TV Critics: Diana: In Her Own Words; Secrets of Silicon Valley; Poldark

“What was immediately apparent to the viewer was how short the recordings seem to have been. The documentary is heavily padded with archive footage, including extracts from Diana’s 1995 BBC1 Panorama interview… The film is also manipulative, scored with a gloomy flute constantly telling the audience how moved to be. The editing is slick, but also often sly…. Given such lapses, there seems little risk that Prince William, the president of Bafta, will have to preside over the giving of a prize to this film.”
Mark Lawson, The Guardian

“Rather than concede it was telling one half of the story, the film presented itself in the most portentous manner as if it were history itself… Its narrative voice (Iain Glen’s) was ghastly, full of guff.”
Andrew Billen, The Times 

“Whether [the tapes] ought to have been shown to us is a matter for debate. So, too, is whether it was worth doing, given how little they added to what we all knew, or could easily have imagined.”
Matt Baylis, Daily Express 

“We didn’t, in truth learn much new about the late People’s Princess, her husband, his mistress or her blameless sons than we knew before.”
Sean O’Grady, The i

“A sobering look at how tech is going to change society quickly and dramatically.”
Emine Saner, The Guardian

“What Jamie Bartlett couldn’t grasp was that his interviewees, while they might have created internet start-ups now worth billions, were all imbeciles. A talent for writing computer code is no guarantee of true intelligence.”
Christopher Stevens, Daily Mail

“Poldark has its dull patches, mainly those that concern the mines, wars and famine. On marriages, however, it is excellent.”
Andrew Billen, The Times 

“It has been a gripping series, as bonkers as ever, but saved by some brilliant acting.” 
Emine Saner, The Guardian