Bluestone 42
Created by James Cary, Richard Hurst
On BBC Three
A dark comedy-drama about British bomb disposal soldiers in Afghanistan that balances workplace camaraderie and romantic entanglement against the constant low-level threat of death.
Bluestone 42 is a comedy drama about a British bomb disposal detachment in Afghanistan. So what’s the average working day for a hero? Make your keen young colleague deal with the boring paperwork? Wind up your fellow employees? Flirt with the new girl on the team? Or deal with an unseen enemy who’s trying to blow you up? Bluestone 42 is a comedy drama about a bunch of soldiers who just happen to be risking their lives diffusing hidden bombs. But who says they can’t have some fun alongside the serious professional stuff? This hilarious and often surprising series follows the adventures of a bunch of diverse characters living and working together at an army base in Afghanistan. This is a show about something easily forgotten; soldiers really enjoy being soldiers, but it’s not just a show for soldiers and it’s not just about the Army: it’s also a show for anybody who has ever fallen in love, experienced status battles at work or had a fear of failure. It is packed with the lively workmate banter and relationship minefields that most people will recognise. Even if they don’t face danger on a daily basis...
Clusters
Questions people ask
Is Bluestone 42 scary? Somewhat. More frightening than 66% of series.
Is Bluestone 42 easy watching? Somewhat. More comforting than 61% of series.
Is Bluestone 42 sad? About average. Almost exactly mid-range.
Is Bluestone 42 violent? About average. Almost exactly mid-range.
Does Bluestone 42 leave you hopeful? About average. Almost exactly mid-range.
These describe how the series comes across across its whole run, compared with other well-known series. They are not a content list — nothing here was counted or checked episode by episode, so for age-suitability or specific content use a classification board or a dedicated content-warning service.
Cinnamon Score
How much this series gives you that nothing else will, and whether it delivers.
Familiar shape, done well.
How unlike any other series this one feels
How much more it delivers than it promises
How much audiences actually like it
Ensemble
Like Bluestone 42
Nearest across the full emotional profile.
Same Mood as Bluestone 42
Nearest on what's most distinctive about this one.
Like Bluestone 42, But Darker
Similar, pushed toward heavier and more intense.
Like Bluestone 42, But Lighter
Similar, pushed toward warmer and easier.
Like Bluestone 42, But Less Popular
Same territory, far fewer people have seen it.
