The Syndicate

Series 4 is the first one of these I've seen, and it's bad. The kids in this syndicate are all irritating characters and hard to like, with predictable and boring back stories too. So I just ended up rooting for Frank, which I'm pretty sure isn't the intention. Some of the scenarios are just plain stupid, and painfully unfunny. This should be a CBBC show.

Series 1 & 2 entertaining & worth watching; series 3 not so much. Series 4 absolute rubbish; 1st episode looked potentially promising, but subsequently the storyline is totally unrealistic script infantile!

Another TV play from the stable of Kay Mellor who seems to have been off our screens for a while. Very promising start to what looks like being a tight drama set in Leeds. Interesting premise with background stories of five supermarket workers,all of whom have financial problems of their own,panning out to lead us to the "big win" that they are all involved in. Excellent performances from an ensemble cast,as is usual with Kay's dramas, but special praise to Timothy Spall who never disappoints,in my opinion.The locations are believable as is the script which is "gritty" without being dour.Left me waiting with anticipation for the next episode with enough to have whetted my appetite.

This is one of the worst written, worst acted, and most sophomoric programs I have ever seen. Every single line, every element of backstory, and every character is so predictable that it feels like a 12-year old wrote it. Add to that a soundtrack of smarmy, imitation pop music, and it makes the perfect stew of intellectual diarrhea. A decent premise gone completely wrong.

As many have said Kay Mellor needs to up her game. 15 years ago this kind of stuff was the only kind of thing that you could get and look forward to. It's harmless and easy watching if you just want to turn your brain off and laugh at how bad it actually is.

It's ridiculous and portrays northerners as a bunch of imbeciles. Terrible writing and bad acting but I have to say I am enjoying it for what it is. Just don't expect much. Enjoy.