Rogue Heroes the brilliant “Documentary” about the SAS enters season two and it has lost its punch. Season one, based in the desert focused upon the “outside the box” nature of this creative branch. The tales of their growing pains and the paths the soldiers were taking, and the tolls inflicted upon those who fought.
The story
This series, originally entitled SAS Rogue Heroes, follows David Stirling in his efforts to have a commando unit formed to fight against the Nazi foe in the desert. Stirling asks for men who are not the average soldier. All of them are disciplinary problems and, possibly, slightly mad or psychotic. In terms of psychotic, think Paddy Mayne in particular.
Season One
We fell hard for this dysfunctional, yet successful, group of misfits. The season kept pretty much to the source material. Lewes dies, Stirling becomes a prisoner of war and Mayne goes off the rails after Lewes’ death.
Season Two
Stirling’s brother is now in charge of the SAS, the original bunch have a name change thrust upon them and Stirling is still a POW. The Rogue Heroes have been moved to the new main campaign of war. They are now a preceding force for the soon to arrive major forces.
This follows the Rogue Heroes literary scenario. However, the show now relies upon the madness of Mayne and his penchant for flouting authority.
The move to Italy diminishes the impact of the first series by focusing upon Mayne and Seekings. While the first few episodes moved forward with a hint of that frenetic history of the SAS, episode 4 destroys the show almost completely.
Episode Four
Firstly, let me point out that Paddy Mayne and his, now, SRS rogue heroes did indeed raid the coastal region of Italy along the Adriatic Sea. Historically, troops were told to integrate, or at least, touch base with the Cosa Nostra. So far, so accurate.
However.
Termoli: The storyline of Reg Seekings befriending a young Italian boy is pure fiction. This is, of course acceptable due to the title card stating that this is “not” a history lesson. It is, however, borrowed fiction. This type of deviation from the accepted plot device inherited by the show from the book is a blatant disregard of the characters and their “stories” as we know it.
Seekings has a sleep problem and he starts to go off the rails abit. Mayne orders Reg to stay behind in Termoli to get some sleep. It is here that he befriends the local lad, thereby dooming the lad to an early death.
Tropes
The death of the boy in Rogue Heroes is just another example of war movie tropes, or cliches, that have managed to hold on for years.
Certain things in a war film equate almost instant death:
“Hey guys! I’m gonna have a baby.”
“My girl just wrote, she said yes!”
“I’m going home next week. I’ve done my time!”
or
Soldier meets and befriends locals and they die.
An excellent cast regardless
Connor Swindells is David Stirling.
Jack O’Connell is Paddy Mayne.
Sofia Boutella is Eve Mansour.
Theo Barklem-Biggs is Reg Seekings.
Corin Silva is Jim Almonds.
Death of a series
Rogue Heroes has managed, with one episode, to destroy the allure of the series. It was put to death by a lack of creativity. Choosing to borrow instead from Hollywood tropes that have been about since the beginning of cinema.
I was dismayed to see that the move from one land mass to another could so easily manage to cripple a personal favorite. Watch the Season One trailer to remind yourself of just how brilliant this show was.
Season One Trailer
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