Avenue 5; A Royal Grand Design; The Flatshare

“On the evidence of its first two episodes, season two is leaner and meaner. There’s some better story structure too, as each episode builds to a precipice of mayhem before somehow pulling it back before the credits roll. The only problem the show hasn’t quite solved is how to maintain the delirium built up on the spaceship while repeatedly cutting down to scenes at mission control and on Earth.”
Anita Singh, The Telegraph

“Hugh Laurie as the ship’s hapless captain is funny, Josh Gad is funny, and so are Rebecca Front as unhinged Karen and Zach Woods as Matt, head of customer relations. The series is better and worth watching. And yet, despite all this stellar talent, it still feels like it’s punching below its weight.”
Carol Midgley, The Times

“With no plot, other than a constant catalogue of panics, the script tries to keep us guessing by occasionally killing characters and introducing others. Otherwise, Avenue 5 relies on hit-and-miss one-liners.”
Christopher Stevens, Daily Mail

“Charles came across as sincere and genial, even when surrounded by permanent, nervous rictus grins. He seemed genuinely invested and knowledgeable about ‘heritage-led generation’. His vision of reviving the local area via new businesses and jobs in the green economy is paying off. The house looked amazing.”
Carol Midgley, The Times

“Before anyone could dismiss this as a rich man’s hobby project, we learned that Dumfries House has a positive social impact. It has an education centre, textile school, teaching farm and heritage workshops, plus an outdoor adventure centre and STEM complex. There is also a hospitality facility where apprentices train for jobs in the royal household, and one of the most cheering parts of the documentary was an interview with a young butler who said that he now has a job and a feeling of independence.”
Anita Singh, The Telegraph

“This marvellous documentary, filmed across ten years, was crammed with surprises that could make the most strait-laced dowager duchess spit out her pink gin in a spray of four-letter words.”
Christopher Stevens, Daily Mail

“There’s barely a hot-button issue left untouched, meaning nothing quite gets the attention it deserves. The Flatshare is always playing to an audience beyond the screen, with one eye on the interminable churn of social media discourse.”
Jack Taylor, The Telegraph

“The Flatshare is a paint-by-numbers romance, but there are enough moments of brilliance to redeem any formulaic lapses. Between its great casting, tight characterisation and just the right amount of spaghetti-surprises to keep viewers guessing, The Flatshare’s bestseller status meant that its adaptation had a high bar to meet — consider it met.”
Emily Watkins, The i

“Among a sea of romantic comedies determined to deconstruct the genre, the TV adaptation is charming and tightly written – knowing, but never snarky. It’s hard not to warm to them. Jessica Brown Findlay makes even Tiffany’s most infuriating tendencies endearing, while Anthony Welsh brings a surprising vulnerability to Leon. There’s also an overpowering chemistry between them, one that even manages to pervade through the Post-It Notes they send each other.”
Isobel Lewis, The Independent