TV Critics: Inside the Commons; The Mary Rose: A Timewatch Guide; Rory Bremner's Coalition Report; Bad Builders

“Welcome to the Big Brother House of Commons. The biggest bunch of wannabes and narcissists ever assembled are taking part in a giant reality TV experiment, with non-stop filming to capture the in-fighting, the boozing, the silly games and the sheer, jaw-dropping stupidity inside the Mother of Parliaments.”
Christopher Stevens, Daily Mail

“The authorities, who after much negotiation let Michael Cockerell’s cameras mingle among our legislators, must be regretting allowing daylight in upon their madhouse. The first of his Inside the Commons revealed a chamber mired in tradition, stitched up by the whips, soured by inter and intra-party division and populated by the worst-behaved overgrown schoolboys since Dennis Potter put Colin Welland and John Bird in short trousers for Blue Remembered Hills in 1979.”
Andrew Billen, The Times

“Cockerell records it all impartially and fairly, I think, but also with humour and a mischievous eye. It looks like it was fun to make and that translates to the viewing experience. I’m very much looking forward to three more sittings. Hear hear.”
Sam Wollaston, The Guardian

“You also got the sense that even those without any firm interest in politics could be enthused by this film. That was largely down to the freshness of Cockerell’s approach, looking not just at the function of the Commons and its absurd yet historically vital conventions, but also at the decaying fabric of the building itself. It was possible to see that however falling-apart-at-the-seams the venerable stonework, clockface and windows may be (and undoubtedly are), the institution itself continues in rude good health.”
Gerard O’Donovan, The Telegraph

“This opening episode, as much about the crumbling, leaking mock-gothic building as the people populating it, showed the challenges of making Westminster work. The rousing score and Cockerell’s own stage skills added to the theatrics. “The big beasts of the Commons jungle arrive just before noon, hoping for the smell of blood,” he said in Attenborough-esque tones. And it’s the fact he manages to find the human side of those beasts, big and small, that makes this revealing series a winner so far.”
Sally Newall, The Independent

“The anthropologist in me was thrilled. The soon-to-be-voting citizen, on the other hand, was rather depressed. It got worse, too, as it became clear how PMQs are used by the Government to crow about its achievements. If this is democracy, you can keep it.”
Matt Baylis, Daily Express

“Unfortunately, if you’ve had any interest in the ship, you’ll have seen the big Timewatch films shown in 2004 and 2012. Last night’s show was an overview of what’s been learnt so far. I’d go so far as to say that was the real purpose: less bombshell from Tudor times, more BBC blowing its own trumpet.”
Matt Baylis, Daily Express

“While engagingly presented, this show’s success was limited by the unphotogenic nature of, well, a wreck. The finds were undoubtedly fascinating but there was not much even Snow could do without a rather more eye-catching stage and set.”
Sally Newall, The Independent

“Could do better would be my report on it. It began strongly and lost its force as it went down to a final monologue about a phone app to change your government.”
Andrew Billen, The Times

“Ordinary people are looking after each other, as Dominic Littlewood discovered in Bad Builders. Dom has made shows like this, exposing shoddy work by overcharging cowboys, for just about every TV network; the format can be formulaic, but this is the best he’s ever done.”
Christopher Stevens, Daily Mail