I've read quite a number of James Patterson's Alex Cross, crime thrillers over the years, so I came to this with an enthusiasm that was quickly quashed.

The heavy handed script full of trite cliches, stereotypes and clumsy characterisations, is downright irritating. Its not the actors fault, in fact, most hand in pretty decent performances.

Sadly, so much else feels contrived and over stated, its hard to recommend this production. A production that's a million miles away from how the academic, astute and gentlemanly Cross, is depicted in the novels. Or put another way, what we get is an overdose of tough guy and not enough of a Sherlock Holmes style of character.

In summary, if this series had adhered to the manner in which the author had presented his characters, it would have been inherently watchable. Patterson's a capable author, which is why his books sell so well. Instead, what we get is a clumsy, stereotype ridden proposition, that conspicuously limits any potential this series might have had. What a shame.