Quiz

A remarkably uncynical version of events around the Coughing Major, which shows several points of view with clarity and empathy. ... Quiz is an entertaining, well-constructed and big-hearted romp through a story most will think they know well, with sympathetic performances by both leads, an amusing turn by Michael Sheen as Chris Tarrant, and an entertaining supporting cast of quiz fanatics.

Quiz dramatizes an already melodramatic story in an absolutely outstanding and zany miniseries. ... What elevates "Quiz" beyond a scripted docudrama is the performances from the cast, especially MacFadyen, Clifford, Sheen and Bonnar.

Quiz is smart, entertaining, and told with a great sense of efficiency. By sticking to three hour-long episodes, it provides all wheat and no chaff.

To the credit of writer James Graham and director Stephen Frears (“A Very English Scandal”), “Quiz” rigorously offers both sides of the story and allows viewers to decide.

Quiz’s tight, three-part structure is one of its selling points in this era of overstuffed TV, but the trim runtime isn’t utilized nearly as well as it could’ve been. That doesn’t make it boring, however. The behind-the-curtain glimpse at quiz TV’s nuts and bolts is exciting, and Michael Sheen’s riff on original host Chris Tarrant succeeds both in translating his on-camera amiability and the ways Tarrant’s life in the spotlight translated into his real-life behaviors.

A polished production with strong performances that’s always incredibly watchable. Ultimately however, I’m not exactly sure what James Graham’s script, based on his play of the same name, expects us to take away from it, and the muddled perspective sometimes hold back what could have been a stronger piece about spectacle and obsession.

“Quiz” can feel frustratingly basic at times, suffering from slights and gaps that make the three episodes sail while feeling incomplete. The series would have benefited from either being a 90-minute movie or at least five episodes. ... More egregiously, Frears’ charm and whimsy feel all but absent, limited to a few scenes or dialogue exchanges.