Derren Brown; A Suitable Boy

“Even if you didn’t know that Derren Brown: 20 Years of Mind Control was written and produced by Brown and Andrew O’Connor, the man who gave him his first television show and has worked with him ever since, it was clear from the off that we were in for an unchallenging ride. Essentially, this two-hour retrospective was a compilation of Brown’s greatest hits. And why not? They WERE great, and remain so in the retelling, all the ‘how the hell?’ moments as thrilling as ever.”
Lucy Mangan, The Guardian

“Derren Brown is such a brilliant mental manipulator that by the end of Derren Brown: 20 Years of Mind Control — Live I wondered if he might be persuaded to slip inside No 10. Imagine what Brown could do in a court trial, making witnesses say they have seen things they haven’t. He is the ultimate, clever confidence trickster.”
Carol Midgley, The Times

“The psychological illusionist marked 20 years of televised brain-bending with a slightly luvvie-ish but highly entertaining look back at his career. He might be older, wiser and balder but Brown retains the power to thrill and baffle.”
Michael Hogan, The Telegraph

“Perhaps he imagines viewers will remember all those stunts as well as he does. If you didn’t, this 130 minutes of highlights was frequently a confusing melange of clips — linked by gushing messages from famous friends such as Martin Freeman and Claire Danes.”
Christopher Stevens, Daily Mail

“The humorous bits of A Suitable Boy can sometimes lapse into overacted sitcom. I prefer it when it is being serious. I’m not always convinced that Lata (the talented Tanya Maniktala) would have this many eligible young men buzzing after her when she can seem so drippy and diffident at times. At others, though, such as when she stood up to her mother trying to drag her away from the after-show, you can see the steel in her soul.”
Carol Midgley, The Times

“The comedy in A Suitable Boy has always been its weakest element – as am-dram as the Twelfth Night performance featured in last night’s episode. But that changed thanks to Haresh, the shoe manufacturer who might just win Lata’s heart. As played by Namit Das, he is really quite loveable – ambitious yet artless in his smart suit and tie pin, and just the right level of comical. The adaptation is not without other faults. And yet it fits so comfortably into the cosy Sunday night slot, and has such old-fashioned charm, that it can be forgiven for its shortcomings. It is Downton-style, comfort TV.”
Anita Singh, The Telegraph

“I wanted to like this adaptation of a literary epic. The setting is romantic and gloriously colourful. But like the clouds of paint powder the characters throw around, there’s nothing really here to be grasped.”
Christopher Stevens, Daily Mail