Created by Paul Tomalin, based on a graphic novel by Si Spencer
Starring Amaka Okafor, Kyle Soller, Shira Haas, Jacob Fortune-Lloyd, Tom Mothersdale, Stephen Graham. Gabriel HowellIMDB Entry
Time travel is fascinating, and when I heard good things about Bodies, I decided to take a look. It was a good decision.
It starts out in the present day. Detective Shahara Hassan (Amake Okafor) is called to investigate a naked corpse in Whitechapel in London. The corpse has been shot in the eye and has a strange tattoo on its wrist. She tracks down a man who found it and, to her utter shock, he commits suicide, uttering the words, "Know you are loved." Her investigation leads her to Elias (Gabriel Howell), a troubled teen.
Then we move to 1941. Charles Whiteman (Jacob Fortune-Lloyd) in out to investigate the death of the same naked corpse in the same location with the same characteristics. He is also following orders from a mysterious woman who contacts him by phone, ending each conversation with the line, "Know you are loved."
The scene shifts to 1890. A third detective, Alfred Hillinghead (Kyle Soller), investigates another copy of the same corpse. A photo was made of it, with a man lurking in an alley. He goes to find the man and slowly uncovered a conspiracy that's involved with it all.
One more shift to 2053. This time, it's Iris Maplewood (Shira Haas) who's investigating. She is called by Elias Mannix (Stephen Graham), the nation's leader, who took over the country after an atomic bomb destroyed much of London, using the slogan (Know you are loved or KYAL). He sends Iris to get to the root of the matter.*
The miniseries is based on a comic book by Si Spencer with art by Dean Ormiston, and it seems to be a fine adaptation. They keep the story lines straight by using titles showing the year, and often a split screen to switch from one to another. The mystery is strong and revealed in small chunks, as is the relationship between the various stories. What's especially good is the resolution, which is more an example of the butterfly effect than it is a single event.
The acting is all fine. Especially of note is Amaka Okafor as Shahara, a detective and mother who learns that she must act to save her son and family. The characters are all tormented by the events, and the actors play their parts that make you feel their pain. I especially like the way the narratives are woven together, and the logic of time travel.**
You can watch it on Netflix.
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*It tough to write a spoiler-free synopsis of this without giving things away, especially since you have four different stories, all with some connection.
**Though I will admit that the final scene, while a terrific sting, doesn't make any sense given what was established.
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