Dame Judi and Jay; Faye; Made in Korea

“Dame Judi and Jay: The Odd Couple proved a shining beacon of just how successful it can be if you get the right two people talking to each other at the right time and in the right place. The gentle no-frills premise allowed for one lovely moment after the next.”
Rachael Sigee, The i

“I have listened to Dame Judi Dench talk about her life many times: on chat shows, in the 2022 programme Louis Theroux Interviews… and in conversations on stage. And I could listen many times more, because she is unfailingly delightful. Their rapport is evident from the moment 6ft 3in Blades steps into her low-ceilinged cottage, over the James Bond-themed doormat, and envelops her in a hug.”
Anita Singh, The Telegraph 

“As with all such TV shows there was a fair bit of padding such as Judi learning to ‘scratch’ as a DJ (it didn’t add much) and a pub quiz in which we learnt that she once gave mouth-to-mouth to a goldfish (actually a handy quiz fact to know). But it was better than your average, dull celebrity road trip, for which I was grateful.”
Carol Midgley, The Times

“Inevitably, the genuinely interesting material – simply watching the two of them chat, banter and laugh together, seeing the authenticity of their relationship and letting a little wonder at the miracle of human connection creep in – must be interrupted by stunts such as getting them to take over a market stall and sell plantain to (busy and unimpressed) customers. I wish directors would trust viewers more. Unavoidable commission it may have been but, nevertheless, there was such a lovely programme here, desperate to be set free.”
Lucy Mangan, The Guardian

“Faye isn’t an exposé. It’s a misty-eyed homage made in collaboration with its subject – and one that relies too heavily on allusion and inference to be truly candid or revelatory. If you want to luxuriate in Dunaway’s potent screen presence, just watch the films; if you’re after juicy yet unverified scandal, read a Reddit thread. This documentary falls into the gap between them, offering an incomplete but still troubling portrait of a singular diva.”
Rachel Aroesti, The Guardian

“Respectful if not revelatory, Laurent Bouzereau’s film gives her legacy a massage, gently probing, but also leaving her in peace.”
Tim Robey, The Telegraph

“The whole thing feels wildly contrived and designed simply to cash in on the K-pop craze. The programme does offer a window into how much hard work goes into grinding out a pop product like this. But does the world want another boy band?”
Anita Singh, The Telegraph

“In the right hands, Made in Korea could have been something great. A serious explanation of how K-pop superstars are made is in order – it might not be new to Gen Z, but the phenomenon still eludes the rest of us, and the cultural differences between Korean and British teenagers are fascinating. But, with SM Entertainment as ‘partners’ with the production company, rather than just a subject, it was always going to be deferential – and, more distinctly, promotional – to the boyband project. As such, the programme took itself incredibly seriously.”
Emily Baker, The i