Our World War (2014)
9/10
Excellent series: gritty, realistic and engaging
27 March 2019
Three true stories of British soldiers fighting in World War 1. Each one takes place at a different time and place in the war, focuses on a different unit and shows a different aspect to the war. In Episode 1 it is 1914 and we follow an infantry company defending a bridge in the Battle of Mons. In Episode 2 it is 1916: a soldier is on a firing squad, formed to execute a deserter after the Battle of the Somme. In Episode 3 it is 1918 and we follow a tank crew at the Battle of Amiens.

Excellent series. Very gritty and realistic in its feel, and quite accurate in its depiction of the events and action. The plots are based on actual accounts from soldiers involved, making for engaging viewing. Adding to the engagement is that you get to know the characters, their backstories, motivations etc. Makes it quite an emotional experience at times.

Not perfect though. In an effort to appeal to younger audiences a few modern-day features are thrown in. These are quite subtle though and don't detract too much from the stories. The modern music in the soundtrack is far from subtle but actually blends in quite well. Some of the first-person-shooter views are a bit jarring though.

Biggest negative: only three episodes were produced! This could easily have been expanded to dozens of episodes, there are that many documented unit-level stories of WW1 worth telling.
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