Roadkill Review: Season 1 Episode 1
Roadkill sets up fast-paced drama with many moving pieces on its premiere, Season 1 Episode 1.
Deemed a political thriller, Roadkill is quite thrilling on its inaugural outing. Many characters are introduced and no one is really who they seem to be. Clandestine alliances and surprising connections make for an engaging story that goes in all sorts of directions.
Hugh Laurie as politician Peter Laurence is at the center of this spider web of government intrigue. I’m already leaning towards putting this character in the love-to-hate category—I am enjoying rooting against him.
The highlight of this aspect, as well as the episode itself, is the bait and switch pulled off by Prime Minister Dawn Ellison played brilliantly by Helen McCrory and her right-hand woman, Julia Blythe (Olivia Vinall). The dramatic lighting in the scene where Dawn tells Peter that he’s being promoted to Justice Minister goes well with the reveal, Peter’s shock, Dawn’s smugness, and Julia’s satisfaction.
Peter: If you remember, when we met yesterday-
Dawn: Oh, yes, Julia was with us.
Peter: You indicated that my move would be to a great office of state.
Dawn: Well, there it is: Justice. After all, you seem to enjoy the inside of a courtroom. Now you have the chance to see many.
It thoroughly blindsides Peter leading him to say, “I am angrier than I have ever been in my bloody life.” This bodes well for the plot because an angry man who feels he has been slighted will do risky things to get his way. Couple that with the skeletons in his closet and people working to expose them, and you have a recipe for provocative entertainment.
Scandal, back-stabbing, revenge, corruption, secret lovers, and blackmailing are soap opera ingredients mixed together in this sharp, dry British commentary on Tory politics from award-winning scribe David Hare. His skillful handling of the written word is on display here—quick-witted dialogue paired with the subtle, artful weaving together of plot.
After suffering a devastating loss, investigative journalist Charmian Pepper (Sarah Greene) seeks vindication. She leverages her firing into a chance to prove that her reporting on Peter Laurence was factual. Greene plays Charmian with a great mix of determination and vulnerability—someone to root for on the other side.
Charmian is not the only complex female character in this ensemble. A wide spectrum of characters are in line to complicate the story: the Prime Minister, a Black inmate with inside information, a highly capable barrister, the minister’s mistress, and his rebellious daughter, to name a few.
The upbeat, jazzy score and interesting framing—like the driver and the informant meeting in the zig-zag of a glass-enclosed stairwell—gives the whole episode a fun, mischievous mood similar to that of an Agatha Christie mystery novel. I hope this atmosphere continues throughout the miniseries.
Roadkill Season 1 Episode 1 puts the pieces on the board, setting up an exciting game full of strategy, scheming, and the jockeying for the upper-hand and ultimate power.
What did you think of this episode of Roadkill? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Roadkill airs Sundays at 9/8c on PBS.
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Erin Allen
Erin is a former script supervisor for film and television. She's an avid fan of middle aged actresses, dark dramas, and irreverent comedies. She loves to read actual books and X-Files fan fiction. Her other passions include pointing out feminist issues, shipping Mulder and Scully, and collecting pop culture mugs.