An engaging, sometimes hyper kinetic retelling of an alleged murder plot by a high-ranking member of the British Parliament in the 60s and 70s. Jeremy Thorpe, successful, cocky, and in the closet, begins a discreet affair with an ingenuous but emotionally unstable young man. He believes he can end the affair just as discreetly when he tires of Norman. Unfortunately, Jeremy doesn't realize what he's in for. Norman is anything but circumspect - flighty, thoughtless, and outspoken about his homosexuality - and his affair with Jeremy Thorpe. When Norman broadcasts that he's been the victim of a murder attempt by Jeremy, all hell breaks loose and the two of them end up facing each other down in court.
Hugh Grant is a revelation in this, as a powerful political leader brought low by the scandal - we see his ego and his arrogance deflate the longer Norman hangs on like a terrier, publicly seeking justice for the wrongs done him by Jeremy.
Ben Whishaw, an actor who couldn't give a bad performance even if he tried, is absolutely perfect as Norman - unpredictable, attention-seeking, by turns charming and weepy, but with a surprisingly dogged determination and fierce resentment at the treatment of gays - which he doesn't hesitate to trumpet to both the court and the press.
An outstanding supporting cast and a whimsical musical score add more than a touch of humor to the proceedings; this is a series that shouldn't be missed.
