Bodyguard

:

Season 1
User Score
7.2

Generally favorable reviews- based on 153 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 99 out of 153
  2. Mixed: 38 out of 153
  3. Negative: 16 out of 153

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User Reviews

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  1. rubikse
    Dec 7, 2018
    6
    The first 5 episodes were very good and kept us interested from the first minute. But the final episode was such a big disappointment, they left so many good story options unfinished and then added a very cheesy rushed happy ending.
  2. jaimecorveno
    Nov 21, 2018
    3
    The final episode was the most ridiculous, which managed both to be highly far-fetched and nonsensical.
  3. shoulderoforion
    Oct 24, 2018
    6
    This show should have been so much better, it started off really strong & interesting, but by the 3rd episode you start getting the feeling that the awesome buildup is kinda petering off, that the protagonists motivations start becoming muddled, and purposefully made difficult to determine, the narrative begins hanging on red herrings, and from there it breaks down into just anotherThis show should have been so much better, it started off really strong & interesting, but by the 3rd episode you start getting the feeling that the awesome buildup is kinda petering off, that the protagonists motivations start becoming muddled, and purposefully made difficult to determine, the narrative begins hanging on red herrings, and from there it breaks down into just another cop/terrorist/government procedural you've seen before. So much promise, squandered.… Expand
  4. EludiumQ36
    Nov 30, 2018
    5
    How to rate a series that runs hot and cold, sometimes it's a 9/10 sometimes it's 3/4, ugh. Why can't the showrunners be consistent? There's a lot to like with this short 6 episode series, production values are good, actors are good, the scene music is decent, and the overall storyline is good. There are some genuinely tense moments, too. Neither good nor bad though is that it's a UKHow to rate a series that runs hot and cold, sometimes it's a 9/10 sometimes it's 3/4, ugh. Why can't the showrunners be consistent? There's a lot to like with this short 6 episode series, production values are good, actors are good, the scene music is decent, and the overall storyline is good. There are some genuinely tense moments, too. Neither good nor bad though is that it's a UK series so lots of accents and dialects that can be hard to square without subtitling. Americans will also need to hit wikipedia about the UK agencies and roles that are central. So, the first five eps I'd rate an 8, but the final episode was so obvious in its need to wrap up all the loose ends that it was just a horrible experience, so much poorer than the others, and it gets a 4. But the final episode of any series gets much more weight since that's largely what you walk away with, so it reduces the overall rating to a 5, not only because everything was rushed at the end but there was a fair amount of uncharacteristic implausibility that ruined its authenticity. If there is a second season, it'll need to be an entirely different plot with hopefully a better showrunner with a stronger commitment to authenticity and proper pacing to the end.… Expand
  5. portmanteau
    Oct 25, 2018
    2
    As a Brit, utterly confused by this show and its popularity. It's not a patch on Mercurio's Earlier work with Line Of Duty being uniformly excellent. It goes from po-faced to farcical, with frustratingly stupid character arcs and daft situations. It's like Homeland season one, without any genuine drama.
  6. sgtfalcon
    Jan 12, 2019
    9
    This is a must see. Good acting, good writing, action, and some plot twists.
  7. OlivierPiel
    Jan 13, 2019
    3
    Episode 1 and 2 are really well built. But then it goes downhill very fast. The plot becomes nonsensical as it tries to make us believe Secret Service and Police would consider each other enemies of the state, the lead character motivations and back stories are cliched at best or simply ludicrous (e.g. estranged from his wife, wallowing in self pity yet a steely James Bond figureEpisode 1 and 2 are really well built. But then it goes downhill very fast. The plot becomes nonsensical as it tries to make us believe Secret Service and Police would consider each other enemies of the state, the lead character motivations and back stories are cliched at best or simply ludicrous (e.g. estranged from his wife, wallowing in self pity yet a steely James Bond figure otherwise, etc...). Acting is wooden and stiff like a British upper lip. The pace becomes so slow after episode 2, you wish you were watching Homeland or 24 (much better shows in every regard).… Expand
  8. jeremyp
    Oct 27, 2018
    7
    When it's good it's very, very good, and when it's bad it's horrid. It gets an A+ for edgy, and spell binding scenes, but a D when it goes into human relations. Plenty of plot twists and one big one at the end is bound to make many groan at the screen. They drag out the final big scene which in real life would have ended by our hero getting to the point more quickly. Many of theWhen it's good it's very, very good, and when it's bad it's horrid. It gets an A+ for edgy, and spell binding scenes, but a D when it goes into human relations. Plenty of plot twists and one big one at the end is bound to make many groan at the screen. They drag out the final big scene which in real life would have ended by our hero getting to the point more quickly. Many of the professionals come across as nitwits, but then that may be because they're not in on the real machinations that viewers are. The last half hour doesn't build as much as let the air out.… Expand
  9. PrettyGood
    Oct 25, 2018
    8
    A tremendous six-hour combination of gritty political drama and thriller makes Bodyguard one of the best dramas of the year. Highly recommended.
  10. LamontRaymond
    Nov 13, 2018
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. After two episodes, I'm really enjoying the series. However, I'm extremely disappointed that they wound up in bed together. I mean, how cliched can we get? Didn't seem to need that.… Expand
  11. chidime
    Oct 27, 2018
    9
    Really good show. And interesting too. Lots of twists and turns, and to top it all off, a deep conspiracy. Very good acting here from pretty much the entire cast. Only potential criticism is that the show is a bit dry and down-to-earth, but that's what makes the story flow. 9/10
  12. TempJunkMax
    Oct 25, 2018
    8
    Really good overall. Probably would work better as 8 episodes. Easy recommend.
  13. imthenoob
    Nov 29, 2018
    10
    Madden does such a fantastic job as the lead in this show and is the real highlight of it. This show is definitely gonna be his platform to become an even bigger star than he already is. As for the show, It reminds me a bit of Homeland but it's shorter and more to the point, There's a lot less filler and sub-plots and that is a major plus. And there's plenty of action and suspense to keepMadden does such a fantastic job as the lead in this show and is the real highlight of it. This show is definitely gonna be his platform to become an even bigger star than he already is. As for the show, It reminds me a bit of Homeland but it's shorter and more to the point, There's a lot less filler and sub-plots and that is a major plus. And there's plenty of action and suspense to keep you on edge while the well-written story plays out. What I like most is that it grips you from the first episode and keeps you invested until the very end and they don't do some cheap cop out with the ending either, It's satisfying and wraps everything up.… Expand
  14. WendyT
    Nov 5, 2018
    9
    This is a wonderful show. The compact season delivered a tight script. There are no false notes simply a maze of bureaucratic self interest in constant adjustments to shifting political fortunes. Through this a smart but troubled individual has to balance his own perceptions within a game whose rules and boundaries he does not know. It is absorbing adn tense. Don't start the season unlessThis is a wonderful show. The compact season delivered a tight script. There are no false notes simply a maze of bureaucratic self interest in constant adjustments to shifting political fortunes. Through this a smart but troubled individual has to balance his own perceptions within a game whose rules and boundaries he does not know. It is absorbing adn tense. Don't start the season unless you have time to binge, you won't want to watch any other way.… Expand
  15. muldjord
    Oct 27, 2018
    9
    What a great show. There's some true battle of power going on here, and some fantastic plot twists. The narrative develops at a steady pace, but rarely made me feel like I was loosing track. And similarly, it didn't overexplain things either. I only have one complaint, which lies in the first 20 minutes of the final episode where everyone just seems to get their IQ's lowered to 60 andWhat a great show. There's some true battle of power going on here, and some fantastic plot twists. The narrative develops at a steady pace, but rarely made me feel like I was loosing track. And similarly, it didn't overexplain things either. I only have one complaint, which lies in the first 20 minutes of the final episode where everyone just seems to get their IQ's lowered to 60 and loose all sense of reasoning. But it redeems itself fully for the last 40 minutes or so, so no biggie.

