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- PBS
- Oct 29, 2013
- PBS
- Oct 29, 2013
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
- PBS
- Oct 29, 2013
- PBS
- Oct 29, 2013
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
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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.
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
The Escape Artist is a real surprise, in the best way. What begins as fairly standard issue court drama, and it is well done, becomes a limited series as compelling as anything I've seen these past couple of years - and I've gobbled up more British crime and thriller programming than I'd ever thought likely.
David Tennant is an actor with the widest range imaginable - and in this series his capacity to play shock, terror and comedy are given a workout. The writing and shaping of the episodes make this series unique, in that there's no guessing where the story is going.
The only misstep in the writing is the final climax between the two male characters - there is an undeniable feeling that the writer couldn't quite get to where he needed to get to without imposing an unlikely series of events - but after that, happily, he provides a punchline that is as hilarious as it is totally satisfying. Watch it.
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SEASON 1
One of the best courtroom dramas and accompanying personal dramas I've seen in years. All performances were outstanding and although the story was told in three distinct parts, the intensity of easy episode never let up, with a terrific hold your breath finale.
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SEASON 1
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.
This is a taut suspense driven character story-not just a normal procedural. It was a cat and mouse game that you weren't handed the antagonist's motives or background on plate-leaving you wondering what was next.
The dark and gloomy landscape added to the atmosphere as well as the set design of minimalist modernistic living spaces juxtaposed to solitary cabin and council flats.
David Tennant was outstanding.
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SEASON 1
A taut series about a serial killer and the defense lawyers who let him loose, only this time the killer is let loose by the lawyer whose wife he ends up killing, and his biggest competitor for legal bragging rights then gets him off. The legal shenanigans are cynical and ludicrous but, hey this is a drama. In the end the Lawyer goes after the killer the old fashioned way and sets it up so he has the law on his side. The trials are silly, but serve to keep the pot boiling.
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SEASON 1
