Reviews

This was far-fetched from the beginning and got even more so scene by scene. Felt like no research had been done for accuracy - the way the police and border force acted was just complete cobblers, entirely unbelievable.

For me a complete fail even by the end of the first episode. Production values were OK but the script was terrible in terms of storyline and dialogue and no-one stood out in terms of acting.

Richard Armitage acted like he'd taken a bunch of sleeping pills for most of the episode and then miraculously transformed into Usain Bolt. It was full of ludicrous actions.

The soundtrack was disappointing and paint by numbers.

For fans of very cheesy melodramas only.

With C5 dramas you never quite know what you're going to get, they're sometimes surprising in ways you didn't hope for.

This one isn't the worst or the best, its OK-ish. Yes the script was cheesy and had many improbabilities. Like someone driving by who sees a room to let advertised, pops in and happens to have three grand cash in her purse to slap down as a deposit. I wish that was me...

But on the plus side it was reasonably well made and had a strong cast with the likes of Lee Ingleby and Jill Halfpenny.

It was well paced, (its just four episodes) and had some big twists, if you like psychological dramas it's worth checking out and a fun ride (if you can suspend your disbelief at some of the plotting).

If you're wondering where its filmed, we're in County Wicklow, Ireland, which really is as nice as it looks here.

Had a lot of good press reviews which led me to it, as C4 probably has the best record these days for new British comedy, but I was left a bit disappointed by what I watched.

To be fair it's labelled as a comedy drama not a sitcom so we're on a journey with Maggie and her best friend as she battles her bipolar condition.

I don't mind harder hitting comedy and loved 'Alma's not Normal' by Sophie Willan for instance, This one felt like the characters bipolar condition was added to get it commissioned and wasn't driving the narrative journey the way it should have done.

It kind of fell into the trap of not being dramatic enough and more importantly not funny enough, there was barely any humorous moments and it didn't feel terribly authentic.

It might get better for those who can stick with it, but it didn't do enough to hook me emotionally or make me laugh. Production values were OK, direction was a bit sloppy at times though.

Fancied this one but afraid it turned out to be a dud. The jokey opening suggested humour that didn't materialise. In fact for older viewers, it felt a bit like The League of Gentleman with all the funny bits extracted.

I couldn't really work out what the genre was or what the story is about. There seems to be a beast on the loose in the woods next door to the fictional Lancashire town of 'Chadder Vale'.

None of it really added up for me. The pointlessly sweary script didn't setup what we were getting into. Production values were poor, dialogue was hard to hear, lots of the interior scenes weren't lit properly (don't they have electricity in Lancashire?) and direction was poor generally with lots of weird shots and angles.

The cops just weren't convincing at all and looked they were based in a squat. There weren't any likable characters and it seemed aimless - a drama that didn't really have any real drama in it.

Might have worked better as a 30 minute black comedy. I'm afraid after episode one 'Chadder Vale' is already in my rear view mirror.

OK its C5 and we expect something cheap and cheerful, but this only managed to over deliver on the cheapness.

Sally was introduced to us living in a house in the woods, which didn't seem to have any lights? Not surprisingly she went to Cyprus for some holiday sun - but her room there didn't have any lights either. The darkness followed her.

Seems like they couldn't afford a film crew...

This was a real Turkey in every single respect, Direction, Writing, Acting, Production Values, Score - they all sucked big time.

An embarrassing effort, one to avoid - or watch for laughs if you've had a few (too many) drinks.

This was a really odd piece of TV. It was almost impossible to pigeon hole and I think that's its major problem - there was too much going on and it mixed too many genres.

There was magical realism, sci-fi touches, documentary realism, theatrical dialogue and monologues - all roughly connected by some heavy-handed politicking.

There was a big lack of attention to credible characters and storyline and I'll be surprised if many people will see it through to the end - its just too messy a beast and one with very little pay-off.

At the end of the day a clunky experimental drama with a political agenda that will appeal to a minority and quickly disappear from memory.

