X
- 2013
- PBS
- 2013
- PBS
Summary Barrister Will Burton (David Tennant) defends accused murder Liam Foyle (Toby Kebbell) but soon finds his client more dangerous than he thought.
Created By: David Wolstencroft
- 2013
- PBS
- 2013
- PBS
The Escape Artist
Season 1 Premiere: 2013
71
8.8
Summary Barrister Will Burton (David Tennant) defends accused murder Liam Foyle (Toby Kebbell) but soon finds his client more dangerous than he thought.
Created By: David Wolstencroft
All Seasons
Top Cast
Metascore
Generally Favorable
Based on 12 Critic Reviews
71
75% Positive
9 Reviews
9 Reviews
25% Mixed
3 Reviews
3 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Metascore
Generally Favorable
Based on 12 Critic Reviews
71
75% Positive
9 Reviews
9 Reviews
25% Mixed
3 Reviews
3 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
It may sound like your typical procedural--but by part 1's cliff-hanger ending, it clearly isn't and the very intense Tennant deserves much of the credit for that. [13 Jun 2014, p.77]
It succeeds despite its little kinks in logic, mesmerizes despite the fact that we're moved to pause periodically to marvel at a plot line that requires an audience to believe that the sharpest-witted characters can be oblivious to the screaming-in-neon signs of disaster lying just ahead.
The Escape Artist is unusually willing not to let the audience off the hook, and instead, to help us understand that the pursuit of substantive justice may prove as dangerous as the crimes it seeks to right.
As an actors’ showcase, The Escape Artist is a distinct success. The fact that that very clearly was not its primary artistic goal only matters so much.
Tennant is once again terrific at juggling a lot of emotions from one moment to the next. The supporting cast is also sufficiently fine, including a steely performance from Sophie Okonedo.... Plodding on too far, The Escape Artist becomes a revenge story. And yet, for the ineffably eurocentric reasons I was describing earlier, you keep watching and waiting for the surprise.
It’s two characters for the price of one--or for the price of sitting through the three hours (over two nights) of an opaque and contrived thriller.
At times we're watching largely to see if there will be a clever turn in the writing. It would be better if we were more invested in the character drama.
User Score
Universal Acclaim
Based on 16 User Ratings
8.8
100% Positive
16 Ratings
16 Ratings
0% Mixed
0 Ratings
0 Ratings
0% Negative
0 Ratings
0 Ratings
User Score
Universal Acclaim
Based on 16 User Ratings
8.8
100% Positive
16 Ratings
16 Ratings
0% Mixed
0 Ratings
0 Ratings
0% Negative
0 Ratings
0 Ratings
There are no user reviews yet. Be the first to add a review.
Production Company:
- Wolstencorp
- Endor Productions
- Red Arrow Studios International
- British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
Initial Release Date: 2013
Number of seasons: 1 Season
Awards
BAFTA Awards, Scotland
• 1 Win & 2 Nominations
Bafta TV Craft
• 1 Nomination
Seoul International Drama Awards
• 1 Nomination
