Sherwood builds slowly – layer by subtle, evocative layer – into a magisterial state-of-the-nation piece. Forty years of emotion and history have been transmuted, lovingly and painstakingly, into art. It’s the cleverest, most compelling and most moving thing I’ve seen in years. ... It is, simply put, wonderful.

In the clarity of its storytelling, and the authenticity of its atmosphere, Sherwood split the bullseye: the best BBC drama of the year so far, and I’d hazard some time to come.

Sherwood is shaping up to be one of the most compelling dramas of 2022.

Artfully combining a drama about the long tail of hurt from the colliery closures with a macabre whodunit (and increasingly, as the series progresses, blending the two) is no mean feat. ... Sherwood is altogether merrier than you might expect, with plenty to tuck into.

For some viewers, that pacing will tip over into glacial, and while Sherwood's refusal to commit to a single genre holds water given the multi-stranded nature of the narrative, it does feel disjointed in places. ... But there's much to praise. The performances are solid.