“SAS : Rogue Heroes” shows the kickass origins of the elite special operations unit and adds a lot of fun

I was a fan of the Henry Cavill film Ungentlemanly Warfare. A friend suggested that if I liked the Cavill film, I would like a show called SAS: Rogue Heroes. The series premiered on BBC and streams on the lesser known MGM+ service. With some time off work for Christmas and plenty of presents to wrap, I indulged in a free month membership and set in to watch the series.

I didn’t know much about the series going in other than it is about the creation of the British SAS during WWII and that it features actors from The Wire and Game of Thrones.

I walked away from the first season suitably charmed and found myself digging into the history of the SAS and the men portrayed in the show. 

SAS: Rogue Heroes – Where and when 

SAS: Rogue Heroes primarily tells the story of how three British junior officers – including John Lewes – stationed in Africa in WWII created the SAS and started raiding German airfields.

The British were losing to the Germans bit by bit, and the three officers are frustrated by being constantly stood down. These men are elite and well-trained but constantly put in losing situations. The Rogue Heroes title makes a lot of sense when you realize how often these three junior officers just did whatever they wanted to do to overcome this. They used bribes to acquire parachutes, borrowed a mail plane, and jumped chains of command to create their raiding force. 

Parts of the show feel very real, for example, when an exercise goes wrong because they packed 500 kilometers of fuel when they needed 500 miles worth of fuel instead, or the depiction of the men’s frustration at their superiors who aren’t putting them to use. While movies and TV Shows love showing the military as this hyper-elite fighting force, it’s an organization made of humans, and humans make mistakes.

However, SAS: Rogue Heroes is still entertainment so it isn’t completely accurate. Parts of it is dramatized and things like the beautiful French spy are made up for dramatic effect.

Yet, you’d be surprised at how some of the craziness portrayed in the series was true. For example, David Stirling did in fact infiltrate the Middle East headquarters in Cairo to jump the chain of command to see the commander of the British Middle East command and pitch his idea. 

What I loved about this show was that it caused me to begin researching the little details of the men who created the SAS. The more I watched, the more I looked into the creation of this elite special operations unit. Anything that can teach me something while entertaining me scores high in my mind. 

Related: Deadliest Warrior: A campy, absurd, but so much fun show

The show as a show

The production value of SAS: Rogue Heroes seems quite high. The setting is captured brilliantly by the creators: The desert, the cities, and the military bases all stand out. The action is well shot for a TV show and entertaining while not diving too far into the realm of ridiculous. 

The acting is fantastic, the characters are likable and stand out. The enemy is a vague thing we barely see or know. The show does a good job of avoiding unnecessary melodrama and there isn’t a dedicated villain in the form of some ultra-evil Axis officer.

The show has a great sense of humor and keeps things fairly light and fun throughout. It has some dark moments, but overall, it is a fun and entertaining watch.

SAS: Rogue Heroes gives us the story of the SAS –mostly – all the while being packed with enough action, humor, and fun characters to keep us coming back for more. I’m excited to see season 2, which is already out, and watch how the SAS fought in Europe.

Feature Image courtesy of BBC

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