roadkill review bbc

Keep up to date with all the dramas - from period to crime to comedy. Line of Duty director, Michael Keillor, helms the BBC's new political drama, Roadkill. It's competently put together and the plot draws you in," he wrote. Already have an account with us? Roadkill is a British four-part television thriller written and created by David Hare, and directed by Michael Keillor. âRoadkillâ Review: A Political Career in Peril Hugh Laurie stars as a British cabinet minister beset by scandal in a âMasterpieceâ series from David Hare. .css-po6dm6-ItalicText{font-style:italic;}Follow us on Facebook, or on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts. Comments Hugh Laurie Delivers in Soapy British Political Drama âRoadkillâ: TV Review This is a huge installment â oh, and it also is the last one. CHRISTOPHER STEVENS reviews BBC's new political drama Roadkill The four-part BBC series follows populist MP Peter Laurence, who has some skeletons tucked away. David Hare has said that Peter Laurence is ânot based on anyoneâ, and itâs true that he doesnât resemble any one person, but heâs also clearly recognisable as a politician for the modern age. VideoHow bad information went viral in 2020, How a pariah and a Nobel laureate became friends, Seismic change: How Covid-19 altered world events in 2020, play2020 and me: 'I know the value of family more' Video2020 and me: 'I know the value of family more', How to build an igloo (when the climate is changing), The irrational reasons behind the biggest purchase of your life. Despite my (many) complaints, I donât hate this show either. If you have a story suggestion email [email protected]. Radio Times critic Eleanor Bley Griffiths was probably the least impressed, describing episode one as "a bit of a disappointment", although she still gave it a three-star review. Roadkill premieres Sunday, November 1 at 9 p.m. on PBS Masterpiece. .css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:link{color:inherit;}.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:visited{color:#696969;}.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:link,.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:visited{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:link:hover,.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:visited:hover,.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:link:focus,.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:visited:focus{color:#B80000;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:link::after,.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:visited::after{content:'';position:absolute;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;left:0;z-index:2;}Hugh Laurie made a CBE by Prince Charles, 'Enormous damage' to US agencies by Trump - Biden. "It is good to be reminded of the enduring truths - that power corrupts, that charisma tells us nothing of a man (or woman), that political ambition is rarely purely a craving to serve the public. Critics lauded the performances in the BBC drama but had some caveats, such as the "dodgy dialogue". Roadkill BBC One âââââ Two minutes in to David Hareâs four-part political thriller Roadkill and we already had a âNope, that just wouldnât happenâ moment. Video. Roadkill, episode 1, review: Hugh Laurie plays politics with aplomb in David Hare's polemic 4/5 Dodgy dialogue and ropy exposition can be forgiven when the â¦ Then thereâs a prime ministerial Helen McCrory, who gives us a glimpse of what it would be like if Peaky Blindersâ Aunt Pol made it to Number Ten. We look forward to sending you our email updates. But Peter has plenty of skeletons in his closet. What impact has Covid had on global climate? But Roadkill is saved, to some extent, by the calibre of the actors involved. "For all its post-Brexit aspirations, though, this feels like a drama from an earlier time, with a traditional left-wing heart. Watch the trailer for BBCâs Roadkill But my second complaint is that certain characters do behave in wildly implausible ways. ", She added: "This was mostly down to the excellent Hugh Laurie as 'man of the people Tory' Peter Laurence, especially when he was in scenes with the equally splendid Helen McCrory playing a ball-busting prime minister with a Margaret Thatcher hairdo but far better clothes.". Hugh Laurie is predictably excellent. The four-parter, directed by Line of Duty's Michael Keillor, stars Laurie as a controversial Conservative minister. To manage your email preferences, click here. So Iâm not wildly