From the creator of 'The Good Karma Hospital' this new series also has a feel good beat underpinning the drama. There's a strong cast led by comedy stalwarts Neil Morrisey (Ageing ever so well) and James Buckley.

But don't be deceived by the comedy opening there are some very dark deeds ahead about to be uncovered...

This is a decent middle of the road comedy/drama written for a wide audience with lots of nice twists and turns that'll keep you guessing. If that sounds like your boat jump on board, the four episodes will fly by.

Had some nice touches with the supporting characters and actors too. Not going to blow your socks off or win any Bafta's but an easy watch.

For me it was a turkey. Had a very clunky opening sequence that was laughable rather than dramatic, not helped by a paint by numbers techno soundtrack.

I was hoping for a disaster thriller with some eco themes but this had no ambitions beyond a plain old murder mystery. Direction particularly of the opening flood scenes was poor and unconvincing, they didn't seem to have any budget at all for extras.

The script was very poor on all levels, clunky dialogue, heavy exposition, an unbelievable world, everyone says exactly what they think etc., etc.

No interest in watching more, let alone 5 episodes. A real turkey, avoid if you don't want indigestion.

I watched the original Dutch TV version of this show which ran for 4 series 10x40m from 2014-2019. It was a bit cheesy at times but enjoyable with well-grounded characters and a dramatic storyline full of unexpected twists and some pretty raunchy scenes.

The remake seems to have been drained of drama and toned down and as a consequence comes a distant second to the original (Which was titled 'New Neighbours' but can still be found on C4 Catchup with subtitles as 'The Swingers'. If you haven't watched either definitely seek out the original.

The remake didn't feel authentic if felt tepid with a lot of one-dimensional performances, Hugh Dennis aside. For some reason it was shot in Leeds and The Netherlands and Belgium but meant to be set in Yorkshire, so a lot of it just looked plain wrong.

I'm afraid I very quickly lost all interest, it was naffly made in all respects, including acting, writing and direction.

Its a syrupy and soapy confection that will appeal mainly to fans of the cosy crime genre. Shayne Ward and Catherine Tyldesley play the amateur sleuths chasing murderer's at sea.

Yes its a bit naff and won't win any awards but it does what it says on the tin. Its an escapist show with nice scenery and songs. The sharpest things about it was probably Shayne Ward's designer stubble.

On the negative side the plot had more holes than a fisherman's net and there was no chemistry between the leads.

If you like Agatha Raisin, Death in Paradise etc. Its worth a look - if you prefer more serious whodunnits it won't be your cup of tea.

There's some great actors in the mix, Morvern Christie as the lead is supported by Peter Mullan - but they aren't enough to save this one. Its formulaic and handicapped by a script full of wild improbabilities, clunky dialogue and obvious exposition.

The police procedural element were often incorrect and unbelievable. The British police who struggle to arrest a shoplifter have laser insight here and move at lightning pace... The baddies were all cliches.

Production values were average, there were some strangely directed scenes and the score was weak.

For me a big miss. America does this kind of show so much better, treat yourself and watch Ozark instead.

Boiling Point has history, having started as a short film which became a Netflix feature and has now become a four part TV series. There's no need to view either before coming to this (which is very much the best version) but you might want to look them up afterwards as the cast & crew are largely the same across all three.

Like many viewers I've worked in this environment albeit many years ago and I can attest to its accuracy in perfectly portraying the tensions of a busy kitchen and the conflicts that occasionally erupt spectacularly. I could literally feel my blood pressure rising just watching it.

There's a great cast across the board, its well-directed, beautifully written by James Cummings and has a fab score - its one of those productions where everyone involved is on top form and it all comes together seemlessly - I can't recommend it highly enough.

Congrats to all involved in making this one, hope there'll be more.

The shows creators have made an admirable decision in approaching this story from the viewpoint of the women who were murdered and their loved ones and the botched investigation - rather than a re-enactment that gives face time to their twisted killer.

As someone who was a teenager at the time I can remember how huge the impact of this long running crime spree was - and in retrospect how badly the victims were mistreated not just by their fates but by the misogyny and prejudices of the media and the police and sections of the general public at the time.

