Sue Perkins’ Big Adventure; The Old Man

“Judged dutifully on its own terms, Sue Perkins’ Big Adventure: Paris to Istanbul is less maddening than expected thanks to Perkins giving it 100 per cent, even while blabbing on (constantly) about how she’s not travelling on the luxurious Orient Express. The queen of the have-a-go travelogue is on fire with the gags in Paris, as if buzzing hard on five double espressos.”
James Jackson, The Times

“Her adventures in Paris weren’t very daring, but she did avoid the usual tourist sights — Notre Dame and the Eiffel Tower were not on her list.”
Christopher Stevens, Daily Mail

“With an awkward script – replete with reams of clunky expository dialogue – and jarringly improbable plot developments, the show relies exclusively on withholding information. Yet rather than being moreishly mystifying, The Old Man is an exercise in infinite confusion. Its inordinately complex premise doesn’t help. The Old Man is bursting with puzzling alliances and long-buried secrets – but the biggest mystery of all is why we should care about any of it.”
Rachel Aroesti, The Guardian

“This character study/espionage thriller explores ambitiously mature themes: ones of moral compromise and a parent’s shifting relationship with a child. Yet it’s hard to shake the feeling of a tidy limited series being tediously strung out. Still, Jeff Bridges is reliably great — Emmy-worthy in fact — and never more so than in the close-ups of his weatherworn face.”
James Jackson, The Times