Payback; Lupin; Bargain

“The brooding drama, executive produced by Jed Mercurio (Line of Duty), has a great cast and not a bad premise, but I regret to say its main problem so far is that it is dull. And, even though someone was killed in the street before the first ad break, I find it hard to care about any of the characters.”
Carol Midgley, The Times

“After the murder, which happens very early in the first episode, it all becomes tedious. There are endless conversations about shell companies and bank transfers and missing funds. The cast is fine and the drama isn’t terrible, it’s just deeply predictable.”
Anita Singh, The Telegraph

“Peter Mullan’s presence brought a hard central focus to the swirling confusion in the opening episode of Payback, when nobody else knew what was going on — least of all Lexie. Much of the first part was taken up with Lexie’s worries about her children’s nanny, and whether they were going to McDonald’s instead of the playpark. But every time the plot returned to the ruthless Mr Morris and his henchman (Steven Mackintosh), the peripheral stuff ceased to matter.”
Christopher Stevens, Daily Mail

“In a bid to distinguish itself from other standard weeknight fare, Payback seemed to confuse ‘plot’ with ‘stuff happening’. Despite a couple of great performances – especially Peter Mullan’s Cal, menacing and brusque – the drama’s first episode sacrificed narrative drive on the altar of needless intricacy, making an emotional connection to the characters nearly impossible.”
Emily Watkins, The i

“Screenwriter George Kay may have left himself with a limited number of loose ends, and Lupin’s second season could have worked as a solid conclusion. But its third proves just as thrilling, with the sort of breathtaking twists that lend themselves to a binge-watch that lasts until dawn.”
Leila Latif, The Guardian

“This is a Boys’ Own tale, which our dashing hero pulls off with huge charm, plenty of heart and a hefty dose of adrenaline. Rollicking, old-fashioned fun.”
Michael Hogan, The Telegraph

“It is more complex and clever than Squid Game. Whether this will help to make it an even bigger hit or be a hindrance remains to be seen. But whoever sees a minute of it will be in for the duration. Though not all at once.”
Lucy Mangan, The Guardian