Netflix's new six-part thriller Legends, written by Neil Forsyth, tells the astounding true story of a group of ordinary men and women recruited from Her Majesty's Customs in the early 1990s. Given just three weeks of training, they were sent undercover to infiltrate and dismantle two massive drug cartels flooding Britain's streets with heroin.
An Unlikely A-Team
The series poses a captivating question: what if the A-Team consisted entirely of disgruntled customs officers? Instead of wrongfully convicted US army commandos, we follow dissatisfied baggage searchers and VAT investigators who have loosened their ties. The premise might sound far-fetched, but it is rooted in reality.
Steve Coogan stars as Don Clarke, a former undercover police officer tasked with assembling the team for the home secretary (Alex Jennings) and HMC's director of investigations Angus Blake (Douglas Hodge). Despite minimal funding and support, Don manages to recruit a ragtag group of misfits willing to risk everything.
The Recruitment Process
The recruitment process is both fun and slightly silly. Anyone asking about overtime or legal details is summarily ejected. Only those who put in extra hours at lockpicking class make the grade. Don finds his people, and the story dives into the heart of the operation.
Tom Burke plays Guy, a 'lone wolf' operator sent to London with dire warnings not to let his 'legend'—the fake identity given to all recruits—overtake him. Guy poses as a drug importer and infiltrates a vast operation run by Turkish overlords. He leaves behind a daughter and an understanding wife, Sophie (Charlotte Ritchie), who knows the risks from her own brief investigatory stint.
Two More Recruits
Meanwhile, Kate (Hayley Squires), a hardbitten Essex native tired of tracking down perverts, and Bailey (Aml Ameen), a thoughtful VAT investigator, are sent to Liverpool to uncover a local drug gang. Erin (Jasmine Blackborow), a backroom data expert, supports them by sniffing out evidence trails and keeping the legends ahead of their increasingly threatening adversaries.
Corrupt cops, last-minute story patches, tiny slip-ups, missing door codes, and gangland power struggles keep viewers on edge. It is a story of plucky underdogs risking life and limb for noble ideals—a drug-free country and protection of the vulnerable—while baddies and the establishment alike wait to pounce.
Narrowly Avoiding Bathos
Forsyth, best known for The Gold about the Brink's-Mat robbery, was drawn to this story for its similar state-of-the-nation themes. He mostly avoids the trap of bathos inherent in a tale of customs officers becoming the A-Team. Lines like 'You think a few customs officers can take on the biggest drug gang in Britain?' could easily come from a sitcom, but the series maintains a serious tone.
However, the energy spent keeping things serious prevents the series from truly catching fire. Coogan's presence occasionally hints at comic chops that could change everything. Yet the brilliant story is well told, making Legends a compelling watch. Available now on Netflix.
