Critical Condition: Our Girl

Our Girl (TVNZ 1, 8.35 Mondays)

“What was actor EastEnders soap star Lacey Turner thinking of, choosing to stay with the soap rather than continue with her role as Molly Dawes in the first season of Our Girl? Season two returns on Monday night to TVNZ 1 at 8.35pm, with Michelle Keegan the focus as the new British woman-at-war. Fortunately, Keegan’s performance in her role as experienced medic Lance Corporal Georgie Lane is so arresting she makes you forget all about Molly.” — Stuff.

“Our Girl was efficient enough drama with adrenalin-pumping action and a tantalising cliffhanger. The volatile camp was convincingly evoked and Keegan was charismatic enough to impress in the tough-but-vulnerable title role – even if the camera did have a habit of lingering on her admittedly photogenic face for little apparent reason. However, dialogue clunked and the characters were types, rather than individuals … Our Girl’s heart was in the right place but its script didn’t do it justice.” — The Telegraph.

“The script includes a lot of the things you would expect, including some unpleasant sexist banter directed at Georgie … It’s not the most subtle way to convey her character, but considering the distracting pulchritude of the actor, it would be strange if none of her fellow characters noticed it … The romance manages to coexist with the military drama while still keeping its boots on the ground. But I’ll be interested to see how much of a romantic rescue plot the story relies on in the coming weeks.” — The Guardian.

“While the location has changed to Kenya – as well as the lead character from a former EastEnders to a former Coronation Street actress – there’s still lots of helicopter action, gun battles and bomb blasts, which all adds up to a slick drama with maximum effort to make it totally realistic. But they’ve failed on one key ingredient, Michelle Keegan who plays army medic Georgie Lane is just too good looking … Keegan’s insane beauty aside, Our Girl is incredibly watchable.” — Irish Times.

“Keegan is immensely photogenic and perfectly adept at delivering the penis-threatening putdowns to the grunts who come on to her. Yet much has been lost in replacing a rough working-class girl who rejects her background with a sophisticated young woman from a supportive middle-class family.” — The Times.