Before We Die is a gripping, intense English cop drama. Whilst it follows the British convention of telling a single story across six or eight episodes, it differs from many English cop dramas with its international flavour, its fast pace and the ever present threat of having those uncover betrayed.
Set in modern day Bristol, at the centre is DI Hannah Laing (Lesley Sharp), her boyfriend and fellow cop Sean Hardacre (Bill Ward) and her 25 year old son Christian (Patrick Gibson). Sean is captured, tortured and killed by a prominent Croatian crime family the Mimca's headed by up and coming syndicate head Davor (Toni Gojanovic). Hannah teams up with a prickly Scottish colleague (and ex MI5 spook) Billy Murdoch (Vincent Regan) to track down Sean's killers. Christian had a part Croatian father and speaks the language and begins to work at the Mimca's restaurant (the heart of their criminal activities) where he gains the confidence of the family so that he can infiltrate their plans and find out what happened. He is motivated to undertake this dangerous undercover operation as a non-cop because of the close relationship that he developed with Sean.
What unfolds is a taut, exciting dive into gang style shootings, international drug running, Christian falling for the beautiful young daughter of the crime family and police corruption. The plot lines are strong and believable, the criminal family has authenticity because a number of the actors are British Croatian and all the lead actors acquit themselves extremely well. This is a most compelling show and a lot more racy and violent than the average UK police drama.
Set in modern day Bristol, at the centre is DI Hannah Laing (Lesley Sharp), her boyfriend and fellow cop Sean Hardacre (Bill Ward) and her 25 year old son Christian (Patrick Gibson). Sean is captured, tortured and killed by a prominent Croatian crime family the Mimca's headed by up and coming syndicate head Davor (Toni Gojanovic). Hannah teams up with a prickly Scottish colleague (and ex MI5 spook) Billy Murdoch (Vincent Regan) to track down Sean's killers. Christian had a part Croatian father and speaks the language and begins to work at the Mimca's restaurant (the heart of their criminal activities) where he gains the confidence of the family so that he can infiltrate their plans and find out what happened. He is motivated to undertake this dangerous undercover operation as a non-cop because of the close relationship that he developed with Sean.
What unfolds is a taut, exciting dive into gang style shootings, international drug running, Christian falling for the beautiful young daughter of the crime family and police corruption. The plot lines are strong and believable, the criminal family has authenticity because a number of the actors are British Croatian and all the lead actors acquit themselves extremely well. This is a most compelling show and a lot more racy and violent than the average UK police drama.