Strangers on a Plane; Secrets of the Chippendales Murders; Unforgotten

“Essentially, it’s Come Dine with Me with less food, more sun and the same sarky bants from the presenter. It also bears the hallmarks of a lean morning at Channel 4’s ideas meeting. The appeal of the show – such as it is – involves watching five Brits who clearly didn’t get the memo about game-theory machiavellian strategising that every other reality-gameshow contestant, from Love at First Sight to Love Island, imbibed with their mother’s milk.”
Stuart Jeffries, The Guardian

“This sadistic format is a twist on the long-running Come Dine With Me, with players blearily rating each party package, the morning after. Unlike the sister show Coach Trip, there’s not even a half-hearted pretence that we’re watching a travelogue. None of these activities is meant to entice us, let alone showcase the Costa del Legless as a desirable holiday destination.”
Christopher Stevens, Daily Mail

“Secrets of the Chippendales Murders was a dark, sleazy, gripping tale of what human beings are capable of when greed and ego run rampant. But because this story’s backdrop is well-hung men gyrating for whooping women, it sometimes felt tonally flippant.”
Carol Midgley, The Times

“All the ingredients are there for a rip-roaring tale but this four-part documentary fails to do it justice. In fact, it gets the pacing all wrong – dramatic events are given scant attention (the first murder is out of the way by the 10-minute mark) but the series is far too long, padded out with Christian Right complaints and red herrings about the Mafia. It is so slackly edited that the same 911 call is played three times.”
Anita Singh, The Telegraph

“I’d thought they were mad to continue without Nicola Walker when her character, DCI Cassie Stuart, was killed off. Sinéad Keenan as Cassie’s replacement, DCI Jess James, has stepped into huge shoes almost seamlessly. She has been a powerhouse, brittle and unlikeable at first, but now more sympathetic. True, this episode laid on the politics of privilege with several trowels, but the extra kink in the twist — when the impoverished underdog took revenge — was a clever sting to the tail.”
Carol Midgley, The Times

“The final episode contained plenty of those dramatically intense interrogation scenes so beloved of Line of Duty and so satisfyingly meaty for the actors involved – even if, to judge from documentary series like 24 Hours in Police Custody, stonewalling ‘no comment’ replies are more the tedious norm during these interviews. So, yes, ultimately the storyline held together and didn’t disappoint. But most importantly for the long-term health of the show, the transition in the principal casting was deftly achieved.”
Gerard Gilbert, The i