A Very English Scandal

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Season 1
User Score
6.0

Mixed or average reviews- based on 62 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 39 out of 62
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 62
  3. Negative: 18 out of 62
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User Reviews

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  1. jeremyp
    Jul 1, 2018
    8
    The title should read: "A very satirical English scandal." Choosing to slather on the satire changes the tone of the real story. It allows the viewer to enjoy what was a tragedy and thus miss the deeper message. Power corrupts. That should not be a laughing matter. From Jeremy Thorpe's seduction of a naive fan through his insistent demands that the fan be "silenced" and ending with theThe title should read: "A very satirical English scandal." Choosing to slather on the satire changes the tone of the real story. It allows the viewer to enjoy what was a tragedy and thus miss the deeper message. Power corrupts. That should not be a laughing matter. From Jeremy Thorpe's seduction of a naive fan through his insistent demands that the fan be "silenced" and ending with the Judges extremely biased instructions to the jury (motivated I can only presume by the need to save the face of the governing class) the decks were stacked against the victim. The victim however gets no sympathy in the story. Without a victim the perpetrator gets off the hook as well. And we get entertained.… Expand
  2. jmiragliuolo
    Jul 5, 2018
    10
    Hush money to quiet someone over sexual escapades, crooked politicians; this could be today (and American) rather than English from 50 years ago. This is very well done, and very factual. Hugh Grant steals the show.
  3. geewah
    Jan 21, 2021
    8
    An offbeat true story that jumps from wickedly funny to quite serious in this entertaining limited series.
    Grant and Whishaw are perfectly cast and the dynamic between their characters is this show's greatest strength.
    Worth seeing.

Awards & Rankings

18
#18 Best TV Season of 2018
17
#17 Most Shared TV Season of 2018

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
84

Universal acclaim - based on 17 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 16 out of 17
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 17
  3. Negative: 0 out of 17
  1. TV Guide
    Reviewed by: Kaitlin Thomas
    Aug 17, 2018
    95
    Although A Very English Scandal will probably best be remembered for the two incredible performances at the heart of its narrative, it is also a careful study in how to balance a story in which the truth is almost certainly stranger than any fiction.
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  2. Sioux City Journal
    Reviewed by: Bruce Miller
    Jul 30, 2018
    80
    While Dotrice and others add dimension to the story, the miniseries’ success comes down to the two main characters. Grant is oily and confident; Whishaw is seductive and afraid. The combination is combustible and quite watchable when the two appear in court together.
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  3. The Atlantic
    Reviewed by: Sophie Gilbert
    Jul 3, 2018
    80
    As an autopsy of one of the darker moments in recent British political disgrace, A Very English Scandal is a spry and surprisingly funny work. In under three hours, it includes all the relevant tabloid focal points (the “sick dog” comment, the witless petty criminals, the infernal National Insurance card). But it’s most effective at rendering how tragic and needless the whole Thorpe affair was.
    Read full review
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