The Following Events Are Based on a Pack of Lies

When watching a TV drama, a certain amount of suspension of disbelief is often required. For example, in a detective drama like Morse or Vera, the police person usually goes in alone and unarmed to confront the murderer, rather than calling in armed backup and waiting.

But in this series suspension of disbelief is needed all the way through. I'm constantly thinking "that couldn't happen", "she wouldn't say that", "he couldn't do that". The premise of the story is that right at the start, a man turns up in Oxford claiming to be a top climate scientist. Well, no, anyone could look it up and see that he and his supposed research institute doesn't exist. All the way through, the characters have to behave in a ridiculously stupid way for the story to work. In the final episode, it descends to a kind of farcical pantomime.

There are some redeeming features. The acting is fairly good, considering the silly things that the actors have to say and do. The sets and costumes are quite lavish; plenty of licence fee payers' money has been spent producing this.

Not too bad a series, with an interesting storyline but it would have done much better with different lead actors.

Rebekah Staton is as stiff as cardboard. I know she is supposed to portray a fearful and bullied woman but she came out as an absolutely brainless bore. Why should everything turn out badly for Alice? Her bad luck and inaction became unbelievable after a while.. Alistair Petrie too relied too much on his facial expressions, it looked unbelievably over acted - and the first episode of him clumsily riding his bicycle around university like a mad man made it look like the series was meant to be a comedy.

Marianne Jean Baptist was as usual a good actress, but was some what too strong an actress and became a stark contrast between the other 2 weaker lead actors.

I wasn't sure exactly what genre this was going to be when it started but thought I'd stick with it, and I'm glad I did.

Rebekah Station is captivating, she is one of the most underrated actresses in the UK and deserves to be in many more productions than she is.

This production is smarty written, well directed and also funny. We surely need a bit of humour in this world.

Of course the underlying fact that there are actually people functioning like the main character is truly scary.

I hope this at least opens the eyes of someone whom is being coerced by a psychopath/sociopath, not overtly perhaps but even in a subtle manner.

We can't wait for the next one as it's gripping.

Well done BBC1 for giving us a break from the usual trash on offer.

The worlds of two women crash together, brought together by Doctor Robert Chance, who on the surface is a prominent Scientist, fighting for the future of the Earth, but underneath a confidence trickster, and a man who preys on women.

It's a deliciously dark and twisted series, it takes a little bit of time for it to open up, but when it does, it's addictive viewing.

Initially I thought it was merely a black comedy, but as it develops, it morphs into a psychological drama, with domestic abuse as its focus. It proves one thing, the abused can be ordinary, down to Earth people, or indeed the ritch and famous, people you'd look at and say 'it would never happen to them.'

It's well paced, full of suspense, and contains some genuinely upsetting moments, expect the unexpected. The final episode is seriously satisfying viewing.

Each of the main characters has a chance to shine, Alistair Petrie, Marianne Jean Baptiste and Rebekah Staton all have some incredible scenes.

Truly satisfying drama.

9/10.

It's such a joy to see a show with big ideas, big narratives and - whisper it - maybe even a big budget come out of the BBC. Of course, the American networks are still the best at blockbuster tele; recent highlights for me include 'The Power' - the excellent adaptation of Naomi Alderman's sensational book - and Showtime's gripping 'Yellowjackets'. Both series inhabit an exaggerated reality, and although there's countless real-life monsters to rival Alistair Petrie's villain Rob Chance, 'The Following Events...' has a scope and level of ambition that puts me in mind of those two other programmes.

Speaking of real-life monsters, the final episode breaks the fourth wall entirely with actual footage of famous wrong'uns, from Saville to Epstein, as exploited author Cheryl Harker (the excellent Marianne Jean-Baptiste) vents her frustration at power always protecting power. It's a testament to the show's cinematic dexterity that this moment doesn't feel at all out of place.

Rebekah Staton is sublime in the role of Alice Newman, an aspiring fashion designer who spies her long-lost ex-husband cycling thorough the streets of Oxford, cool as a cucumber, 15 years after dissappearing without a trace. Oh, and the bugger had only gone and done a runner with Alice and her family's life savings. What a scoundrel! But now he's got his eyes on a bigger prize. Can Alice uncover the truth and save the day? (It's far more complicated than that, but I don't want to spoil the many delightful twists and turns).

Staton - who deserves to be on TV a heck of a lot more than she is - delivers a nuanced performance of a complex character battling against contradiction, paranoia, anger and - ultimately - a world where powerful men are always given the benefit of the doubt. Even when you've got to look very, very closely to see the doubt. It's not always men, of course, although it usually is, but it is always power. The most powerful in society seem to he held to a much lower standard than everyone else. We don't need rules for the powerful! They have power, ergo they must be honourable and virtuous, and on the occasions they're not, well those are clearly the exception and we can let it slide just this once.

Sorry, got a bit carried away.

'The Following Events...' tackles a lot of big themes and succeeds in making valuable comments about each one, whilst never overshadowing the story. And what a cracking story it is! Even if it is based on a pack of lies.