Review of P.O.W.

P.O.W. (2003)
A curate's egg.
3 November 2005
I thought that some of the story lines were quite good, although familiar to anyone who has seen The Great Escape – and who has not? – but I cannot say anything else good about this poorly-directed series.

Why do not directors seek advice from those in the know, i.e. actual serving or former servicemen? If the director of this series did in fact consult, then he was poorly served! The lack of attention to detail is so bad that the series could have been made by the BBC; the lead character, Flight Sergeant Caddon, is supposed to be a RAF aircrewman but there is no flying brevet above the left breast-pocket of his tunic, and the badges of rank are wrong: a flight sergeant wears a crown above a sergeant's stripes.

British military tradition would never allow a mere corporal to hold the apparent position of second-in-command under the Senior British Officer when personnel of higher rank are available: reference was made in one episode to the Regimental Sergeant Major so, if there were no other commissioned officers, he would be 2i/c: and if there were no RSM, Caddon would be 2i/c - a flight sergeant is two ranks above a corporal.

I assume that the series was made with the US market in mind as the US influence is all too apparent. The corporal is seen in one episode to carry out an about-turn in the US Army's amateurish fashion, rather than in the military manner of the British soldier. And there are no circumstances – NONE WHATSOEVER – under which a British serviceman salutes when he is not wearing a hat!

This series may afford a little light entertainment to an audience who knows nothing about the British forces, but anyone who has served the Crown will be sorely disappointed by it.

CJ Allen (RAF 1963-1987)
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