Roadkill

As soapy as Roadkill is, it has a great cast going for it, led by the always watchable Hugh Laurie. In fact, Laurie is the entire reason to watch this pulpy miniseries, just to see if his character can outrun everyone trying to bring him down.

Laurie, hugely popular to both Brits and Americans, might be the initial draw for audiences but can’t sustain on his own. The show simply isn’t written that way. Helen McCrory, Sarah Greene and Iain De Caestecker, as well as the rest of the cast, give performances as well-acted and important as Laurie’s.

Written by playwright/screenwriter David Hare ("The Hours"), "Roadkill" has an understated quality to it, with Laurie at his best as the oily politician.

The too-busy plot at times comes down to Peter, so smug and charismatic, versus a small army of (mostly) women from various parts of his personal and professional lives. ... What “Roadkill” has to offer are a few standout performances, as Peter dodges fire from all sides. Laurie is, as is often the case, outstanding as a creep who gets by on his charm and/or brilliance.

You can’t help but warm to Laurie and McCrory, venal as their characters are, because they project such intelligence. ... It’s competently put together and the plot draws you in. ... This feels like a drama from an earlier time, with a traditional left-wing heart. However outlandish the fictional scheming on display, the real world is crazier, and we’ve seen this kind of conspiracy too many times before.

Laurie (“House, M.D.”; “Veep”) is just about the only reason to get into “Roadkill,” writer David Hare’s quick-moving but often ridiculously convoluted drama.

Underwhelming and overly cluttered political drama. [26 Oct - 8 Nov 2020, p.13]