This series does its best to give them a voice and importance that was denied to them at the time and deserves to be commended.

Production values were very high, period detail was excellent and it was well directed with an excellent score. The casting was superb all round and the intelligent script by George Kay was understated and let the power of the women's stories prevail as they should.

One of the best UK dramas of 2023 that raises many questions about male violence that are sadly just as valid today as they were in the 70's and 80's when these crimes took place.

I liked the premise for the show but the execution was really poor unfortunately. Adapted from a crime novel by Jane Casey but given a different ending the script was lacklustre and so were the impassive cast, where was the drama?

As far as production values go, this was quite badly directed with a lot of shakey and distracting camera work and curious choices in the scene setups. There were also endless shots of Emma Appleton pacing the streets of London for no reason?

It just took ages to get into the story, which wasn't helped by an over reliance on flashbacks, by the end of the first episode I'd lost interest and I won't be watching any more.

Disappointing to see there's a lot of glowing reviews here that are obviously fake - nearly all posted by first time reviewers.

Could have and should have been an awful lot better, one you can safely skip.

A very topical drama about a conman extraordinaire, (Alistair Petrie) and two of his victims, his wife (Rebekkah Statton) who he left in the lurch and defrauded fifteen years ago and his new mark in the present (Marianne Jean-Baptiste).

The central trio were well cast and all three actors shone. I very much liked the story and thought the production values were very high. They adopted a very stylised look and tone for the series that some reviewers have compared to Wes Anderson.

Personally I wished protagonist Cheryl had a bit more get up and go and I didn't really understand why she and her family didn't go to the police at the time but its a small niggle I enjoyed it and got sucked in.

Overall an enjoyable well made show which is worth sticking with. Would have given it a higher rating if they'd packed the story into 4 episodes and made it a wee bit pacier.

I liked the opening device with the family introductions done via a video taken at a family Xmas party by the soon to die Larry Lamb.

This is an easy watch all round that isn't going to win any awards but does what it says on the tin. If you're looking for a pacey little family thriller full of twists and turns and dirty hidden secrets give it a twirl.

I couldn't quite work where it was set, seemed to be 'generic up north' with a patchwork of regional accents.

Original and ground-breaking no, a brilliant cast no, a bit soapy yes, but it had some good hooks and it lured me in. Worth a look if you enjoy family dramas.

Set in 2015 this series plays out against the backdrop of the scandal of the Magdalene Nurseries in Ireland finally being exposed, seen through the experience of the protagonist. Ruth Wilson plays against type with a very convincing performance and accent in the lead role.

Its an interesting, moving and intriguing story which is part social history and part psychological and Gothic thriller - for me all the elements worked well together. Production values were excellent, it was well directed and photographed the music by David Holmes and Brian Irvine deserves mention as it added a lot to it and the script by Joe Murtagh (Writer of the beautiful film Calm with Horses) was assured.

All in all loved every episode and Ruth Wilson will surely get a Bafta nomination for best actress for her outstanding work here.

Highly recommended, its a quality piece of work in every department.

Its a fun concept but unfortunately the title 'Henpocalypse!' was the funniest thing in it. Yes there were a few decent one-liners here and there and some visual gags with sex toys which worked, but overall it was too short of laughs for a pure comedy and consequently a miss.

Production values really were cheap and cheerful - I wouldn't be surprised if the cast and crew stayed in the Welsh cottage and shot it over a weekend. I think viewers would have happily overlooked this if the story and characters had been better developed and it was funnier.

The acting wasn't brill, Callie Cooke was the only one that shone, she has natural comic sense and timing. Generally there was just a bit too much pointless running around and shrieking to no effect.

I have no problems with female led comedies - really enjoyed Bridget Christie's recent comedy drama 'The Change' on C4 which was LOL funny as is 'We are lady parts also on C4 catch-up. Check them out if you haven't seen them, they're both much better than this one.

