Sleepin_Dragon

Barrington cancels Centenary Day after learning that French investors are in the area, instead folding it into a piece of French history. Unfortunately, Ned doesn't get the memo. Meanwhile, David and Belinda prepare for the team-building day.

I took a break - a couple of hours to reset and approach Episode 3 with renewed hope.

It didn't help. I couldn't laugh; not one joke landed. Ned being the only person not to hear about the cancellation is meant to be comic, but it's more weary than witty.

The training day storyline should have comfortably filled a single 30-minute episode, but with ten episodes to pad out, it's dragged around like an empty cornflake packet tied to a piece of string.

There's mild amusement in listening to David's politics - he remains the outsider - but it's slim pickings.

This also appears to be the only bank in existence without a single customer, let alone a queue of disgruntled ones.

4/10.

President Danielle Sutton attends her first G20 meeting alongside the other heads of state. She's forced to act quickly when an explosion triggers a full-scale terrorist takeover.

When it all kicked off, I was fully prepared to write a review praising the film's fresh, slapstick comedy vibe. Then... it started taking itself seriously. As a result, my review must now do the same.

I'll believe in many things, but I'm asked here to believe in Viola Davis as an action hero - and I actually burst out laughing at the sheer absurdity. She's an extraordinary actor, but come on. What's next? Ninja Jane Fonda? Champion boxer Clint Eastwood? Davis does her absolute best, but this is a stretch too far.

There are action sequences galore, accompanied by terrorists who, somewhat conveniently, can't quite manage to shoot any of the important people.

Imagine how many lives - and millions - could have been saved had they simply decided to hold the G20 meeting on Teams or Skype. A radical thought, I know.

We're also treated to a fine selection of 'baddy' accents, all wonderfully on point. The highlight, however, has to be the ending. I actually rewound it to make sure I'd seen it correctly.

To be fair, there is one thing the film gets absolutely spot on. I'll let you decide.

The British Prime Minister is portrayed as clueless, ineffective, and utterly unable to think for himself. Douglas Hodge nails it perfectly.

2/10.

The bank are preparing to celebrate its centenary by dressing up in historical dress. Ricketts from personnel arranged a meeting with Belinda and David, presenting an interesting proposition for the couple.

I came here after watching 'The Brutalist' - I badly needed a laugh. That film was so heavy, yet, unfortunately, this had more beige than laughs; it was effectively a comedy assault in beige.

The pub scene is so demeaning: Belinda is the branch manager, yet Barrington addresses David about her promotion. It's naff. The jokes about Ned's frustrations at being second fiddle to a woman are feeling very tiresome now - it's stuck on repeat.

I am genuinely delighted that Louise has ditched the bows and huge earrings; the appearance has toned down, and her performance feels a little more subtle.

I suppose it was nice to see the old Job Centre sign.

Would a bank really allow its staff to dress up like this? Nowadays, some branches even forbid Christmas jumpers.

4/10.