Most critics find Bodyguard a gripping political thriller, with ten positive reviews, two mixed and none negative. Praise centres on Richard Madden’s performance, with Keeley Hawes also singled out, and on Jed Mercurio’s ability to sustain tension through intricate plotting. The reviews repeatedly commend the suspenseful opening, controlled pacing and forceful set pieces; several also find emotional depth beneath the conspiracy, particularly in the treatment of personal trauma.
The disagreements concern how much credibility the twists can spend before the suspense suffers. Even favourable reviews acknowledge clichés and strained plotting, while Radio Times finds the closing explanations both satisfying and implausible. The Ringer offers the sharpest dissent, arguing that the early precision gives way to confusing double-crosses, muddled politics and underserved female characters. The spread is mostly positive rather than polarised: most critics accept the excesses as part of the entertainment, but the dissenters find that they weaken the drama.