Criminal: United Kingdom (5/5) – Netflix Series Review

CRIMINAL: UNITED KINGDOM is the UK segment of the new Netflix crime anthology series focused on interrogation. The three episodes are written and directed by co-creators Jim Field Smith and George Kay. The guest stars are brilliant. More in our full Criminal: UK review here!

Criminal: United Kingdom is the UK segment of the new Netflix series. Criminal is an anthology series focused on solving crime through interrogation. Each episode features one case and one criminal. Or rather, the suspects in these particular cases.

Read more about each of the three episodes in the full Criminal: United Kingdom review below!

David Tennant is the Doctor

The first episode of Criminal: United Kingdom is all about Edgar, played by David Tennant. And yes, Edgar is a doctor making the veteran Doctor Who actor David Tennant the doctor once again.

For the longest time, Edgar (David Tennant) only says “No comment” but once he starts talking, things heat up rather quickly.

My heart was truly racing during the last bit of the Edgar episode which should be a real crowd pleaser. We’ve seen David Tennant as the charming good guy in Doctor Who, a brilliant detective in Broadchurch and as the super villian in Jessica Jones. With his guest star role in Criminal: UK, David Tennant gives us something new as Edgar. 

And I loved it!

Hayley Atwell is Stacey

Episode 2 of Criminal: United Kingdom is called Stacey since it’s all about the interrogation of potential criminal Stacey. The character Stacey is played with wit, charm, sassiness and a whole lot of heart and pain by Hayley Atwell.

This is a rather atypical role for Hayley Atwell, who has pink hair and a real chip on a shoulder as Stacey. Then again, those familiar with Hayley Atwell (Agent Carter) will know that she is amazing and pulls in the audience. You’ll be sitting at the edge of your seat during the end of the Stacey episode of Criminal: UK. But for quite different reasons than the Edgar episode.

As far as I’m concerned, they should just give all the guest star awards to Hayley Atwell straight away!

Youssef Kerkour is Jay

The third and final episode of Criminal: United Kingdom is Jay. Youssef Kerkour, who also co-starred in the Netflix series Nightflyers, plays the truck driver Jay, who may be involved with human trafficking.

Episode 3 is quite different in many ways and it is actually my least favorite of the three in Criminal: UK.

However, that’s not to say the Jay episode is bad. Instead, it’s a testament to how downright brilliant the Edgar and Stacey episodes are.

Watch Criminal: United Kingdom on Netflix now!

The three episodes in the Criminal: United Kingdom segment are directed by co-creator Jim Field Smith while the other co-creator, George Kay, is the screenwriter of the episodes. Obviously, the name recognition of the guest stars in these Criminal: UK episodes will draw a lot of viewers to this particular segment of the new Netflix series.

And yes, the guest stars are brilliant. However, the cast regulars are also very interesting and I personally enjoyed the ongoing story involving the regulars. This was what tied the three episodes together and made sure you become completely engulfed with their world.

I love interrogation crime series where you’re on the edge of your seat and particularly the Edgar episode (guest starring David Tennant) and the Stacey episode (guest starring Hayley Atwell) were absolutely brilliant. After watching the UK episodes, you should be hooked on this concept and continue to the Spain, France and Germany segments.

The three episodes in season 1 of Criminal: UK are out on Netflix worldwide from September 20, 2019.

Details

Director: Jim Field Smith
Cast: David Tennant, Hayley Atwell, Youssef Kerkour, and Clare-Hope Ashitey, Katherine Kelly, Lee Ingleby, Nicholas Pinnock, Mark Stanley, Rochenda Sandall, Shubham Saraf.

Plot

Within the walls of an interrogation room and with time running out, London investigators go after three suspects, each accused of a grievous crime.