National Treasure (British TV series)
Appearance
National Treasure | |
---|---|
Genre | Drama |
Based on | Operation Yewtree |
Written by | Jack Thorne |
Directed by | Marc Munden |
Starring | |
Composer | Cristobal Tapia de Veer |
Country of origin | United Kingdom |
Original language | English |
No. of series | 1 |
No. of episodes | 4 (list of episodes) |
Production | |
Executive producers |
|
Producer | John Chapman |
Production locations | |
Production company | The Forge |
Original release | |
Network | Channel 4 |
Release | 20 September 11 October 2016 | –
National Treasure is a four-part 2016 British television drama by Channel 4, written by Jack Thorne.
It stars Robbie Coltrane as Paul Finchley, a television comedian accused of raping a 15-year-old girl several years earlier. Julie Walters plays his wife Marie, and Andrea Riseborough plays his daughter Dee.
The drama is inspired by Operation Yewtree, a police operation that resulted in the prosecution of a number of veteran TV performers.[1][2]
National Treasure received universal acclaim from critics, with a Metacritic rating of 83 out of 100 based on 17 reviews.[3]
Having 'captured people's imagination', the series was cited as an influence on a 2017 novel by Guy Mankowski, entitled An Honest Deceit.[4]
Cast
- Robbie Coltrane as Paul Finchley, a renowned television comedian and entertainer
- Julie Walters as Marie Finchley, Paul's devout Catholic wife
- Andrea Riseborough as Danielle "Dee" Finchley, Paul and Maries daughter, who has a history of drug abuse
- Tim McInnerny as Sir Karl Jenkins, Finchley's comedy partner
- Babou Ceesay as Jerome Sharpe, Finchley's solicitor
- Mark Lewis Jones as Gerry, a former Detective Sergeant and legal investigator
- Nadine Marshall as DI Palmer, Middlesex Police
- Kate Hardie as Rebecca Thornton, an alleged rape victim
- Susan Lynch as Christina Farnborough, a former babysitter for the Finchleys who alleges she and Paul had an affair
- Graeme Hawley as Dan, the Finchleys' neighbour
- Cara Barton as Young Dee Finchley
- William Wright-Neblett as Billy, Dee Finchley's son
- Trystan Gravelle as Young Paul Finchley
- Lucy Speed as Young Marie Finchley
- Kerry Fox as Zoe Darwin, Finchley's defence barrister
- Renaee-Mya Warden as Frances, Dee Finchley's daughter
- Jeremy Swift as Simon, Finchley's agent
- Rosalind Eleazar as Georgina
- Ed Eales White as Young Karl Jenkins
- Sarah Middleton as Young Rebecca Thornton
- Ruby Ashbourne Serkis as Young Christina Farnborough
- Vivienne Bell as Stella
- David Fleeshman as Judge
- Sam Hoare as Tom
- Ben Lloyd-Hughes as Freddie
- Ronnie Fox as Taxi Driver
- Vicki Hackett as Receptionist
- Ian Puleston-Davies as Leo
- Johann Myers as Dave
- Catherine Breeze as Nurse
- Darren Boyd as Hamish, the prosecution barrister
- Lee Mack as Himself
- Robert Webb as Himself
- Alan Carr as Himself
- Frank Skinner as Himself
- Victoria Derbyshire as Herself
Plot
Episode 1
- Air date 20 September 2016
- After an awards ceremony, veteran comedian Paul Finchley is arrested on suspicion of raping Rebecca Thornton in 1993. This has a hard impact on him and his family. His Catholic[5] wife, Marie, is horrified and his drug addict daughter, Dee, cannot take it in. Paul's life goes into a downward spiral as he is dropped from his presenting duties and to make matters worse, he faces more charges as more women come forward, including an under-age victim.[6]
Episode 2
- Air date 27 September 2016
- Dee begins to wonder if her father, Paul, was abusing her as a child. She attempts to confront her former babysitter, Christina, who has formally accused Paul. Flashback sequences show that Christina introduced Dee to drugs. On deciding that Paul is innocent, Dee crashes her car in a suicide attempt.
Episode 3
- Air date 4 October 2016
- Marie is confronted by Rebecca in the Ladies toilet. She starts questioning Paul's innocence. Paul is advised by his barrister to claim he had consensual sex with Rebecca.[7] Marie starts wondering why she has stayed married to Paul, despite his numerous extra-marital affairs.[8]
Episode 4
- Air date 11 October 2016
- Paul's trial takes place. Marie has sex with Karl, Paul's comedy partner. Paul is cleared of historical rape and sexual assault charges. However, in a twist, viewers learn that Paul was in fact guilty. A flashback sequence confirms that he did have sex with his daughter's under-age babysitter (which is statutory rape) and he raped Rebecca on a television set. Karl was outside the caravan where the rape took place, and overheard Rebecca's screams, however he decides to perjure himself in court, as he fears the ramifications of being associated with a convicted sex offender.[9] After the verdict, it is implied that Marie leaves Paul, and his relationship with Dee seems strained.[10]
References
- ^ Plunkett, John (25 August 2015). "Channel 4 launches drama inspired by Operation Yewtree investigations". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 September 2016.
- ^ Ross, Peter (6 September 2016). "'This is for the people who were abused': Robbie Coltrane on his Yewtree-inspired drama". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 October 2016.
- ^ "National Treasure: Season 1". Metacritic. Retrieved June 17, 2017.
- ^ "10 Things I Want My Readers To Know About Me: Guy Mankowski". Female First. Retrieved July 15, 2017.
- ^ "Julie Walters: why National Treasure isn't about Jimmy Savile". RadioTimes. Retrieved 2016-12-31.
- ^ "National Treasure - what time is it on TV? Episode 1 Series 1 cast list and preview". RadioTimes. Retrieved 2016-12-30.
- ^ "National Treasure review: Julie Walters steals the show". Digital Spy. 2016-10-04. Retrieved 2016-12-31.
- ^ "National Treasure - what time is it on TV? Episode 3 Series 1 cast list and preview". RadioTimes. Retrieved 2016-12-31.
- ^ Binding, Lucia (2016-10-12). "National Treasure comes to a shocking end as Paul Finchley's court verdict is revealed". International Business Times UK. Retrieved 2016-12-30.
- ^ "National Treasure delivers its verdict on Robbie Coltrane's Paul Finchley". RadioTimes. Retrieved 2016-12-31.
External links
Categories:
- 2010s British drama television series
- 2016 British television programme debuts
- 2016 British television programme endings
- 2010s British television miniseries
- Channel 4 television dramas
- English-language television programs
- Operation Yewtree
- Peabody Award-winning television programs
- Rape in fiction
- Television shows set in Yorkshire