Roadkill

Not every detail of the series’s social and political intrigue makes sense, especially with regard to the newspaper business. The human side of the equation mostly adds up, though, and Laurie nails the contradictions of Laurence, who tries kindness on for size but only to see whether it fits with his consuming ambition.

Laurie, hugely popular to both Brits and Americans, might be the initial draw for audiences but can’t sustain on his own. The show simply isn’t written that way. Helen McCrory, Sarah Greene and Iain De Caestecker, as well as the rest of the cast, give performances as well-acted and important as Laurie’s.

Laurie does what he can with playing up the charade of a political conman whose almost always good for a selfie opp and a sound bite. ... Another bright spot is Harry Escott’s haunting score for the series, and the Saul Bass-inspired main credit sequence, which are both addicting.

The fact that it is set in an alternative universe where neither Brexit nor the pandemic dominate each character’s every thought gives this unspooling tale of greed, weakness and corruption a generic or pleasingly retro mood, depending on your take. So far, I would plump for pleasingly retro. It is good to be reminded of the enduring truths.

Written by playwright/screenwriter David Hare ("The Hours"), "Roadkill" has an understated quality to it, with Laurie at his best as the oily politician.

Laurie’s witty touch helps keeps things afloat, even when “Roadkill” loses velocity because of clumsy plotting and some too-blatant declarations of character flaws.

The too-busy plot at times comes down to Peter, so smug and charismatic, versus a small army of (mostly) women from various parts of his personal and professional lives. ... What “Roadkill” has to offer are a few standout performances, as Peter dodges fire from all sides. Laurie is, as is often the case, outstanding as a creep who gets by on his charm and/or brilliance.

Yes, it is too mannered and expositional to be realistic (in this way it reminded me of Bodyguard), but it is welcome immersive escapism and not nearly as earnest and improbable as Hare's last offering, Collateral.

You can’t help but warm to Laurie and McCrory, venal as their characters are, because they project such intelligence. ... It’s competently put together and the plot draws you in. ... This feels like a drama from an earlier time, with a traditional left-wing heart. However outlandish the fictional scheming on display, the real world is crazier, and we’ve seen this kind of conspiracy too many times before.

Much of the show’s appeal lies in its embrace of the familiar. The gruff, macho newspaper editor (Pip Torrens); the fragile, neglected wife (Saskia Reeves); the chafing, unsatisfied mistress (Sidse Babett Knudsen)—we know them well. But Hare, dazzled by the buffet of tropes available to him, can’t keep himself from loading up his tray. ... What kept me watching was Laurie.

In other seasons and other shows, this sort of rake is an easy charmer, a solid sell. After watching all four hours of "Roadkill," I'm not so sure if Laurie's efforts to channel that kind of magic works as well here. ... While it attempts to say something about the dangerousness of banal characters and the people around them, it doesn't quite make that case in a clear and compelling away.

Laurie (“House, M.D.”; “Veep”) is just about the only reason to get into “Roadkill,” writer David Hare’s quick-moving but often ridiculously convoluted drama.

It’s not an entirely unpleasant four-hour journey that Mr. Hare has mapped out, or one without a zinger ending, though much of what happens beforehand seems the result of narrative expediency; characters conform to the plot, rather than consistency. ... If a viewer were to walk away from “Roadkill” with a sense of moral and narrative confusion, it would hardly be surprising.