drawn in by the plot, or the concept, or the dialogue, or the characters. Fresh from a successful libel case against a journalist printing stories alleging corruption, he's a man on the rise. And if the next three episodes give them some good material to work with, Iâm looking forward to seeing more of Sarah Greene and Pip Torrens and the rest of the top-notch Roadkill cast. News, photos, videos and full episode guide, Hugh Laurie’s Roadkill is not car crash TV âÂ but it’s not great, either, Peter Laurence is ânot based on anyoneâ, Meet the cast of the BBC’s political thriller Roadkill, David Hare recalls encouraging Roadkill star Hugh Laurie to “take acting more seriously”, Everything you need to know about Roadkill with Hugh Laurie, Roadkill writer insists Hugh Laurie's politician Peter Laurence is 'not based on anyone'. * In brief, what waste of 4 hours of my life that was. Peter Laurence (Hugh Laurie, House, Veep) is a political outsider who is very popular with the people. Then thereâs a subplot where Peter Laurenceâs chauffeur Sydney (Emma Cunniffe)âs girlfriend Margaret (Katie Leung) â keep up â is trying to pass on information to Peterâs own barrister Rochelle (Pippa Bennett-Warner). .css-yidnqd-InlineLink:link{color:#3F3F42;}.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:visited{color:#696969;}.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:link,.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:visited{font-weight:bolder;border-bottom:1px solid #BABABA;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:link:hover,.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:visited:hover,.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:link:focus,.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:visited:focus{border-bottom-color:currentcolor;border-bottom-width:2px;color:#B80000;}@supports (text-underline-offset:0.25em){.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:link,.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:visited{border-bottom:none;-webkit-text-decoration:underline #BABABA;text-decoration:underline #BABABA;-webkit-text-decoration-thickness:1px;text-decoration-thickness:1px;-webkit-text-decoration-skip-ink:none;text-decoration-skip-ink:none;text-underline-offset:0.25em;}.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:link:hover,.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:visited:hover,.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:link:focus,.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:visited:focus{-webkit-text-decoration-color:currentcolor;text-decoration-color:currentcolor;-webkit-text-decoration-thickness:2px;text-decoration-thickness:2px;color:#B80000;}}The Telegraph's Anita Singh was one of those, describing Laurie as "great, just as he was in The Night Manager. Several newspaper critics bestowed four stars out of five on the first episode, which sees Laurie's character Peter Laurence battling to stop both his public and private life falling apart against a backdrop of political plotting and intrigue. Itâs the supermarket sandwich of the drama world. Sundays arenât normally my favourite day of the week. She added: "Hare has crafted an intriguing plot and succeeds in making us want to find out where Laurence goes next. The cast also includes Us actors Saskia Reeves and Iain De Caestecker alongside Peaky Blinders star Helen McCrory. "But Roadkill is saved, to some extent, by the calibre of the actors involved. The series received its premiere on the BBC on Sunday 18 October and aired every Sunday at 9pm on BBC One. Aside from the performances by Helen McCrory and Hugh Laurie, episode one is a bit of a disappointment, writes Eleanor Bley Griffiths. .css-14iz86j-BoldText{font-weight:bold;}Hugh Laurie is back on our screens in David Hare's latest political thriller, Roadkill, which critics have given a mostly warm reception. All episodes are now available to watch via the BBC iPlayer. There are four episodes available. The Daily Mail's Christopher Stevens largely enjoyed the first episode, also giving it four stars and lavishing praise on both the performances of the leads and Hare's writing. The main thought I have after episode one is: âhuh, that was an OK drama.