Jack in Time for Christmas; Churchill at War; Sirius; The Princes in the Tower; Matlock

“It’s hard to define what a ‘comedy Christmas special’ actually is, but in Jack Whitehall’s case, it feels like part sketch show, part improvisational exercise, part travel programme. The result is a mix of wildly inconsistent chaos that makes little lasting impression.”
Isobel Lewis, The i

“In essence, the series is a relatively superficial primer on Churchill and the war, aimed most likely at US audiences, but the combination of footage and insight (and the ghostly voice of Winnie) makes it worthwhile. Where it shoots itself in the foot is with the godawful dramatisations, in which Churchill invariably stares out at sea in defiance (while chomping a cigar, of course) or upbraids a colleague for not showing enough pluck.”
Chris Bennion, The Telegraph

“If you are truly interested in cults, and French cults to boot, then Sirius: An Apocalyptic Order could well keep you hooked. For anyone else, it may feel too much like seeing how the true-crime sausage is made.”
Hannah J Davies, The Guardian

“The mystery has a personal resonance for Jason Watkins, which was spelt out when he stood in front of the urn where the probable remains of the boys are buried in Westminster Abbey and explained why it’s a difficult place for him, having lost a child himself. Amid all the Game of Thrones-style schemings that make this story so compelling, it provided a reminder of the very real awfulness that two children were murdered. It was a sobering way to conclude an hour of sleuthing told at a cracking pace and which quite possibly set a new bar for historical detective shows.”
James Jackson, The i

“The emphasis on America’s racial divisions makes sometimes uncomfortable viewing. Both courtroom stories so far have featured black men accused of murders they didn’t commit, victims of a justice system that is both racist and lazy. And the casual way characters refer to any dark-haired, brown-eyed male as ‘Latino’ makes my skin crawl. But fans of Angela Lansbury in Murder, She Wrote will relish what Kathy Bates is doing.”
Christopher Stevens, Daily Mail