Summer of Rockets; Victorian Sensations; Mum

“Summer of Rockets had a sumptuous cast, looked gorgeous and had some cracking dialogue, but at times, quite a few in fact, my mind wandered. Maybe I’m a philistine, but I thought this first episode sometimes meandered.”
Carol Midgley, The Times

“Stephen Poliakoff is one of those writers whose work is so distinctive, it is impossible not to have strong feelings about it. Those who don’t like Poliakoff probably didn’t enjoy it. I relished every delicate morsel and can’t wait to see how it unfolds.”
Sarah Hughes, The i

“It was a promising start, ravishingly appointed and languidly paced as usual, yet packed with potentially intriguing stories that worried away enticingly at Poliakoff’s preoccupations. Summer of Rockets cleared the launch pad, but the landing may yet prove a bumpy one.”
Gabriel Tate, The Telegraph

“The weird quirks of Poliakoff’s work – the mannered dialogue, the odd acting, the way his locations and cars and costumes always look too pristine – give it a dreamy and disquieting feel, which you either like or you don’t. As usual, there is a terrific cast, and some lovely posh houses. There even appears to be a plot.”
Emine Samer, The Guardian

“The production was lavishly crammed with authentic props from 1958, including enough vintage Rolls-Royces to fill The Mall, from Buckingham Palace to Trafalgar Square. Everything was recreated with such painstaking care that the Light Programme and the Home Service were probably still on the air.”
Christopher Stevens, Daily Mail

“Dr Hannah Fry teased out the similarities and the differences with our own world with skill, although the stories of ordinary people were what resonated the most. Smart, informative and hugely enjoyable, it was a fantastic opener to a series that promises to be a genuine treat.”
Sarah Hughes, The i

“This lively show set out to explore ‘the decade when the future landed’, though it was really intent on having a good giggle at our ancestors. We shouldn’t laugh. Think how daft our own gadgets will look in 100 years… such as grown men on micro scooters. Ridiculous.”
Christopher Stevens, Daily Mail

“Last night’s episode was another lesson in perfect excruciation. This wasn’t the best episode, but this quiet work of genius maintains an excellent line in eloquent silence.”
Carol Midgley, The Times