â I donât love it. Politician Peter Laurence's private life is falling apart. The president-elect says his team is not getting the information it needs on national security. By entering your details, you are agreeing to Radio Times privacy policy. REVIEW Roadkill BBC One ââââ IT IS not exactly going out on a limb to describe politicians as a slippery bunch, seemingly motivated by ambition more than principle. Who cares about a politician having an illegitimate child or an extra-marital affair these days, Roadkill asks. Chiming with Midgley's point that the drama is unrealistic at times, Griffiths wrote that "certain characters behave in wildly implausible ways", referring to a plotline featuring a journalist played by Sarah Greene. For American audiences, Roadkill will be broadcast on PBS Masterpiece from Sunday 1 November at 9pm. BBC's new drama Roadkill premiered on Sunday night - and fans are saying the same thing about the show. © 2020 BBC. by Adam Sweeting Monday, 19 October 2020. Shamelessly untroubled by guilt or remorse, he seeks to further his own agenda whilst others plot to bring him down. Roadkill release date â cast, plot and review for BBC One thriller starring Hugh Laurie The Night Manager actor will play a Conservative minister attempting to out-run his past. Peter Laurence MP sees himself as a new kind of politician, and heâs coated himself in teflon. "With any actor less likeable than Hugh, this story would be unbearably cynical," he wrote, "Sir David expertly shows us the man's charming façade as well as his cold, hard core. Roadkill: Season 1 67% Critics Consensus: Hugh Laurie is reliably solid, but Roadkill is riddled with plot holes -- though those okay with a bumpy ride may find it a diverting enough drive. You're now subscribed to our newsletter. In the United States, it was broadcast as part of the Masterpiece anthology series on PBS starting 1 November 2020. In a good light, on a good day, it makes their multiple manifestations look more manageable," she wrote. Which is also odd. Sign in to manage your newsletter preferences. This is the end of the road and weâre prepared for almost anything to happen â at least within what is feasible in this showâs own world. Thatâs odd. Roadkill, episode 4 review: a fun but flawed end to David Hare's political soap 3/5 Hugh Laurie's slippery politician schemed his way into Number 10 in the final episode of the series We may also send occasional updates from our editorial team. So far, so plausible. Midgley also revealed that she had seen the whole series and felt the first episode was "the weakest". Why, for example, would Charmian Pepper be utterly flabbergasted that her editor would fire her after she changed her story in court and lost her newspaper Â£1.5 million? It was first broadcast on BBC One on 18 October 2020. Written by David Hare and starring Hugh Laurie as Conservative minister Peter Laurence, the four-part political thriller is apparently about the âdeath of disgraceâ; that is, the increasing tendency for politicians to shrug off scandals or misdeeds (personal and professional) which previously would have ended their careers â or at least relegated them to the back benches for a little while until public memory had faded. The second episode of BBC's promising new drama Roadkill aired on Sunday night, and plenty of viewers took to social media to discuss the series - with some discussing their disappointment of â¦ Immediate Media Company Limited (publishers of radiotimes.com) would love to send you our Drama newsletters. The four-part series, helmed by Line of Duty director Michael Keillor â¦ Roadkill, BBC One, episode 1 review âââââ 18 Oct 20 â 18 Oct 21, ON BBC ONE Hugh Laurie stars in David Hare's latest TV project Roadkill. Margaret has apparently decided she admires Rochelle after watching her in court, and now she expects her to investigate her own client. First up is a story about a dodgy meeting he had at a think tank in Washington, which newspaper reporter Charmian Pepper (Sarah Greene) wasnât able to prove in court â but of course sheâs now jumped on a plane to the US, determined to dig up more information. Writing in the Independent, Ed Cumming was slightly less enamoured, giving Roadkill three stars, feeling it was a little dated. Roadkill reviews: Critics heap praise on Hugh Laurie's performance 19 October The Telegraph said Hugh Laurie was "charismatic" as fictional MP Peter Laurence Hugh Laurie is â¦ The day is full of the looming prospect of Monday, with its early start and grumpy kids and long week ahead. Then there's a prime ministerial Helen McCrory, who gives us a glimpse of what it would be like if Peaky Blinders' Aunt Pol made it to Number Ten.". The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. "Why, for example, would Charmian Pepper be utterly flabbergasted that her