Hijack

Just go with it. Don't take this series seriously. Most things about it are in the realms of ridiculousness.

However, it's binge worthy stuff. Whether it's Idris Elba's coolness under pressure and sheer screen magnetism or the constant surprises and cliff hangers, you just can't enough of this stuff.

This series does what it says on the tin. It's a hijack. But there are different layers of story waiting to unfold.

There are a few irritants such as some of the miscast hijackers and irritating passengers and yes Elba is constantly to cool for school.

But on the most part this feels like a pretty original of stupid idea which draws you in and refuses to let you leave.

Try it and let it hijack you.

The first episode set up an interesting premise and introduction to the characters on this plane as well as on the ground. Unfortunately the further the series progressed the more implausible it became. Not implausible due to the many factual flaws around aviation in general but air traffic control in particular. These points are passable for e as this is clearly not a documentarybut a drama. So close enough to get a pass. However the show stetched credibilty to breaking point the further into the series it got. To the point where the final two episodes were sufficient to provoke rolled eyes, the final one being so far away from 'reality', that I really wondered if the writer had just lost interest and wanted it over and done with.

First of all, if you don't mind your conspiracy/hijack/action/ drama plots to have more holes than a kilogram of Swiss cheese, then you won't mind this. Personally, I find what it lacks in credibility is more than compensated by having massive viewer interaction. You could easily create a plot hole bingo with this if were binging over a night or two.

So many inaccuracies and unrealistic scenarios are saved by a stellar Brit cast, with Idris Elba and Archie Panjabi as the cool protagonists, Neil Maskell playing his archetypal cockney bad guy and sneering Simon McBurney as Mr Big and ultrasmart uber-villain - not so smart he was in prison to start with.

Despite all the shortcomings, it's an easy and enjoyable watch. Have a laugh at the caricature Brit politicians and super polite police.

And of course, the legion of armchair airline and counter-terrorism experts are along to tell everyone how a fictional programme isn't at all like the real world. No doubt they also take issue with the latest Star Trek for not having realistic Klingons, and Dr Who because real aliens are not made out of styrofoam. And if you pay attention to the date of those reviews, you will see they were all written after the first episode airs.

I have zero issue with a fictional TV programme's realism, so long as I am entertained. And Hijack is entertaining. It's a bit far-fetched in places. But the acting is good, no surprises there with Idris Elba, the whole cast is strong. There are some tense moments, handled well. In particular, you really feel that they are on a real plane, an incredible set.

If you are able to put your armchair joystick to one side, this is definitely worth a watch.

I've been looking forward to seeing Hijack ever since I first heard about it. Then my expectations grew even more after seeing the trailers. I can now say that those expectations were not only met but surpassed on every way. I'm a big Idris Elba fan as he's a terrific actor who good in just about everything he does. This is no different. As good as he's been this is actually one of his best jobs to date. This show is filled with tension and will keep you on the edge of your seat throughout each episode. His acting makes up for some uneven writing, the writing is good just uneven in places. I can't recommend this series enough. Give it a chance and I promise you won't be disappointed.