--- title: "National Treasure: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/tv/national-treasure-2016/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/tv/national-treasure-2016" critics_score: 73 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." --- # National Treasure (2016): what the critics said Critics' score 73 from 8 reviews: 6 positive, 2 mixed, 0 negative. Most critics find National Treasure a compelling, uncomfortable drama, with praise concentrated on the performances and its treatment of celebrity, abuse allegations and their effects on a family. Robbie Coltrane’s complex, restrained performance draws repeated approval, while Julie Walters receives particular attention for Marie’s devastation and faltering certainty. The reviews generally value the series’ moral uncertainty and find its difficult subject matter handled with thought and care. The reservations range from uneven storytelling to a more substantial objection about whose experience receives attention. Some critics find subplots underdeveloped or unwieldy, while assessments of pace differ: IndieWire notes sluggishness, whereas The Hollywood Reporter finds the drama brisk. The i Paper offers the clearest dissent, praising the leads but arguing that the victims have too little screen time or agency. The spread is largely favourable rather than sharply divided, though that criticism questions a central choice in the storytelling. ## IndieWire — Liz Shannon Miller Rating A-. 1 March 2017. Miller calls the series important and vital viewing, despite some sluggish pacing and an unwieldy subplot. She praises Robbie Coltrane’s performance and Julie Walters’s portrayal of Marie’s devastation. [Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/shows/national-treasure-review-hulu-robbie-coltrane-rape-scandal-1201789000/) ## Variety — Maureen Ryan Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 27 February 2017. Ryan finds the tightly focused drama suspenseful and impactful, despite a less developed subplot about Paul’s comedy partnership. She particularly praises the performances, especially Julie Walters’s portrayal of Marie as her certainty begins to crumble. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2017/tv/news/national-treasure-review-hulu-robbie-coltrane-julie-walters-1201993384/) ## The Guardian — Sam Wollaston Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 20 September 2016. Wollaston calls the drama thoughtful, bold and accomplished, while acknowledging that it is uncomfortable viewing. He particularly praises Robbie Coltrane’s complex, convincing performance and singles out Julie Walters and Andrea Riseborough as brilliant. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2016/sep/20/national-treasure-review-robbie-coltrane) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Tim Goodman Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 1 March 2017. Goodman finds the series compelling and brisk, with a familiar subject handled in a fresh, meaningful way. He especially praises the nuanced performances and the way the drama explores the effects of celebrity and abuse allegations on a family. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-reviews/national-treasure-review-982202/) ## Vulture — Jen Chaney Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 1 March 2017. Chaney finds the four-part series engrossing and thought-provoking, with its moral uncertainty lingering after the finale. She praises the subdued performances, especially Robbie Coltrane’s, and the quietly ominous atmosphere. [Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/2017/03/national-treasure-hulu-review.html) ## Radio Times — Ben Dowell Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 15 March 2019. The available description presents the finale as delivering a decisive verdict on Paul Finchley. It offers no specific praise or complaint about the episode. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/national-treasure-delivers-its-verdict-on-robbie-coltranes-paul-finchley/) ## The i Paper — Hugh Montgomery Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 13 October 2016. The critic calls the series brave and important but argues that it marginalises the victims it aims to represent. He praises the lead performances while objecting to the victims’ limited screen time and lack of agency. [Read the review](https://inews.co.uk/culture/television/channel-4s-national-treasure-brave-important-tv-marginalise-victims-25492) ## Digital Spy — Morgan Jeffery Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 27 September 2016. The episode is compelling and thought-provoking, though it offers no easy answers. The critic singles out the intense exchange between Paul’s wife and daughter, alongside Julie Walters’s performance. [Read the review](https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/a809297/national-treasure-review-episode-2/) --- © 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/national-treasure-2016.md