It's quite amazing what a fat suit and a dishevelled blond wig can do for a man.
In the case of Kenneth Branagh, they’ve transformed him into Boris Johnson – not necessarily a good thing.
Branagh of course is completely convincing as the ex-Prime Minister in This England, the hugely anticipated political drama that landed on Sky Atlantic on Wednesday.
He has mastered the gait and voice to scarily accurate levels.
Ophelia Lovibond has also nailed the clipped accent and swishy “just stepped out of a salon” hair of Carrie Symonds.
But let’s not get distracted by the hair. This sweep through the PM’s tumultuous first few months in the job is something you need to brace yourself for.
Kicking off with Brexit and raking over the terrible months of the pandemic, it covers everything from Covid deaths and cover-ups to luxury holidays in Mustique and THAT trip to Barnard Castle.
Jumping around from Westminster to NHS hospitals and care homes, it’s a fast, frenetic account of a depressing time that we may not be ready to relive and isn’t even really over.
Maybe give us a chance to get our booster jab before we remember the bad old times?
Throughout the drama, dates flash up to remind us of the various resignations and rows, along with stomach-churning statistics.
Amid the politics are distressing stories of ordinary people suffering or dying, medics and care home workers on the front lines, scientists racing against time, lives thrown into turmoil.
Scenes are intercut with real archive footage and newspaper front pages.
Inside the halls of power, Johnson grapples with Covid, Brexit and a controversial personal and political life, with familiar faces given their role.
Simon Paisley Day plays Dominic Cummings, marching around No10 in a beanie hat shouting orders, while Andrew Buchan is Matt Hancock, Bitu Thomas is Priti Patel, Alex Nicholls plays Sir Patrick Vallance and Tim Goodman is Stanley Johnson.
All real people portrayed in this “fiction based on real events” are extremely fortunate that the series avoids blame and is largely sympathetic.
A stellar cast playing living people does make this somewhat fascinating viewing. However, this Covid drama somehow feels too close to the bone as it follows the Government’s handling of the crisis without much scrutiny.
Unsure if it wants to be a drama, a documentary or even a satire, This England weaves a tricky narrative and says a lot while actually saying nothing at all.
A bit like those politicians.
