Ambassadors (TV Mini Series 2013) Poster

(2013)

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8/10
Entertaining, wish there were more!
zdarov9 May 2021
I'm not a die-hard follower of these guys, but enjoy them both. The other actors were really good, too. Well-done, engaging story line. We'd welcome more!
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8/10
True Quality
michaelr-0721730 July 2021
Although it only had a three episode run, this was a truly well done program. It was realistic and dramatic, but it contained so much genuine humor as well. Definitely worth the watch.
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6/10
Slightly Disappointed
michaelradny8 October 2015
I knew what I was going to get with Ambassadors, some great Mitchell and Webb moments, but unfortunately they didn't come as often as I would have liked. Having previously not heard of the mini-series I had a suspicion that there was a reason for that. Whilst enjoyable and definitely watchable, it just lacks the chemistry of which Peep Show and the Mitchell and Webb Look possessed so much of.

For die hard Mitchell and Webb viewers, this T.V. show will offer some good times, but I would't be bragging about it to anyone else. Whilst the comedy is still slightly visible in this snowy show, there just isn't enough of it over the babbling of words we don't care about.
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9/10
Intelligent, Interesting and Enjoyable - More Please
at_powell12 November 2013
A fascinating mix of political satire, relationship drama and intelligent comedy, the Ambassadors was well acted by a quality cast and developed nicely over the 3 episodes. The absurdities of service in the FCO were well balanced by the consideration of some interesting themes and the inevitable moral quandaries that arise when trying to meet the often multiple and incompatible requirements of the diplomatic service.

Both Mitchell and Webb delivered enjoyable performances, and the production values were excellent, providing a realistic backdrop for the supporting cast to develop their characters.

I was genuinely disappointed to find out that there are only 3 episodes - it deserves more.
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10/10
Realistic, funny ... more, please!
m-rickerd28 November 2013
As a former member of the British Diplomatic Service I found this series ticked a lot of boxes. I recognised a number of the characterisations as being similar to people I had come across in my own career, and the balance of realistic scenarios and humour was cleverly done. I found myself empathising with several of the characters in the Embassy who struggled to maintain a semblance of normal life amid conflicting, usually urgent and sometimes dangerous, calls on their time. Reviewer journalist1 clearly has a different interpretation of "politically correct" than me. The programme deliberately poked fun at institutions and individuals, from the British Royal Family to the ruling clique of the semi-fictitious country where it is set. Of course there were errors - the Union Jack regularly being flown upside down, for example, something that the producers should really have got right - and it had to be a bit "over-the-top" to be funny, but overall it was an amusing but realistic peek into the world of modern diplomacy at the day-to-day level. I hope there will be another series.
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10/10
Great wit and comic acting
jimclarke-32 December 2013
I cannot understand the odd really rubbishing reviews that have appeared here and there of Ambassadors ; almost as if there is a hidden agenda. There are so many 10 star reviews, of which I agree, that to give 1 star is really perverse. For myself (and my wife) we found Ambassadors the wittiest, most original production we have seen for a long time. It was interesting to read a former member of the British Diplomatic Service stating how near reality it was; I suspected that it was and it was good to have this underlined. Both Mitchell and Webb were superb here; I have not always been a fan of their skit shows, but this was clever comic acting at its best. I would love to see a further series, but if that is not forthcoming then another Mitchell and Webb production using this characterful and entertaining format would be a winner.
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9/10
Funny, Intelligent and Best of British
simon-852-37975430 November 2013
I have never been tempted to write a review before, but was roused into action when I heard that this series only had three episodes and there are no plans for any more.

I think this is the best comedy I have seen since Episodes. There were many times when I laughed out loud. Each week my girlfriend and I eagerly looked forward to the next installment

This was intelligently written and very funny. It centres around the ambassador and his right-hand man, the ambassador's wife and a small group of staff at embassy. It comes across a quintessentially British bumbling around in a foreign country trying to grasp a strange culture. As someone well travelled, I would normally hate that approach but credit to the excellent writing. This kept me entertained with mild plots and lots of laugher.

I will be recommending this to all my friends especially ex-pats that are always looking for gems of British TV and British comedy.
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9/10
Great show!
Emmajn10026 December 2013
I tend to have a short attention span, but I watched all three episodes back to back. Highly recommended although unexpectedly serious and definitely not Peep Show.

