--- title: "Legends: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/tv/legends/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/tv/legends" critics_score: 77 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." --- # Legends (2026): what the critics said Critics' score 77 from 8 reviews: 7 positive, 1 mixed, 0 negative. Most critics like Legends, and for the same reasons. Seven of eight reviews are positive, and the praise clusters around the performances: Steve Coogan, as the eccentric veteran trainer Don, and Tom Burke are named repeatedly, with Coogan described as squarely in his element. The reviews also agree that the series is brisk and tightly wound, that the undercover operations grip on their own terms, and that the Thatcher-era setting is well evoked. Several are struck simply that the real events happened at all. The reservations concern tone and density. The Guardian finds a brilliant true story well told that never catches fire because it works so hard to stay serious. NME, the one mixed review, calls the plotting convoluted and misses the lighter touch of the creator’s earlier work, though it finds enough intrigue to persevere. Collider, otherwise warm, also flags the density. The spread is narrow: one five-star notice at Radio Times, one three-star, and the rest close together. ## Radio Times — Jack Seale Rating 5/5. 7 May 2026. The critic calls this brisk Netflix thriller irresistible for its tension, humour and evocation of Thatcher-era dysfunction. Steve Coogan is singled out for excelling in his element as the eccentric veteran trainer Don. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/legends-review-netflix-steve-coogan/) ## Empire — David Opie Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 19 May 2026. The critic praises this gripping true-crime drama about undercover customs officers in the 1990s as tightly wound and thrilling. The standout elements are the top-tier performances from Steve Coogan and Tom Burke. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/tv/reviews/legends/) ## The Times — Tim Glanfield Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 7 May 2026. The critic praises the series as a riveting true-story thriller about undercover customs officers in 1990s Britain, highlighting strong performances especially from Tom Burke and Steve Coogan along with its glossy production and British sensibility. [Read the review](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-radio/article/legends-review-netflix-tv-television-tom-burke-steve-coogan-neil-forsyth-7fgll2w6m) ## The Telegraph — Anita Singh Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 7 May 2026. The review calls the series a sure-footed six-part thriller based on extraordinary real events from the war on drugs, marvelling at the undercover operations and the fact that they happened. [Read the review](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/0/legends-netflix-review/) ## The Guardian Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 7 May 2026. The critic finds it a brilliant true story well told but notes that the effort to keep things serious prevents the series from catching fire. They single out the plucky underdogs risking life and limb for noble ideals while the establishment braces to grab credit. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2026/may/07/legends-review-neil-forsyth-steve-coogan) ## Variety — Alison Herman Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 7 May 2026. The critic praises the compact, compelling Netflix series as a gripping tale of found potential and assumed identity, with strong performances from Steve Coogan and Tom Burke leading a uniformly strong cast. It highlights the fun of the undercover missions and the show's sense of humor amid the stakes of Thatcher-era drug operations. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2026/tv/reviews/legends-review-steve-coogan-netflix-1236738403/) ## Collider — Jessica Toomer Rating 8/10. 7 May 2026. The critic calls it a tense, unfussy thriller that turns forgotten chapters of British history into propulsive television and may be the most watchable crime drama Netflix releases that year. They single out the impressive scope of the criminal economy depicted and sharp character work, while noting the plot's density as a drawback. [Read the review](https://collider.com/legends-netflix-review-thriller/) ## NME — Nick Levine Rating 3/5. 7 May 2026. The series is a convoluted thriller about unlikely undercover agents that lacks the light touch of the creator's previous work but offers enough intrigue to persevere. Performances, particularly Tom Burke's, stand out amid the world-building and flaws. [Read the review](https://www.nme.com/reviews/tv-reviews/legends-review-steve-coogan-netflix-3944313) --- © 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/legends.md