The Following Events Are Based on a Pack of Lies

To be honest, I was hooked from the first episode. So much so that I watched the whole thing in one night.

It's funny, tackles some gritty issues in such relatable ways, and overall has a good message.

I'm hoping for a second series!

I was tempted to give it a nine because it could have maybe been wrapped up in three to four episodes, but I decided it was fun and pleasurable and well worth the time.

The subject it deals with is awful but it is also so normal. And I think that this gives a good, honest, peek into it. For those who think it's a fantasy, either lucky you or more likely you are one of the baddies!

When watching a TV drama, a certain amount of suspension of disbelief is often required. For example, in a detective drama like Morse or Vera, the police person usually goes in alone and unarmed to confront the murderer, rather than calling in armed backup and waiting.

But in this series suspension of disbelief is needed all the way through. I'm constantly thinking "that couldn't happen", "she wouldn't say that", "he couldn't do that". The premise of the story is that right at the start, a man turns up in Oxford claiming to be a top climate scientist. Well, no, anyone could look it up and see that he and his supposed research institute doesn't exist. All the way through, the characters have to behave in a ridiculously stupid way for the story to work. In the final episode, it descends to a kind of farcical pantomime.

There are some redeeming features. The acting is fairly good, considering the silly things that the actors have to say and do. The sets and costumes are quite lavish; plenty of licence fee payers' money has been spent producing this.

The main female characters, Alice (the ex-wife) and Caroline (the author), both manage to come across as being intelligent and credible, as well as slightly gullible at the same time.

For various reasons, they are both fascinated by Rob, a celebrated Oxford PhD and eco-warrior who seems too good to be true. Is he really as good as he seems? Initially he comes across as respected, ethical, and caring, but cracks start to appear - the question is, are the cracks due to his behaviour or that of the two key women in his life?

It's not serious, although the subject matter obviously is. There's also a nice over the top ending for this black comedy.

A very topical drama about a conman extraordinaire, (Alistair Petrie) and two of his victims, his wife (Rebekkah Statton) who he left in the lurch and defrauded fifteen years ago and his new mark in the present (Marianne Jean-Baptiste).

The central trio were well cast and all three actors shone. I very much liked the story and thought the production values were very high. They adopted a very stylised look and tone for the series that some reviewers have compared to Wes Anderson.

Personally I wished protagonist Cheryl had a bit more get up and go and I didn't really understand why she and her family didn't go to the police at the time but its a small niggle I enjoyed it and got sucked in.

Overall an enjoyable well made show which is worth sticking with. Would have given it a higher rating if they'd packed the story into 4 episodes and made it a wee bit pacier.

The worlds of two women crash together, brought together by Doctor Robert Chance, who on the surface is a prominent Scientist, fighting for the future of the Earth, but underneath a confidence trickster, and a man who preys on women.

It's a deliciously dark and twisted series, it takes a little bit of time for it to open up, but when it does, it's addictive viewing.

Initially I thought it was merely a black comedy, but as it develops, it morphs into a psychological drama, with domestic abuse as its focus. It proves one thing, the abused can be ordinary, down to Earth people, or indeed the ritch and famous, people you'd look at and say 'it would never happen to them.'

It's well paced, full of suspense, and contains some genuinely upsetting moments, expect the unexpected. The final episode is seriously satisfying viewing.

Each of the main characters has a chance to shine, Alistair Petrie, Marianne Jean Baptiste and Rebekah Staton all have some incredible scenes.

Truly satisfying drama.

9/10.