“It’s a rich, soapy lather shot through with comedy and an irresistible wholeheartedness”

impeachment american crime story

Impeachment American Crime Story, BBC2

“It is a weaker instalment than The People v OJ Simpson, which tended to round out and look anew at people who had long been reduced by popular culture to caricatures. But it holds up well in terms of propulsive, addictive drama. It’s a rich, soapy lather shot through with comedy and an irresistible wholeheartedness. And knowing the outcome only adds to, rather than lessens, the fun. You can hardly look away as the dominoes are tantalisingly set up.” 
Lucy Mangan, The Guardian 

“They are fleshed-out and complicated characters, but they’re not the most sympathetic. The story of the Clinton impeachment scandal is complicated and perhaps Murphy would have done the real Linda, Monica and Paula a disservice by trying to simplify the narrative. But the timeline is muddled, and the tone is uneven. As a TV show, Impeachment is interesting enough to hold attention for an hour at a time, but as a diary of one of the biggest political scandals in history it’s slow and – much like Paulson’s Linda – too caught up in its own importance.”
Emily Baker, The i 

“Scandalous real-life done with gloss, great actors and just a whiff of daytime melodrama.”
Carol Midgley, The Times

Ashley Banjo: Britain in Black and White; ITV

“Ashley’s vanity is off-putting. He paraded his trophies and favourite publicity pictures then challenged critic Dominique Samuels to a debate. She had strong reservations about seeing BGT used for political statements, but conceded that she would not have banned the broadcast. Crowing and whooping, Ashley claimed that as an outright win. In his Fidel Castro T-shirt, he made little attempt to address concerns about extremist aspects of Black Lives Matter.  It’s difficult to discuss anti-capitalism through the medium of dance, after all. Like Pan’s People or Hot Gossip in the 1970s, Diversity are in the best tradition of telly dance spectacles. But that doesn’t make Ashley a political figurehead.”
Christopher Stevens, Daily Mail 

“Britain in Black and White started well and ended badly. It wanted to spark debate, unpack what racism means in Britain today, promote the conversation – all of which is laudable. But not every conversation is helpful or even valid. Discretion is advised.”
Benji Wilson, The Telegraph 

Who Do You Think You Are?, BBC1

“Her reactions throughout were so amusingly theatrical they were almost their own show. There were gasps, stifled bewilderments and long pauses in which she instead spoke volumes with her eyes (disbelief, shock, grief). But then I suppose there are reasons why she is one of our acting greats.”
Carol Midgley, The Times

“Depending on where you park your cynicism, the Shakespeare link was either a stupendous turn up for the books, or proof that everyone’s “connected” to everyone if you go back to when we were fish. Dame Judi Dench, actress nonpareil, seemed delighted.”
Benji Wilson, The Telegraph

I Like The Way U Move, BBC 1

“If this is what the BBC has to offer the next generation, all under-30s ought to be exempted from the licence fee. It’s only fair. Apart from a few rehearsed moves, there was practically no dancing in the opening episode. All the emphasis was on the faux romances, which seemed heavily scripted. Long-haired Jaydon was attracted to shy Amy, chiefly because her tresses matched his.”
Christopher Stevens, Daily Mail