Rock music, drinking, fighting, and overall amoral behavior. These are not words one would typically use to describe heroes, especially not ones who created the most elite special forces unit in the world and helped win one of the most important wars ever fought. However, that is exactly how one would describe the men who created the SAS. In fact, it’s the basis forSteven Knight’s underrated drama,SAS: Rogue Heroes, whichcontrasts his most popular show,Peaky Blinders, in fascinating ways, yet Knight’s fingerprints are still all over this product.
While we are watching the actions of decorated war veterans, their dubious morality and lack of mercy make them complex characters to enjoy watching even when they’re killing Nazis, yet the necessity of their existence is what keeps us on their side.Knight takes new approaches to action inRogue Heroesas compared to the urban street violence seen inPeaky Blinders, and the inclusion of aGame of Thronesalumni is hilarious for how it allows the actor to show a different side to his abilities as his character is both commanding and over-dramatic at the same time.
‘SAS: Rogue Heroes’ Tells the Story of How Brutal Insubordinates Became Legends
Rogue Heroesprimarily follows the actions of David Stirling (Connor Swindells) as he and fellow soldiers look for the best way to reek maximum damage to the Nazi army charging across Africa. In the end, the decision is made to take soldiers with poor histories of following orders and use them to create an entire paramilitary unit who will drop behind enemy lines and sabotage German airbases. On the surface, thedecision-making is already worrying about how these men will behave, yet seeing them in action is even more horrifying. Paddy Mayne (Jack O’Connell) is easily the most bloodthirsty, reveling in his poetry while killing Nazis, but the way this band of soldiers slaughters entire bases of unarmed men, sometimes while they are simply having dinner, presents a complex dilemma for the viewer.
We want the Nazis to lose, obviously, but how far are we willing to go to witness this? Furthermore, while we have seen plenty of scenes in the war genre of young men forced to commit horrendous acts on the orders of their superiors, these men do so without hesitation. Yes, they are ordered to by Stirling, but the glee they take in their attacks is a frightening display of rampant violence. When we compare this to the gangsters inPeaky Blinders, especially the war veterans such asTommy (Cillian Murphy), John (Joe Cole), and Arthur (Paul Anderson), there is a stark difference in how the world and we see them. We see the traumatized Shelbys as sympathetic, and it makes their pursuit of a better life in the criminal world more justified, but while theSAS soldiers are called heroes, we are certainly less thrilled about their success individually, whereas it is more about the success of the war we know is vital to win.
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The Setting of Africa Creates a Different Type of Action in ‘SAS: Rogue Heroes’ Compared to ‘Peaky Blinders’
While we typically see violent acts in the context of gang disputes in urban environments inPeaky Blinders,SAS: Rogue Heroesshows us not just warfare, but how the desert effects it. The expansive nature of the arid plains emphasizes how Stirling and his men are truly in their own world of rules and social norms are thrown out of the window. Rather than machine guns in the streets, fighter planes chasing our protagonists across the dunes, gunning them down when possible is afrightening display ofhow brutal war of this kind can be.
To a degree, this is also why some of the SAS' actions are excusable inRogue Heroes, because we recognize unconventional methods are needed for unconventional arenas. The start of the series shows how woefully unprepared the British army are for such a campaign, with an entire reinforcement convoy having to turn around because they didn’t fuel up their trucks enough to make the trip. This immediately gives us an urgency that, if someone doesn’t do something, theNaziswill take over, and extreme measures are necessary. It also allows us to enjoy some of the action. Because the gloves are off, so to speak, the huge explosions at German airbases can be greeted with celebration as we feel ahuge sense of relief that our soldiers have prevented Nazi Germany’s advancement.
Alfie Allen’s Jock Lewes in ‘SAS: Rogue Heroes’ is Everything Theon Greyjoy Wants to Be in ‘Game of Thrones’
Although his performance as Theon Greyjoy was powerful inGame of Thrones, it’s a far cry from his character inRogue Heroes.Alfie Allenportrays the commanding Jock Lewes inRogue Heroes. Lewes is Stirling’s biggest supporter in creating the SAS unit in order to actually have an effect on the war. No matter what goes wrong,Lewes constantly believes they will succeed, and even threatens another soldier’s life when their tone becomes too defeatist.
At first, it seems an odd combination of the sarcastic Stirling, madman Paddy, and stiff, upper-lipped Lewes, but the longer we see the trio, the more we see how it is a perfect mix of personalities. Without Lewes' regimented focus, Stirling and Paddy would have failed, being too chaotic, but Lewes sets them up for success with at least a loose concept of hierarchy and strategy.
Overall,SAS: Rogue Heroesis an incredibly underrated show that deserves more attention. If you are a fan of Steven Knight, you will like this show. It’s a different setting, but the series has all of the gritty and explicit realism that we loved fromPeaky Blinders. With nuanced morality, unique action, and colorful characters that allow you to see actors in new lights,SAS: Rogue Heroesneeds to be your next binge.
SAS: Rogue Heroesis available to stream on MGM+ in the U.S.
SAS: Rogue Heroes
A historical drama inspired by the true story of the formation of the Special Air Service (SAS) during World War II. The series chronicles the daring and unconventional tactics of a group of maverick soldiers who established the SAS, revolutionizing modern warfare with their rogue approach to combat.
Alfie Allen’s charaxcter and how different he is to Theon