editor would fire her after she changed her story in court and lost her newspaper £1.5 million?" However outlandish the fictional scheming on display, the real world is crazier, and we've seen this kind of conspiracy too many times before.". It doesnât water-cannon us with message â asylum seekers â¦ With Hugh Laurie, Helen McCrory, Olivia Vinall, Jennifer Hennessy. The problem is: none of that seems especially biting political commentary any more. I donât hate it. "Roadkill's pedigree is obvious. Carol Midgley of The Times also gave the drama three stars, again singling out Laurie and McCrory for praise. Hugh Laurieâs Roadkill is not car crash TV â but itâs not great, either Aside from the performances by Helen McCrory and Hugh Laurie, episode one is â¦ Investigators seek motive in Nashville bombing, Your post-Christmas guide to staying positive this winter, 'She is very beautiful and intelligent but she is Indian', .css-q4by3k-IconContainer{display:none;height:1em;width:1em;vertical-align:-0.125em;margin-right:0.25em;}playHow bad information went viral in 2020. .css-1xgx53b-Link{font-family:ReithSans,Helvetica,Arial,freesans,sans-serif;font-weight:700;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;color:#FFFFFF;}.css-1xgx53b-Link:hover,.css-1xgx53b-Link:focus{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}Read about our approach to external linking. Then thereâs daughter number one, pictured snorting coke at a night club; and possible daughter number two, who has just made contact from her jail cell. ", He added: "Helen McCrory is at her best playing PM Dawn Ellison as part Margaret Thatcher, part Peaky Blinder.". Roadkill, BBC One review - David Hare pokes under the floorboards of the Conservative party Hugh Laurie plays an ambitious government minister with a shady history. playWhat impact has Covid had on global climate? And what kind of strange HR investigation was that â and why on earth would the company let editor Joe Lapidus (Pip Torrens) get near Charmian again after her sexual discrimination complaint, without a lawyer present? The political drama follows Hugh Laurie as â¦ Read about our approach to external linking. And as we saw in the first episode, Laurence has plenty of scandals just waiting in the wings. At least Roadkill isnât as bad as Collateral, David Hareâs last big-budget BBC outing. Letâs see where it takes us. Thanks for signing up to our drama newsletter! Who cares about this newspaper allegation, which heâs beaten in court anyway with a defamation suit? she asks. The final episode of BBC One âs Roadkill wasâ¦ well, it was an interesting one, to say the least. But he is a playwright and with the exception of Laurie, who makes the dialogue sing, the characters speak in ways better suited to the stage than an approximation of real life. And perhaps weâre not really meant to understand whatÂ Prime Minister Dawn Ellison (Helen McCrory) is playing at in putting Peter Laurence in the Ministry of Justice, but she and Julia seem to have done it either for a laugh or to bring on a government scandal (or both). From badminton player to prize-winning Nasa scientist, .css-orcmk8-HeadlineContainer{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-box-pack:justify;-webkit-justify-content:space-between;-ms-flex-pack:justify;justify-content:space-between;}Covid-19: Concern at 'unprecedented' infection level in England.css-1dedj2h-Rank{-webkit-align-self:center;-ms-flex-item-align:center;align-self:center;color:#B80000;margin-left:3.125rem;}1, Joe Biden: 'Enormous damage' to US security agencies by Trump2, Hilaria Baldwin denies faking Spanish heritage3, Coronavirus: Hundreds of British skiers flee Swiss Verbier quarantine4, 'She is beautiful but she is Indian': The student who became a Welsh bard at 195, Ghislaine Maxwell denied $28.5m bail in sex crime case6, Loujain al-Hathloul: Saudi woman activist jailed for five years7, Rare white kiwi Manukura that inspired book and toys dies8, Covid: South Africa's Ramaphosa announces new restrictions as cases soar9, Atlantic discovery: 12 new species 'hiding in the deep'10. Roadkill is about Peter Laurence (Hugh Laurie), a self-made forceful and charismatic politician. Roadkill review â greed and corruption at the heart of the government 4 5 Although it is set in a world without Brexit or the pandemic, David Hareâs â¦ I quite often begin a Sunday slightly gingerly, having enjoyed a little too much adult fruit juice on Saturday night. Video, 2020 and me: 'I know the value of family more' Video, 2020 