I have seen this series twice now (on DVD and recently on ABC1 in Australia) and am still not sure about it. The plots are good and the main characters potentially interesting, but somehow it fails to grab me. I agree with other reviewers that the monologues at start and end are a real turnoff, if the chief scientist really feels like that then she is in the wrong business - she is far too philosophical to be 'scientific' in her research. On the subject of 'research' why bother to set their base in a 'body farm' when the work they allegedly do there is completely ignored. My understanding of 'body farms' - at least the FBI one - is that they study rates and levels of decomposition (under different circumstances - heat, moisture, body fat level etc) to allow some parameters to be applied to 'fresh' cases. Part from Oggie communing with one of the corpses propped up against a tree the farm 'product' gets little attention. Most of what they do is basic crime scene investigation (DNA, bugs etc) which has been seen so often before in CSI, Bones...... If this series wants a niche it needs a handle - and it hasn't got one based on this first series. Surprisingly, with Trevor Eve as executive producer, it lacks the bite which was the mark of 'Waking The Dead'. Perhaps he should act in his own show as he was the essential pivot in 'WTD'. A second series? - would be good if they fixed the problems but perhaps the problems in Series One (and viewer disappointment) will prevent it. A good idea poorly executed.
Review of The Body Farm