It's a new genre for Mitchell and a Webb and I think they pull it off really well despite the fact that you're waiting for those side glances from Webb at the end of his scenes. Budgets looked fairly big as it seemed all to be shot in Turkey or surrounding regions. Therefore I hope the mixed reviews don't affect a decision about follow up shows.... I'm hoping they make a second series which I think will learn from the first, and will see the characters mature and grow further.
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Underrated and under-appreciated
AlexanderExtazy6 May 2015
This is a very fine TV show. If it weren't for fools who admire shows based on daily hospital routines and cops with boring lives that investigate repetitive murders; then unique and rare brilliance such as this would exist in today's TV show listings.

However, boring people are the majority of judges in ratings; therefore they rate those boring shows and inspire them to make at least a dozen series within their lifespan.

Unfortunate excellence such as Ambassadors, Kingpin, Hung, The Honorable Woman, and many more don't get a chance to cause greater impression in following series than they already had in their first season showing.
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1/10
Weak Weak Weak Weak WEAK
journalist11 November 2013
Yet another typical wishy washy BBC fiasco dolled up as entertainment. You just know its a BBC product when they disparage the royal family and mention the Guardian within the first three minutes of the show.

Regarding the royal family, I am sure over at the BBC they think that somehow its 'edgy' and 'real' to knock the head of state's family and that may have been so TWENTY years ago, however, today it just looks dated and another BBC attempt to talk down the country who's people pay their over- priced bills.

The comedy fails on every level, the actors seem to have no love for the series or their parts and boy does it show, the viewer gets the strong impression the cast have no faith in what they are doing while the expression on their faces is one of abject misery, they just don't seem to want to be there, that they the cast all have better things to do , that they deserve FAR better parts but for some reason no-one else recognises their incredible comedic qualities, the dialogue is stilted, weak and forced, as for the writing, it is so unfunny as to beggar description.

Look, this is meant to be a COMEDY yet there is absolutely NOTHING funny about the show whatsoever unless you are a left-wing Guardian- reading Labour voter of 20 years ago and even then that's a real maybe.

The problem with BBC comedy these days is that they are so busy ticking all the politically-correct boxes they fail to realise that any humour a show did have has long since disappeared.

If viewers want to see REAL comedy check out VEEP as an example of what is funny because Ambassadors isn't nothing of the sort and the fact that the BBC keeps trying to sell us the licence-fee payer counterfeit goods reflects that unless they really up their game their day is done.
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10/10
Excellent
aaron-5356628 February 2019
Interesting, great acting and strong plot. Disappointed there's only three
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10/10
Very good show
mikelingard30 September 2017
A good show. Well worth viewing.

I did spot one small error. In the first two episodes the embassy cars Union flag, when shown, was upside down.This is in fact an international symbol of distress. A very minor detail but worth mentioning. And assuredly did not spoil a very good program.

M. Lingard
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9/10
Simple story-telling, detailed focus on characters and plot
nakrugt19 October 2020
Most of the times it is great to see a satire focusing on characters, international politics and simple and well-written plot. And this show is one.

There are some racial stereotypes, but they kind of get away with it as they criticize British diplomacy, as well.

I hope they make another series.
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10/10
Leaves you wanting the next two series
ahhffs25 February 2022
I cannot express how insightful, topical and humorous i found this triptych of episodes.

I laughed, I ruminated, I wished there were many more to follow.

I also read the incredibly poor rating given by journalist1 and realised that he totally missed any of the points that were amusingly and cleverly portrayed in the series.

Unsurprisingly, their reviews seem more to be a vehicle for self-inflation and a shin-kicking for the Beeb. (He/she/they probably reads 'The Sun/the Mirror.)

This series of one hould have been followed with more series and more episodes.

Any rating given on imdb less than 8 should be taken with a grain of salt, or ignored outright.

Do yourself a favour, watch the three gems provided.
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9/10
More! Even if it has been 10 years!
victorcurrie4 February 2024
How could they stop at three episodes with such a well set-up next series? Great show. Now go with me here: As I watched I kept thinking the pace of the editing was inspired by Boston Legal (which would be a good thing, it it was so, but I assume it's a coincidence. BTW, I used to own a post facility and edit so I tend to obsess over things like that). It's a slow build but by the end of the three shows you'll absolutely want more. C'mon producers, it's a British show so 10 years between seasons isn't all that strange.

And the person who gave it one star is an idiot. I can see how someone may not get it and give it a middling review if they don't get the subtle bits but a 1? The guys listening in on the office surveillance bugs deserve four points by themselves (that's not a spoiler).
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