Playing Nice; 7/7: The London Bombings

“With no murder and no mystery, Playing Nice is a different type of thriller. One that makes you question your own stance on the nature vs nurture debate, on the differences between motherhood and fatherhood, on what you would do in such a horrific situation. It’s certainly a welcome change to the usual detective drivel we get at this time of year.”
Emily Baker, The i

“Frequently you’ll wonder why the characters aren’t more traumatised by the situation. It’s more-ish, though, one of those bingeably implausible dramas that you will thoroughly enjoy if you surrender to it rather than yelling: ‘But that would never happen!’”
Anita Singh, The Telegraph

“Grace Ofori-Attah’s nimble adaptation of JP Delaney’s novel had faith in its excellent cast’s ability to illuminate deep feeling with subtle looks, gestures and evasions. Despite the extreme, nerve-shredding premise this drama also neatly captured the polite games middle-class couples play. The fencing battles about dinner or pushily presented holiday plans and the way public-facing coupledom is forced to conceal the franker, private conversations between spouses.”
Ben Dowell, The Times

“JP Delaney’s cleverly crafted stories are psychological corkscrews, and this plot is bound to take many more twists. All we know for sure after one episode is that Pete and Maddie are terrible at lying. Miles appears much more adept. And Lucy? I suspect she’s the one with the deepest secrets.”
Christopher Stevens, Daily Mail

“Playing Nice is clearly unconcerned with interrogating real human emotions or examining what it actually means to be a parent. Instead, it’s the worst of modern television: a witless mystery overly reliant on insidious ambience and really nice houses.”
Rachel Aroesti, The Guardian

“Once Playing Nice has drifted from its nightmarish premise into this bland, generic porridge, it loses both its tension and its purpose. It’s a shame, because there’s a good human thriller buried in there, about the interpersonal challenges of unriddling an unthinkable situation. But what we get, instead, is another whiplash-inducing, overripe shock fest, which privileges handbrake turns over steady handling.”
Nick Hilton, The Independent

“This meticulous four-part documentary explores the events of that day (and the weeks that followed) from every conceivable angle. However, the series doesn’t stop on 7 July. A story with apparently clear moral outlines soon becomes more complex.”
Phil Harrison, The Guardian

“The BBC’s four-part documentary marking the 20th anniversary of the 7/7 suicide bombings in London has a cast list of high-level political figures. But it is the people on the ground, and on the Underground — the bereaved, the survivors, the police officers who put themselves in harm’s way, the witnesses who saw things they can never forget — who make 7/7: The London Bombings such a sombre and compelling watch.”
Sean O’Neill, The Times

“The series is testament to the dedication of the officers involved. By contrast, the top brass do not cover themselves in glory when it comes to the shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes.”
Anita Singh, The Telegraph