Five episodes.The sequel to hit series Marchlands, the supernatural saga centred around a family home, Lightfields delves further back in time to tell a ghost story which spans the generations.1944, a young evacuee joins the Felwood family at Lightfields Farm to help the war effort. The days are filled with hard work and camaraderie, the evenings by dances and innocent romance, until one terrible night. Tainted by tragedy the house is abandoned and its history fades from memory. As time goes by, new families move in, awakening a presence within the house which cannot find peace. Through the years, all who live at Lightfields are affected by the sadness of the mysterious spirit. Questions remain unanswered, truths stay concealed and justice is not served, until the day the Felwood family returns.One house, three families, all linked by one spine-chilling presence. The central core of the supernatural drama series Lightfields is a location. In this case, Lightfields Farm, which we see at the heart of three stories, one set in 1944, one in 1975, and one in the present day. Naturally enough, these three stories have a degree of overlap to them, and across the five spooky episodes that make up the show, the secrets are gradually revealed more and more. Lightfields is a follow-up of sorts to Marchlands, which successfully used a similar structure to weave it tale, although the toolbox of tricks isn't really that dissimilar. All concerned seem well versed in their ghost story checklist, and through the strong performances, there are a few moments the genuinely get under the skin. Sadly, there are a few more that would have been a lot more effective, had the musical side of things been reined in a little. Too many potential jumps are signposted by the imposing score, sadly. Yet while there's a reliance on cliches of the genre to tell the Lightfields story, that doesn't mean it doesn't all hang together. In fact, it works well, with credit due to the impressive cast, who work their way through the weaving narrative with enough conviction. And while Lightfields may not have the surprise of its forerunner, it nonetheless serves as a very watchable, well made drama, which is well worth following through until the end. --Jon Foster
