Wednesday, March 26, 2025

“Authentic, Devastating”: BBC Drama Labelled Best This Year [Trailer]

Crime drama 'Sherwood', inspired in part by real events that occurred in the town where writer James Graham grew up, has been showered with praise by critics.

[imagesource: BBC]

Sherwood, inspired in part by real events, has been racking up glowing reviews.

The Telegraph gave the crime drama a full five-star review, describing the show as “authentic, devastating and perfectly cast”.

Centred on an already fractured Nottinghamshire community where the scab of a mining strike dispute that drove families apart is still rock hard, two murders send police officers on the hunt for the killer tormenting the town.

However, critic Alex Diggins mentioned that the “story of murder, scabs and old wounds has proved to be so much more than a simple crime drama” with “ringing echoes” of the mythology of Robin Hood:

2022 has been a purple patch for grown-up, serious drama on the BBC. The Tourist, The Responder and This is Going to Hurt were all excellent.

But in the clarity of its storytelling, and the authenticity of its atmosphere, Sherwood split the bullseye: the best BBC drama of the year so far, and I’d hazard some time to come. No wonder it’s just been recommissioned for a second series.

Have a peep:

The Guardian also awarded the show five stars, crowning it as “gloriously directed” with a “superbly written ending” that was “quietly devastating”.

Interestingly, the BBC points out that the drama is inspired by two real-life killings in 2004 in the village where writer James Graham grew up. He apparently wrote the show as “a warning” that “when communities are divided, the pain endures”.

Let the deep viewing commence.

[sources:bbc&telegraph]