Black Earth Rising; Strangers

“Anyone familiar with writer/director/producer Hugo Blick’s previous lofty BBC series The Shadow Line and The Honourable Woman will know he has a flair for unapologetically complex thrillers that pick away at global conspiracies. This is rich, demanding drama that is well worth investing in.”
Rebecca Nicholson, The Guardian

“Hugo Blick is the finest auteur working in British television today and uses big dramas to tell intimate stories. The director was in complete command of his material, with striking compositions and blackly funny juxtapositions throughout.”
Gabriel Tate, The Telegraph

“Autumn always brings an abundance of TV riches, over-spilling with clever thrillers, witty period pieces and entertaining new series. Black Earth Rising, however, is a class above the rest. The stage is set for what should be an enthralling tale of betrayal, lies and the lasting damage that even the most well-intentioned white saviour complex can cause.”
Sarah Hughes, The i

“It had a lot of expositional work to do, although the complexities were woven skilfully and the dialogue was emotionally intelligent. I wasn’t convinced about the scene in which Kate ran the length of a London street after her mother’s taxi. Why do people only ever do this in TV dramas? But the writer Hugo Blick has laid enough plot landmines to keep interest high.”
Carol Midgley, The Times

“The action was a little slow-moving at times and we must hope that John Goodman is given more to do in the coming weeks as the truth about Kate’s early life starts to emerge.”
Claudia Connell, Daily Mail

“Jon Simm and Emilia Fox are talented enough to rescue this from mediocrity and ITV is at least trying something different, but after seeing the wooden performances from some other characters plus a caricature of an Australian journalist, I’m unsure if it will be enough.”
Carol Midgley, The Times

“Everything unfolded pleasantly enough and at a reasonable pace but after the meaty main course served up by Black Earth Rising on BBC2, Strangers couldn’t help but make for a somewhat bland dessert.”
Sarah Hughes, The i

“In Paul Andrew Williams, Strangers had one of the most reliable directors working in British TV drama, wringing out every drop of the Hong Kong’s queasy exoticism, its unsettling combination of swanky bars and sweaty poverty, the messy collision of Chinese authoritarianism, big business and waning British influence. The trouble was, it felt predictable and, at eight episodes, overlong.”
Gabriel Tate, The Telegraph

“It was a cracking episode of what could be a great thriller. We can only hope the writers avoid the temptation to run with too many complicated sub plots … and that Jonah stops bleating on about his blasted phone charger.”
Claudia Connell, Daily Mail