polish soldiers escaping the Germans through forests end up running into and helping a British army unit, presumably in Belgium?!!!!!!!!! What the hell? I feel this is a brave attempt at a good series but is let down by week plotting and characterisation. The first rule of narrative is that it should be believable, and the second that there should be characters you can empathise with. This really has neither.

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