Sanditon; Shelter

“After a tame series one and two, Sanditon may finally have found its soul. And a flavour that at least faintly tastes of Jane Austen (it is based on her unfinished manuscript, though it has never had her depth). In series three, its swansong, it located a mojo and delivered a denouement that felt like something approaching satisfying.”
Carol Midgley, The Times

“This series feels like a reward for those fans who have remained loyal, with favourite characters getting the happy endings they deserve. Occasionally, it tries to shoehorn in some modern sensibilities – a character refusing to ‘live a lie’ by keeping a gay relationship secret. On the whole, though, the series does nothing to scare the horses, and is as comforting as a mug of cocoa.”
Anita Singh, The Telegraph

“Sanditon was cancelled after its first series on ITV but rescued by the U.S. cable channel PBS Masterpiece (the Americans do like a bit of bonnet drama). It certainly looks lavish, with that starry cast, the CGI landscapes and beautifully-composed candlelit scenes. But it does leave you feeling like you’re swimming in circles.”
Christopher Stevens, Daily Mail

“It’s by no means the subtlest screen adaptation of Austen but it’s fully grown into its own thing. The title might be easy to confuse with Bridgerton, but Sanditon is old school costume drama with an informed sense of the period, as opposed to Bridgerton‘s freewheeling anachronisms and post-modern shake-up of the genre. Better budgeted now, even Sanditon’s formerly ropy CGI background scenery seems to have improved. The Americans were right to save it.”
Gerard Gilbert, The i

“It has slightly less gore than usual and an even more madly corkscrewing plot. But the charm – reminiscent of early teen fare, such as The Goonies, that the 80s offered while it waited for you to graduate to John Hughes – is still an unexpected bonus. It is all played with great brio and sufficient confidence to allow you to overlook the occasional misstep.”
Lucy Mangan, The Guardian

“With its crazy crones, vicious killers and sleuthing teenagers, Shelter has a core of pure pulp. However, Jaden Michael is charismatic as Mickey, Constance Zimmer contributes an agreeable drollness as the seen-in-it-all Shira and the overheated plot makes for wholesome bingeing. Shelter is broader than a barn door, but, at full pelt, it’s also a whodunit with heart, soul and an infectious sense of fun.”
Ed Power, The Telegraph