The Salisbury Poisonings

The writing here was nicely understated, the human stories well crafted and the unfolding crisis detailed without sensationalism.

The slight disbelief and disorientation among the authorities suddenly confronted by the need to turn theory rapidly into practice resonates as the makers must never have envisaged.

The Salisbury Poisonings should hold your interest, especially if you don’t know a lot about the case on which this show is based. But even if you do, the show’s concentration on the people affected instead of the investigation itself helps keep the story moving.

The four-part miniseries occasionally strives to be a “Hot Zone”-like thriller while also offering a compassionate depiction of first responders, public health officials and victims. Sometimes it leans heavier into the character stories at the expense of thrills but the story of a nerve agent transferred through skin contact has resonance in the covid-19 era.

The Salisbury Poisonings is perfectly well written and acted and informative but you never quite escape the sense that you’re watching a particularly thorough Crimewatch reconstruction.