--- title: "Patrick Melrose: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/tv/patrick-melrose/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/tv/patrick-melrose" critics_score: 81 critics_reviews: 12 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." --- # Patrick Melrose (2018): what the critics said Critics' score 81 from 12 reviews: 11 positive, 1 mixed, 0 negative. The reviews are warmly positive, and the praise lands almost entirely on one man. Most critics describe Benedict Cumberbatch’s Patrick as the reason to watch: a performance that swings from slapstick to tragedy within a single scene, with at least one reviewer judging it the best work he has done. Behind him, the adaptation is credited with boiling the novels down into coherent, intelligent television, and Nicholls’ screenplay and Edward Berger’s direction are singled out for keeping the early episodes both funny and bleak. The reservations are few and mild. Some find Patrick hard company, selfish and unpleasant for long stretches, and one or two note that the tone and pacing whip about. The spread is narrow: eleven positive notices and one mixed. The lone dissent comes from Paste, which finds the series indulgent and short on wit, the upper-class dysfunction over-familiar, and the central performance erratic rather than virtuosic. Nobody else agrees. ## The Times — Carol Midgley Rating ★★★★★. 14 May 2018. Cumberbatch's gobsmacking performance as the drug-addicted Patrick is superb, funny and convincing in shifting from tragic to slapstick. The portrayal of a screwed-up posh boy's descent into drug-fuelled insanity surpasses anything the actor has done before. [Read the review](https://www.thetimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/article/tv-review-patrick-melrose-midsomer-murders-nbnwgnttj) ## The Guardian Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 13 May 2018. The adaptation is a triumph, boiling down the books into intelligent television with sharp dialogue and immersive direction by Edward Berger. Benedict Cumberbatch delivers a brilliant, hilarious yet tragic performance as the addict Patrick. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2018/may/13/patrick-melrose-review-brilliant-portrayal-addiction-benedict-cumberbatch) ## Radio Times — Eleanor Bley Griffiths Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 7 September 2018. Cumberbatch is captivating and perfectly cast as the hot mess anti-hero in a first episode that is fantastically funny as well as deeply tragic. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/patrick-melrose-preview-benedict-cumberbatch/) ## Empire — Ben Travis Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 14 May 2018. Cumberbatch delivers a brash, register-spanning performance in a pure character study that mixes dark humor with emotional depth in the early episodes. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/tv/reviews/patrick-melrose-review/) ## IndieWire — Ben Travers Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 9 June 2018. The limited series is a poignant and revealing portrait of trauma and recovery that succeeds in its finale. Cumberbatch delivers a standout performance that anchors the adaptation's emotional depth. [Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/features/general/showtime-patrick-melrose-review-finale-ending-spoilers-1201971833/) ## Vulture Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 11 May 2018. The series is an indictment of privilege and trauma that benefits from Cumberbatch's go-for-broke performance across its emotional range. The adaptation condenses the novels effectively while highlighting class and addiction themes. [Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/2018/05/patrick-melrose-review.html) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Tim Goodman Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 1 May 2018. A compelling and difficult roller coaster fueled by Cumberbatch’s towering performance, with whipsaw directing and deft handling of tone in the early episodes. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/patrick-melrose-review-1106970/) ## The i Paper — Jeff Robson Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 13 May 2018. The adaptation vividly conveys the addict's life with visual flair and Cumberbatch seizes a dream role, but the character is often unpleasant and selfish. [Read the review](https://inews.co.uk/culture/television/patrick-melrose-sky-atlantic-review-toffs-behaving-badly-in-a-seriously-feelbad-drama-153810) ## Variety — Jacqueline Cutler Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 5 May 2018. Cumberbatch is riveting as the drug-addled gentleman; Berger’s direction and Nicholls’ screenplay deftly translate the source material into a promising limited series. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2018/tv/reviews/tv-review-patrick-melrose-benedict-cumberbatch-1202789439/) ## Collider — Allison Keene Rating ★★★★★. 10 May 2018. The series succeeds largely due to Benedict Cumberbatch's exceptional, nuanced performance as the troubled, charming Patrick. It blends witty, manic energy with emotional depth across its episodes, capturing the character's restless journey through trauma and recovery. [Read the review](https://collider.com/patrick-melrose-review-benedict-cumberbatch/) ## Den of Geek — Andrew Husband Rating 4.5/5. 14 May 2018. Benedict Cumberbatch shines in this darkly comic miniseries about addiction, abuse, and recovery. The adaptation retains the source material's pacing and mixes tragedy with visual and verbal humor effectively. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/patrick-melrose-review-benedict-cumberbatch-shines-in-darkly-comic-miniseries/) ## Paste — Jacob Oller Rating 6.3/10. 10 May 2018. The miniseries offers some familiar attractions in its portrayal of a damaged playboy but feels indulgent and lacks sufficient wit or originality. Benedict Cumberbatch's erratic performance and the familiar tropes of upper-class dysfunction do not elevate it beyond the ordinary. [Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/tv/patrick-melrose/patrick-melrose-benedict-cumberbatch-showtime-revi) --- © 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/patrick-melrose.md