Quiz: Season 1, Episode 3 (B+)
I do wish that this show had been longer since it was very watchable and well-done, but I can appreciate that there are only so many facts – and theories – about what actually happened with this case. I wanted to be more certain about things, but apparently, despite a good deal of incriminating evidence, it’s not universally agreed upon that the Ingrams did indeed conspire to cheat. Helen McCrory’s DC Sonia seemed more than ready to take on their case just for the thrill of being able to defend them, and her arguments were rather persuasive. Diana was quite surprised to learn that she was being filmed, though there wasn’t any damning evidence that she was coughing into a microphone, despite what we saw when it was being filmed and Charles was on stage. What this show did very well was to make us believe we knew what we were seeing and then cast doubt because it wasn’t all conclusive. Charles was very emasculated by his wife and devastated by having to step back from his job, and, from what we saw, it didn’t appear that he was all that complicit in everything. Seeing that one scene where they were reacting loudly to the news on the phone two ways said so much, which is that it’s always possible to find a new interpretation based on the way an argument is presented. Paul’s meeting with Paddy startled him because of just how substantial a percentage of their contestants came from this ring, but he and the other producers all won out in the end because their documentary got very high ratings. Ending with Charles imagining Chris talking to him from the TV and inviting him to “tell us, what’s the answer” was effective, and I’m also left feeling very curious after this informative and thought-provoking piece of historical entertainment.
Series grade: B+
Series MVP: Matthew Macfadyen as Charles
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