Film Reviews & Movie Analysis

Created and Written by Mike Bartlett

Broadcast: BBC One
Concluded: 11/10/18
Synopsis: Two rival newspapers take opposing views on how to best report the news.
Cast: Charlotte Riley, Ben Chaplin, Priyanga Burford, Paapa Essiedu
Episodes: Six

Puppet Master, Organ Grinder, Editor. Duncan Allen (Ben Chaplin) heads The Post, a tabloid newspaper that exploits, and manipulates in order to get the splashiest headlines and gossip mongering stories.

In comparison, The Herald is led in a more civilized manner by its editor Amina Chaudary (Priyanga Burford). She trusts the nose of her team – namely news editor Holly Evans (Charlotte Riley) to find and approach stories with integrity.

Where one paper prefers to rush full steam ahead and deal with the consequences later, and the other takes a more cautious approach – neither method is exempt from the pressure of having its readers turn on them.

I am literally bursting to tell everybody how great Ben Chaplin is in his role as the cold, calculated and yet oddly forgivable editor Duncan Allen.

There I’ve said it, and I wish I could say more, but you’ll just have to watch it for yourself and agree! I only really know Chaplin from the first series of Mad Dogs (2011-2013) – but his character on Press was so distinctive that half of me wants the series to be renewed so he can return to reprise his role.

As I’m sure you are tired of me saying – I have long since grown tired of British Cop shows and so I was thrilled that, though having some investigative necessities Press felt brand new. It was a different setting for audiences to explore and understand with characters who were battling with original dilemma’s.

One thing that some may find frustrating, is that Press didn’t always tie off loose ends. I will admit to myself feeling like I was left without a paddle at times, as certain news features that the episodes were focused on were left unconcluded. I guess that’s the nature of yesterdays news as it were.

More so in the vein of something like The Split that came out earlier this year, Press didn’t really have a solid over arching storyline. There are problems that need to be faced and current situations that are being worked through. It’s day to day – something that I know not everybody loves, but happens to be a personal enjoyment of mine.

This one is definitely worth a watch, and one of my British TV highlights of the year.

Trailer Below…..