29 Nov '11

“This is the latest manifestation of “structured reality” programming, essentially photo-romances for people who find reading speech bubbles too challenging, and it’s set in the British capital of self-dramatisation, Liverpool.”
Tom Sutcliffe, The Independent

“Desperate Scousewives sticks firmly to the tried and tested “structured reality show” format. Assemble a group of not-very-bright exhibitionists and tell them you are going to make them stars: encourage them to drink, shop and have sex. A lot. And film everything with a hint of soft-focus for maximum airhead effect.”
John Crace The Guardian

“In pre-show interviews, several of the cast said they were keen to prove themselves as more than just a string of stereotypes. It’s just a shame that this first episode actually managed to airbrush out one of the city’s finest traits: its warmth.”
Alex Hardy, The Times                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

“If truth be told it was a slightly dull and anti-climactic film, but it couldn’t stifle the romance of the story it told, and it effectively enlarged your respect for the men who had to do their digging in secret.”
Tom Sutcliffe, The Independent

“It was annoyingly disjointed. It was as if the film couldn’t decide if it was about a miscarriage of justice, the barbarity of capital punishment or a public petition, and ended up falling between all three stools.”
John Crace, The Guardian