    Acting is great all around. The characters work well and are fleshed out in adequate measure. David Budd did seem a little too calm when taking into account that he should be suffering from PTSD. There's a lot of talk about how it ruined his marriage, but we don't really see it played out except for one instance that seemed a bit out of place because it seemed so random. But to be honest I didn't want it to be fleshed out further either, as it would have taken time away for the story and investigations to develop.

    There's room for season 2. Looking forward to it.    … Expand
  16. EPMD
    Dec 17, 2018
    9
    Overall worth watching. There are probably too many twists, some of which are really hard to accept or believe, but the 6-episode format really kept the action moving. TV with a finish line is so much better than TV that keeps getting stretched out for endless episodes.
  17. RichardBStard
    Nov 14, 2018
    10
    What would you expect from the writer of 'Line of Duty'? An amazing show.
    Completely gripping, beautifully written, acted and filmed.
  18. Coq
    Nov 20, 2018
    8
    Was torn between 8 and 9. Really good show with great suspense, only hindered by character decisions that seem very confusing at times. Some things happen that don't seem to coincide with the characters' motivations, but rather seem to happen simply to garner more suspense / intrigue.

    All in all a great watch though, definitely would recommend.
  19. juliansa
    Mar 16, 2019
    6
    Really entertaining right up to the last episode so went not so great, a shame.
  20. geewah
    Jan 27, 2021
    5
    Average at best.
    Outside of two moments, one being the opening scene, this show holds little appeal with it's absurd story and at times clunky dialogue.

Awards & Rankings

29
#29 Best TV Season of 2018
54
#54 Most Discussed TV Season of 2018
8
#8 Most Shared TV Season of 2018

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
79

Generally favorable reviews - based on 12 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 12
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 12
  3. Negative: 0 out of 12
  1. Vox.com
    Reviewed by: Karen Han
    Oct 25, 2018
    80
    It boasts terrific performances, unpredictable twists, and a stack of fanfic-favorite tropes (if the series’ title has you thinking of Whitney Houston, you’re frankly on the right track) executed with polish and flair. Though the thread of tension crackling at the show’s center doesn’t quite make it all the way through to the end, the journey is still enough of a roller coaster to make it well worth the ride.
    Read full review
  2. New York Post
    Reviewed by: Robert Rorke
    Oct 24, 2018
    75
    American viewers may not grasp all the subtleties of British government bureaucracy, but the cast of well-drawn characters--Anjli Mohindra is a standout as Nadia, the would-be suicide bomber--make Bodyguard compulsively watchable.
    Read full review
  3. IndieWire
    Reviewed by: Hanh Nguyen
    Oct 24, 2018
    83
    Bodyguard remains a gripping and thoroughly entertaining adventure that’s emotionally deft, but that clumsy ending dims its overall excellence.
    Read full review
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