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Smoke centres around fireman-turned arson investigator Dave Gudsen (Taron Egerton – Carry-On), who changed his job because he’d put himself in danger one too many times.
He’s involuntarily partnered with cop Michelle Calderone (Jurnee Smollett, brother of Jussie Smollett, whose false police reports might make an interesting docudrama, including claiming someone had set up a noose in his garage, when it was actually the pull-rope to close the garage door!), who wants to help with both arson investigations, even though he thinks she’s spying on him, given how they have two individuals arson-around, and he’s not made much progress in tracking down the perpetrators.
As you’d expect, as she’s a cop, she has a complicated personal life, given that she’s been seeing married man Steven (Rafe Spall – William Tell 2025), but then Dave’s also got his fair share of drama, given that despite being married to the lovely Ashley (Hannah Emily Anderson), her son, Emmett (Luke Roessler – Deadpool 2), is getting pulled between her and his own Dad.
The drama also brings in burger joint worker Freddy Fasano (Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine – Dead Ringers 2023), who’s considering climbing the corportate ladder from frontline to management, but aside from him, when I worked at a Little Chef, I certainly didn’t want to burn it down… Nuke from orbit, yes, but not burn.
Smoke has some superb fire-based special effects, with some burning flesh that really makes you wince, but as a ‘whodunit’, it’s long-drawn out and could be told in half the time.
There’s also a moment you’ll soon see that’ll obviously divide viewers. No spoilers obviously, and you’ll know when you see it, but for me, I felt Smoke burned its bridges…
Smoke is on Apple TV+ from tomorrow, but isn’t yet available to pre-order on Blu-ray or DVD. If it is in future, it will be listed on the New DVD, Blu-ray, 3D and 4K releases UK page.
Check out the trailer below:
Detailed specs:
Cert: 
Running time: 50-65 mins per episode
Release date: Friday June 27th
Studio: Apple TV+
Format: 2.39:1
Series Directors: Joe Chappelle, Jim McKay, Kari Skogland
Producers: David Diliberto, Molly Anne Miller
Writers: Dennis Lehane, Molly Anne Miller, Steven Hanna, Adriane McCray, Kary Antholis, Steve Harris
Music: Danny Bensi, Saunder Jurriaans
Cast:
Dave Gudsen: Taron Egerton
Michelle Calderone: Jurnee Smollett
Steven Burke: Rafe Spall
Ashley Gudsen: Hannah Emily Anderson
Freddy Fasano: Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine
Harvey Englehart: Greg Kinnear
Ezra Esposito: John Leguizamo
Emmett: Luke Roessler
Benji: Mishka Thébaud
Lee: Dakota Daulby
Young Renata/Grace Calderone: Dani Alvarado
Brenda Cephus: Adina Porter
Young Michelle: Aiyanna Miorin
Reba Daniels: Erin Karpluk
Rose: Nozipho Mclean
Sophie Calderone: Sierra Godswill
Arch Stanton: David James Lewis
Dawn Hudson: Anna Chlumsky
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.