and me: 'I know the value of family more', What impact has Covid had on global climate? VideoWhat impact has Covid had on global climate? You can unsubscribe at any time. Oh, and heâs having an affair with Sidse Babbet Knudsen. Sunday nights are set to be given a fresh dose of political drama with BBC's Roadkill.. Roadkill, BBC One review - David Hare pokes under the floorboards of the Conservative party . Can he out-run his own secrets to â¦ So you have to steel yourself to have the stomach for Roadkill (BBC One), in which writer David Hare and Line Of Duty director Michael Keillor present... View Article Roadkill, Sunday 18th October, 9pm, BBC One. Itâs fine. Covid-19: Concern at 'unprecedented' infection level in England, Joe Biden: 'Enormous damage' to US security agencies by Trump, Hilaria Baldwin denies faking Spanish heritage, Coronavirus: Hundreds of British skiers flee Swiss Verbier quarantine, 'She is beautiful but she is Indian': The student who became a Welsh bard at 19, Ghislaine Maxwell denied $28.5m bail in sex crime case, Loujain al-Hathloul: Saudi woman activist jailed for five years, Rare white kiwi Manukura that inspired book and toys dies, Covid: South Africa's Ramaphosa announces new restrictions as cases soar, Atlantic discovery: 12 new species 'hiding in the deep', Radio Times critic Eleanor Bley Griffiths. Series stars Hugh Laurie as a Tory cabinet minister. For more information about how we hold your personal data, please see our privacy policy. Sign in to/ register for a RadioTimes.com account to manage your email preferences. I suspect Peter Laurence will sail through all of these scandals by blithely dismissing them as an irrelevance, or as unfair attacks from his enemies. Roadkill is the new drama from playwright and screenwriter David Hare and it sets out its stall immediately as a terribly sophisticated Sunday night telly for grown-ups. Look â Roadkill is a perfectly serviceable drama. â¦ The Guardian's Lucy Mangan also thought the drama worthy of four stars, noting the thriller's universal appeal at a time of real-life political turmoil amidst a global pandemic with Brexit looming. REVIEW: BBC One's 'Roadkill' has a lot going on but not much of it is interesting. Roadkill review: Hugh Laurie is a Farage-Gove-Johnson mashup in this predictable political thriller David Hareâs new drama is competently put together and the plot draws you in â â¦ Iain de Caestecker and Hugh Laure in PBS' 'Roadkill' (The Forge/Steffan Hill) While working to advance his political fortunes, Laurence encounters â¦ This is a huge installment â oh, and it also is the last one. Are you prepared for Roadkill episode 4 airing on BBC One next week? Thanks! "Dodgy dialogue and ropy exposition can be forgiven when the plot is so enticing and Hugh Laurie, as a slippery MP, is so charismatic.". Four-part drama Roadkill aired 18th October-8th November on BBC One, and is currently airing on Sundays on PBS Masterpiece in the US at 9/8c. Is there ever any real fallout? Hugh Laurie is predictably excellent as a Conservative MP with a populist streak and his own radio show; his performance is magnetic, with flashes of charm and callousness; both likeable and utterly detestable. Roadkill: BBC drama accused of âleft-wing biasâ as first episode leaves viewers divided. Check out what else is on with our TV Guide,Â or take a look at ourÂ new TV shows 2020Â page to find out whatâs airing this autumn and beyond. You can unsubscribe at any time. And as she is so stupidly surprised, are we still to believe that she is a talented investigative reporter? Roadkill is a dreadful waste of time, and yes, it's about a Tory politician, but leave it at the door, it's a fiction for crying out loud. Here's everything we know about the four-part series that everyone will be talking about. It's a charismatic performance and he gets under the skin of Laurence". Get your gears turning with hundreds of puzzles, with new ones added each week - and enjoy a seven day free trial! For just Â£25 enjoy a tasting trio and learn from a Laithwaite's wine expert! It may feel eerily close to home at times but BBC Oneâs new political thriller Roadkill is entirely fictionalised. But hey! "It is too mannered and expositional to be realistic (in this way it reminded me of Bodyguard), but it is welcome immersive escapism and not nearly as earnest and improbable as Hare's last big TV offering, Collateral, which was like being subjected to weekly political sermons via water cannon. How bad information went viral in 2020.