No Return

Nice and short at just four episodes, which - by the end - is something I was grateful for. 'No Return' is not a good show, to put it simply. There are some positives, like the (Spanish, unfortunately not Turkish, as far as I can tell online) locations & as such the cinematography and Philip Arditti puts in a fun performance, but for the most it's a slog to sit through. The acting isn't the best. Sheridan Smith is someone I like but this isn't one of her better showings, while the acting of Louis Ashbourne Serkis - son of Andy and Lorraine - isn't quite there yet; but I'm sure he'll improve as he gets older and more experienced. To be fair, while the aforementioned is true, the main thing that hampers this 2022 show is the writing. It's poorly crafted, with cringey dialogue and predictable plot devices. They also do a bad job at making you care for the people surrounding the main character here, especially Smith's Kathy. The whole 'foreign prison system is dangerous' vibe feels lazy, too. It's nothing terrible, I admit, but I wouldn't have finished the show had it been any longer to be honest. 5/10 from me.