User Reviews

I was fortunate enough to see THE GHOST SQUAD when it debuted in the UK on Channel 4 in 2005. In the first episode, uniformed police officer Amy Harris (played by Irish actress Elaine Cassidy, subsequently the female lead in American slasher series HARPER'S ISLAND) arrests a local scumbag and repeat offender for a minor crime. However, the man is subsequently beaten to death in the cells, and the police station is locked down as the UK equivalent of Internal Affairs arrive to question everyone. Harris realises that she's being framed for the murder by whoever amongst her colleagues is actually responsible, and the remainder of the episode is a tense race-against-time as she rushes around the building, trying to keep one step ahead of both the investigators and her co-workers, while desperately attempting to clear herself. Realising that Pete Maitland, a detective recently assigned to the station (a pre-ROBIN HOOD Jonas Armstrong) is an undercover mole, Harris exposes him to buy herself more time, and eventually uncovers the true killers. The episode ends with Harris quitting the police, knowing that because she handed in her colleagues, nobody in the force will trust her or work with her again. She's promptly recruited by 'the Ghost Squad', an officially non-existent unit of undercover officers who investigate reports of corruption within the police. Harris leaves behind all traces of her old life, is given a new identity and forced to adopt a rootless, friendless, nomadic existence, going wherever each assignment takes her and living in cheap and temporary rented accommodation. Her only contact is Maitland, who's appointed as her partner/handler, with both of them reporting exclusively to Detective Superintendent Carole McKay (Emma Fielding, a talented actress whom we don't see enough of on our screens), the secretive head of the Squad.

Channel 4 spent a lot of money on THE GHOST SQUAD, and each episode boasted some familiar guest stars, such as Lloyd Owen and Adrian Lester. Jason Flemyng was a particular standout in one instalment, playing a veteran Ghost Squad operative who was cracking up under the strain, giving Harris a glimpse of her potential future. However, due to it's adult content - language, violence, sex scenes and full frontal nudity - the series was shown at 23:00 on weeknights and seems to be have overlooked as a result. Critics ignored it and most people appear never to have heard of the show (I'm always met with blank looks whenever I mention it in company). It only lasted one series, and has never been released on DVD in the UK.

I have fond memories of THE GHOST SQUAD and consider it to be one of the best police dramas I've ever seen. It's a shame that it's one of those TV shows that has slipped through the cracks and been forgotten about.

I stumbled across this and watched the first episode. I enjoyed it very much and I thought "wow how did I miss this little gem?" I looked at the show up on IMDb and saw that it was canceled after one series. What a tragedy I thought.

Then I watched the second episode of this show and I realized why it was canceled. It sucked.

In the opening episode they depict this young police officer as clever, brave, and honorable. She performs brilliantly under pressure and at the end of the first episode is recruited by the secret undercover ghost squad that goes after crooked cops.

But in her first case as a super secret undercover (in the second episode) she breaks multiple rules and she performs very poorly as an undercover officer. The villains get away and lots of bad things happen because of her incompetence.

It's almost as if the writers/producers had a meeting between episode one and two and decided to change her character from a smart and resourceful police officer to an insecure, immature weakling of a person.

It doesn't get much better in the third episode. Or the fourth. The lead character comes across as insecure, unprofessional and ineffective.

Watch the first episode as a stand-alone movie and skip the rest.

The undercover ghost squad watch and at times even assist bent police officers commit crimes first, use drugs, assault people etc and later arrest them. They also decide who's guilty and whose not, hide evidence, sleep with suspects etc. What happened to professional standards, official complaints and investigation of bent coppers? The ghost squad should av been investigated instead of investigating other coppers. They break into suspect houses, illegally record suspects with no warrants, i mean are we meant to be stupid as viewers?

This is the first really gritty police drama I've seen for a long time. I am a big fan of CSI, Law and Order SVU, Without A Trace. But unlike those shows, that have the shine of Hollywood on them, this really feels dirty. It's portraying police work as it is. No false glamour, just real people, doing a job that most people wouldn't have the stomach for.

SPOILERS:

I loved the first episode of this, when Amy got into the 'Ghost Squad'. She was forced to turn on her friends, and although she didn't like it, she did it. It was a great introduction to the series, and to Amy's character.

The second episode was far less straightforward. In fact, for most of it I was confused as to who was undercover, who was undercover with the people who were undercover, and who were the straightforward bad guys (although it's possibly my fault, for not giving the program my absolute full attention during the first half). However, I equate this confusion with a good programme. It made me think, and many TV shows are scared to challenge their audiences in this way.

Lots of swearing, but that's to be expected in real life, so that's what you get here. I'm always amazed that Jack Bauer gets through each of his horrible days, swearing so little.

Anyway, to sum up, this is a brilliant new drama, full of promise. I hope it lives up to it's first couple of episodes, and from what I've seen so far, I'm sure it will.