The Residence; The Marlow Murder Club; The Richard Dimbleby Lecture; Comic Relief

“The Residence is a gorgeous, gleeful romp that allows not just Aduba but all of the many players in the cast to shine. A spirit of uplifting generosity and joy infuses the whole thing. The investigation is cleverly structured as a flashback, delivered between scenes of them all – or almost all, and therein lies a growing secondary mystery – giving testimony before a congressional committee full of bickering senators, but ostensibly designed to lay rumours to rest and counter the misinformation distributed to the public since the death became public. Although there is an ensemble vibe, it remains Aduba’s show, and rightfully so. She is a magnetic presence and The Residence takes full advantage of that. This is not television that is going to change the world, but it is going to give you eight hours of fantastic escape. Enjoy.”
Lucy Mangan, The Guardian

“The Residence is TV’s latest comedy whodunnit, served up by Netflix’s algorithms courtesy of Knives Out (move over Benoit Blanc too, while we’re at it). Or rather it’s from Shonda Rhimes, the powerhouse producer behind Scandal, Bridgerton and other TV juggernauts, hence its female-fronted, racially diverse design, which itself feels quite novel for a whodunnit. It’s also unfeasibly slick, a bit arch and slightly all over the place, being a screwball-mystery-cum-drama with ornithological tendencies.”
James Jackson, The Times

“I never thought it would happen to me, but I’m entering my Mary Whitehouse years. Watching The Residence, a quirky new detective series from Netflix, I found myself tutting: “Why does it have to feature quite so much swearing?””
Anita Singh, Telegraph

“Always light-hearted, The Marlow Murder Club is also unashamedly English. There’s bunting, and cricket on the village green. Sir Peter’s grand country home even boasted a stuffed swan in a glass cabinet. And it is never afraid to veer into knockabout comedy. When chief suspect Tristram (Tom Stourton) made off on a bicycle, the three heroines commandeered a mobility scooter to give chase. ‘Pedal to the metal!’ cried Judith. Hitting a speed bump, the scooter’s front wheels lifted a full inch off the road. Such thrills!”
Christopher Stevens, Daily Mail

“It is unashamedly formulaic and all the Agatha Christie elements were here: the locked room mystery, the amateur detectives spotting clues that the police overlooked, the list of suspects who appeared to have strong alibis. Sir Peter’s son, daughter and bride-to-be were the main suspects, although I had my eye on the gardener. The mystery played out over two episodes and the ending, when you reach it, is quite ingenious.”
Anita Singh, Telegraph

“Whether he realised it or not when he was writing this speech, [Sir Gareth] Southgate, dressed in a suit with a silk handkerchief in the top pocket (but no waistcoat: unexpected sartorial move), was tapping into the March 2025 zeitgeist. He railed against online influencers who tell boys that success is measured by money or dominance and by showing no emotion, who tell them the world — including women — is against them. Maybe especially women.”
Carol Midgley, The Times

“I won’t ruin the result for you, but I will admit that I had tears rolling down my cheeks by the end of the film. I’m a cynic and didn’t expect to be so inspired and motivated by Monger’s efforts as I am. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to donate a fiver to Comic Relief – and go on a run.”
Emily Baker, The I