Roadkill (TV Mini Series) Episode #1.1 (2020) User Reviews

Very well produced, intriguing... Politically biased???

[Sleepin_Dragon · 8/10 · 14 November 2020]

Government Minister Peter Laurence escapes a court case, leaving The Prime Minister wondering if he's as squeaky clean as he makes out.

It's a very intriguing start, a series you'd have expected to come out of the 80's or 90's, it's a while since we've had a good political thriller.

Enjoyable, we are in such a troubled time politically, this dramatisation comes at a time where we need it.

The BBC has faced constant allegations of being biased, this doesn't help the cause, I'm not a Tory, far from it, but am someone that believes The BBC should be impartial, there is a bit of justifiable Tory bashing.

Laurie is very slick, as would be expected, he fits the kart well, as does McCrory, who's a bit more Margaret Thatcher than Theresa May.

A very strong start, 8/10.

Episode 1

[Prismark10 · 6/10 · 19 October 2020]

Written by David Hare. There was something old fashioned about this drama going by the first episode.

It reminded me of two BBC dramas from 1990. House of Cards shown on BBC1 and Blood Rights which was shown on BBC2. That latter marked Christopher Eccleston's television debut but otherwise has been totally forgotten.

Peter Laurence (Hugh Laurie) is a high flying Tory politician with lots of skeletons. He won a libel case but it seems something murky was involved in the victory. The journalist Charmian Pepper changed her testimony on the witness box.

Laurence's jubilant mood does not last long. He might have once fathered a mixed race daughter. The PM (Helen McCrory) offers Laurence a cabinet promotion that was not the job he expected.

Laurence is surrounded by people who are intent on betraying or humiliating him.

To chime with the old fashioned scenario. Laurence seems to be modelled on disgraced politician Jonathan Aitken who lost a libel case in the late 90s mixed with Nigel Farage. Laurence has a regular radio show of the kind Farage used to do.

The weak point was Pepper. The world's most unconvincing financial journalist. Shocked to find herself sacked for costing her employer a fortune.

For some reason I found the whole newspaper scenes, the journalist angle and the legal issues surrounding the libel case implausible. To think Hare wrote the award winning play Pravda.

The main drivers were Laurie and McCrory which wants me to see how this drama turns out.

A solid start!

[harrykivi · 7/10 · 11 February 2022]

In real life, I never want to talk about politics. It just seems very shady business for me. I got into "Roadkill" for a certain reason: my love for Hugh Laurie. He is a magnificent actor, who is not in enough movies in my opinion. That being said, the start "Roadkill" is good, but not great for me.

Let's start with the good aspects, shall we?

. The production values are great. The episode looks good. The music is very memorable and fits the scenery. The acting is mostly pretty good too. Pip Torrens and Olivia Vinall are quite solid in their roles, but the late Helen MCcroy and Hugh Laurie are absolutely fantastic. The scenes these two actors are in, felt wonderful.

. The story has intrigue and a variety of interesting characters- enough to keep one watching that is.

But...

. There are parts of the story, which could have been better. The newspaper angle of the narrative with Charmian, who is easily the most unrealistic journalist I have seen a long while in a TV series, did not feel realistic. For once: a talented journalist does not understand why was she fired, even though her employer made it loud and clear. Second: the employer makes a weird suggestion about her skirt, which did not feel all that professional either. The actress, who portrays Charmian is not the most convincing either, sadly.

Overall, solid, but not great.

7/10 HK.

A Waste of Hugh Laurie

[jdhb-768-61234 · 2/10 · 1 November 2020]

Oh dear, another BBC flop.

Despite the presence of the usually excellent Hugh Laurie, the story is confused and lacks any real interest. It is basically an unoriginal, left wing and politically correct production with paper thin characters and weak script. Laurie seems to be largely sleep walking through his part and appears to be doing little more than going through the motions.

A cast in which nearly all of the good guys are women or coloured, or both, while the bad guys are the usual nasty white Tories is a typically 'modern' approach to BBC drama..

By the end of the first episode I'd had more than enough. I won't be bothering with the other 3.