Watch Bugs: The Series
- 2018
- 1 Season
Bugs: The Series is a British crime drama that ran for four seasons from 1995 to 1999. The show centers around the fictional government agency, The National Bug Investigation Squad (NABIS), whose job is to combat crime that involves bugs or insects. The show was produced by Brian Eastman, who also produced the hit show Poirot, and was created by writer-producer, Stuart Doughty. The main character of the show is Nick Beckett (Jesse Birdsall), a former thief who is recruited by NABIS to use his expertise on bugs to help solve crimes. He is joined by Ros Henderson (Caroline Quentin), a woman with a background in chemical warfare who brings a scientific approach to their investigations, and Ed (Paul Slack), a computer hacker who provides valuable tech support. Together, they form a tight-knit team that takes on some of the strangest cases in the British criminal underworld. The show's premise allows for a range of creative and often gruesome crimes, as the team investigates everything from murder by bee sting to bank heists involving specially trained ants. The use of bugs as a central theme gives the show a unique twist on the typical police procedural, and allows for some truly inventive cases. The show also delves into the personal lives of the characters, especially Nick and Ros, who have a complicated relationship that evolves over the course of the series. Nick is haunted by his criminal past and struggles to move beyond it, while Ros deals with the aftermath of a traumatic incident from her past. One of the show's strengths is its sense of humor, which is often dry and sarcastic. The banter between the team members adds a lighthearted tone to even the darkest of cases, and helps to make the characters feel more relatable. The show's production values are impressive for a British TV series from the 90s, with slick editing and cinematography that often gives the show a cinematic feel. The use of bugs and insects is also well done, with practical effects and puppetry used to create some truly creepy crawlies. The show was not without its controversies, however. In particular, some episodes were criticized for their treatment of animal testing, which was a hot button issue at the time. Additionally, the show's fourth season saw a change in direction, with a new showrunner taking over and a shift towards more traditional police procedural storylines. This change was not well received by fans, and the show was cancelled soon after. Overall, Bugs: The Series is a unique and memorable show that stands out from the crowd of police procedurals thanks to its innovative use of bugs as a thematic element. Despite some flaws, it remains a cult classic among fans of British crime dramas.