The Replacement

This show is decent, an okay thriller - the main character is really irritating though. And then just as it reaches its conclusion it's ruined by one of the worst endings to a show I can recall.

An absurd thriller which gets more absurd as it goes along. At the end you might be forgiven for thinking that the twists could had been done differently.

Ellen works for a successful architect's firm in Glasgow that lands a big contract but she soon gets pregnant. Ellen plans to return soon after having the baby and Paula is hired as the replacement. Paula is competent at her job and already has a 10 year old daughter. She took time out of her life to be with her daughter and be a full time parent during those early years.

Ellen is disturbed when Paula insists she should not return to work so quickly and she fears that Paula has another agenda, she might be malevolent. Pretty soon Paula impresses the bosses, clients and Ellen comes across as paranoid. Ellen is even accused of violence towards Paula and even child neglect. As her relationship with her boyfriend falls apart Ellen needs to expose Paula as a manipulator but as others think, it is Ellen who might be disturbed.

There is an element of Fatal Attraction here as Paula gazes at Ellen's perfect life, perfect family. The third episode should had been more intriguing but falls apart as many of the characters behave bizarrely.

This production could have been a ten. A complex tale about a replacement professional being hired to cover, for a senior Architect, in a small practice.

As the story progresses, you become hooked, and are left guessing about every major character. There is quality tension, in more than a few scenes, and unlike some dramas a more restrained type of shock hits you, which is far more effective. Vicky McClure is simply superb, and i could watch her all day, as my wife equally agreed. Unfortunately Morven Christie, and Richard Rankin, were not as eye catching. One can find faults in the story line, but it entertained us both, and was enjoyable viewing. I bet Hitchcock would loved to direct this tale. The ending could have been so much better, and in dramas like this, having rather different or even sinister closure, would make it far more memorable. I also think there is plenty of room for this type of work, and even wonder if writers consult with genuine drama lovers, as to how to get the best out such stories. Reading complete reviews of this is risky, simply do what we did, and enjoy it.

The great thing about TV in this day and age is that sometimes a show comes from nowhere and grabs peoples attention. In 2017 this show did that.

With a good premise and a cast that you've likely seen in lots of other things this show brightened up dreary spring evenings with its quick turns and obsession based plot.

We need intelligent TV shows like this, and on free to watch stations, rather than buried away on Netflix. I'm sure in time more people will find this on IPlayer/DVD and see what a good show it was.

It's a shame that there won't be a series 2.

Okay, to be fair, I'm only two-thirds through, but already I'm rooting against the protagonist Ellen and for the supposed antagonist Paula. Ellen is a super annoying and passive aggressive Karen who stalks & sabotages her co-workers. Despite appearing completely incompetent at her job, her superiors fawn over-- does her husband (who she treats like sh-i-te). She suddenly gets pregnant and discovers the value of playing the new mom/baby card to get all the attention and manipulate people. Who's to say what will be revealed in the final episode, but something pretty bad needs to be revealed about Paula to make me hate her more Ellen.

It's basically a story about toxic femininity and women turning against each other at work. Not far away from reality in certain ways.