Tonally this was all over the place and as a result it was a mess. I genuinely couldn't work out if it was meant to be a comedy, thriller, police procedural or a horror story as it alternated between all of these genres from scene to scene.

Lead Jack Caffery was a bit one paced and it was hard to see what his new girlfriend saw in him - as he spent all his time with her staring out of the window at a creepy neighbour.

The script was very poor on all levels from the clunky exposition in the setup, to the story improbabilities and the unbelievable and often terrible dialogue. E.g. Caffery's monologue to the victim of domestic abuse in hospital. ChatGPT could have done better.

Note that there is also a lot of gratuitious and graphic violence peppered throughout. Avoid or watch for laughs if you have a very, very dark sense of humour.

If you want to see a decent Welsh thriller/noir seek out Hinterland and Hidden both are excellent and run to 3 series each - made by and starring some some of the best Welsh creative talent out there. They're still on iPlayer as of July 23.

Good to see something set up North. This had a fun start with the cheesy 90's TV advert and a cast of well-known actors who have comedy chops. Production values were cheap and cheerful but it was well enough made.

This is a watchable show with a few gentle laughs and some nice 90's nostalgia for those old enough to remember, but I was left a bit disappointed.

For me the lead character needed to be a lot bigger, Parker was a bit underwhelming as a lead and I'm not that bothered on going on a journey with him. The show would have benefitted from a more dramatic storyline and a funnier script it's all a bit soapy.

The soundtrack of pop songs from the era seemed to be randomly inserted every 5 or 6 minutes?

Better than many recent UK comedies but one you could safely skip.

Sadly this is based on a rather horrible case that viewers in the UK will almost certainly remember. Its written by Sarah Phelps, well known for her series of Agatha Christie adaptations on the BBC in recent years. It was made with the full permission of the victim's families.

Its a quietly effective and moving drama which is a sometimes difficult and uncomfortable watch. Very well-written and made.

The use of hand-held camera gave it a documentary feel at times. For me it was very much an actor led piece and this is its greatest strength. The three principals, Tim Spall, Anne Reid and Eanna Hardwicke all deliver big time with understated and nuanced performances.

One of the strongest UK dramas of 2023.

C5 have made a name for themselves in the last few years with cheap and cheerful thrillers some of which have been quite watchable - but I'm afraid this was a bottom of the barrel effort.

Production values were awful all round, the budget must have been miniscule but it doesn't excuse the poor direction, awful cast and truly woeful and often laughable script.

Lead Beth Alsbury gave an OTT performance that was all over the place and Ross Kemp acted like someone had slipped him a sedative before they went on set.

C5 should make fewer dramas and hire better talent, this was just too painful to watch till the end of the first episode. Do not waste your time on it.

New sitcom for ITVX set in a Bristol call centre and starring Jayde Adams - who was the best thing in it, she has good comic sensibilities.

The situation a bunch of misfits in a job they mostly don't want in a sales led call centre has obvious comic potential but Ruby Speaking didn't really capitalise on it. There were a lot of characters and only a few of them made any impact - Ruby and the big boss Vicky. The pilot story was a bit weak and fizzled out.

For me there's many other comedies that explore the world of sales and get much more comedy out of it, 'Phone Shop' for example. There was very little to laugh at in this, just a few one-liners.

The device whereby you could see who the call operators were talking to on screen was a bit clunky and didn't work.

Overall not the worst comedy of 2023 but not much to recommend it, felt a bit flat.

I was very pleasantly suprised by how good this series was. Its written by and stars Bridget Christie who I wasn't familiar with before, but she does a terrific job in both departments. There's also a familar and talented cast with the likes of Omad Djalili, Paul Whitehouse, Lisa Tarbuck (Brilliant!) and Monica Dolen in character roles.

More than anything this was a comedy that was actually laugh out loud funny, great comic characterisation, quirky story, sharply observed and some very funny one-liners. It was also very well-paced - the 25 minute episodes zipped by.

Congrats to all involved! I know C4 are cutting budgets at the moment but I really hope this one comes back, its a little gem and truly deserves it.