--- title: "A Very English Scandal: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/tv/a-very-english-scandal/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/tv/a-very-english-scandal" critics_score: 83 critics_reviews: 8 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # A Very English Scandal (2018): what the critics said Critics' score 83 from 8 reviews: 8 positive, 0 mixed, 0 negative. The reviews are unanimous, and largely for the same reasons. Almost every critic puts Hugh Grant first: his Jeremy Thorpe is praised for holding urbane charm and ruthlessness in the same body, and several call it the performance that carries the series. Ben Whishaw’s Norman Scott is the second name mentioned, with Alex Jennings also singled out. Beyond the cast, the praise settles on Russell T Davies’s script and Stephen Frears’s direction, and specifically on their handling of tone: farce and tragedy kept in balance, the absurdity of the scandal never allowed to bury the human cost of criminalised homosexuality. The spread is narrow. Nobody dislikes it, and the reservations are small. The Times notes complaints about how Norman Scott is drawn, without sharing them itself. IndieWire is the coolest of the eight, finding the performances compelling but stopping short of the enthusiasm elsewhere. Variety admires the reticence and coded emotion where others enjoy the jokes. ## The Guardian Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 20 May 2018. The critic finds the series brilliantly funny and confident, praising Hugh Grant's revelatory performance as Jeremy Thorpe. They single out the superb acting from Grant, Jennings and Whishaw along with the clever scripting for praise. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2018/may/20/a-very-english-scandal-review-funny-and-confident-like-jeremy-thorpe) ## The Times — Carol Midgley Rating ★★★★☆. 21 May 2018. The critic loved the drama largely because of Hugh Grant's multilayered, joyful performance as Thorpe, which captures both his urbane charisma and ruthless side. They note some complaints about the portrayal of Norman Scott but praise Grant for carrying the series. [Read the review](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-radio/article/tv-review-the-handmaids-tale-a-very-english-scandal-0zbr8lvpk) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Tim Goodman Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 25 June 2018. Frears and Davies turn the true story into a jaunty, darkly funny and ultimately tragic miniseries that feels tight and brilliant in just three hours. Grant delivers a tour-de-force performance that captures Thorpe’s sociopathic coldness beneath a charming public persona. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-reviews/a-very-english-scandal-review-1121997/) ## Variety — Daniel D'Addario Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 20 June 2018. The series succeeds through its reticence and coded emotion, delivering an elegant limited run that highlights the collision of two great performances. Grant’s carefully calibrated turn as Thorpe stands out for conveying a man living two lives while navigating a culture that abets his secrecy. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2018/tv/reviews/a-very-english-scandal-review-hugh-grant-1202843554/) ## IndieWire — Liz Shannon Miller Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 29 June 2018. Hugh Grant and Ben Whishaw deliver compelling performances in this deceptively dark true story of political scandal and hidden sexuality. Stephen Frears directs a tale that balances fun with tragedy in its exploration of secrecy and ambition. [Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/shows/a-very-english-scandal-review-hugh-grant-amazon-ben-whishaw-1201980047/) ## Den of Geek — Louisa Mellor Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 3 June 2018. The series is lively, funny and irreverent in its treatment of the absurd scandal, while also conveying the human tragedy of criminalised homosexuality and establishment cover-ups. Strong performances from Hugh Grant as Thorpe and Ben Whishaw as Scott anchor the vibrant adaptation. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/a-very-english-scandal-review/) ## Collider — Allison Keene Rating ★★★★. 29 June 2018. The critic finds the miniseries a fast-paced, quirk-filled farce grounded in genuine emotion and wit, with strong performances that keep the outrageous true story from tipping into silliness. It singles out the script's light touch, Frears' direction, and the way the production captures very English humor and social constraints. [Read the review](https://collider.com/a-very-english-scandal-review/) ## Digital Spy — Steve O'Brien Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 20 May 2018. Russell T Davies captures both the tragedy and farce of the scandal in an outrageous comic tragedy. Hugh Grant soars as Jeremy Thorpe, bringing depth and devilish charm to the role in this richly cast drama. [Read the review](https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/a857457/a-very-english-scandal-review-episode-1/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/tv/a-very-english-scandal.md