TV Critics: This is Tottenham; Resurrecting Warsaw; Toast of London

“There was an uncomfortable, money-shot attitude to the subjects; they had to be caught shouting, or crying, or being incredibly brave not long prior to their deaths. The line between social realism and the poverty safari is ever more blurred.”
Zoe Williams, The Guardian

“Just as the tone of Lammy’s work swung all over the place, so the style of the documentary felt erratic. Most strange were the occasional sweeping shots of London landmarks, including the Shard and Canary Wharf — big and shiny and on the other side of town.”
Andrew Billen, The Times

“What this documentary mostly demonstrated was how little real power MPs have. Lammy was dealing with problems with housing; the police; the NHS; education and local business concerns – and he was unable to intervene directly in any of them.”
Amy Burns, The Independent

“He was effective at sorting out housing problems for seriously ill voters. He was politely patient with the lonely and the grief-stricken. But when it came to politics, both local and national, he was floundering. It wasn’t clear why Lammy was singled out for this special treatment. Perhaps it was because he couldn’t tell when he was digging a hole for himself.”
Christopher Stevens, Daily Mail

“The Tottenham resident who shone the brightest was Lammy himself. This was an impressive turn in front of the cameras. He came across not only as passionate, caring, and a good bloke, but principled too.”
Chris Bennion, The Telegraph

“The first 10 to 15 minutes were needlessly jammed with capering about. But Dan Cruickshank found wonderful interviewees and conducted the most intricate, loving tour across the ceilings and fiddly details of the renovated old town.”
Zoe Williams, The Guardian

“About as splendid an hour of factual telly as you’ll get. Cruickshank is what I’d call a full-body presenter, meaning he puts every limb and digit into the business and it’s a dull viewer indeed who doesn’t pick up the man’s enthusiasm.”
Matt Baylis, Daily Express

“John Hamm did a great job of exuding charm and ‘charisme’ while looking utterly baffled by what was going on. Hamm played on the ‘clueless American’ stereotype well, his lack of understanding of the many jokes of which he was the butt making them all the funnier.”
Amy Burns, The Independent

“The sitcom had guest signings so fine they could instantly cause contractions to your laughter lines. Brian Blessed was, of course, bombastically assured as Toast’s dying father; Jon Hamm delightfully charming as the smoothy who makes our cynical leading man believe in charisma.”
Andrew Billen, The Times

“The fact that a weird, surreal little Channel 4 comedy like Toast of London can now command cameos from stars as big as not only Hamm but Brian Blessed says a lot about what a cult hit it has quickly become. Sometimes, comedies are ruined when they get too big and start shoe-horning in big-name cameos just because they can, but Toast of London remains as dark and funny as ever.”
Isobel Mohan, The Telegraph