{"id":49008,"date":"2024-04-04T17:00:03","date_gmt":"2024-04-04T15:00:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/?p=2019096"},"modified":"2024-04-04T17:22:40","modified_gmt":"2024-04-04T15:22:40","slug":"scoop-review-well-performed-but-ultimately-surface-level","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/rss_feed\/scoop-review-well-performed-but-ultimately-surface-level\/","title":{"rendered":"Scoop review: Well performed but ultimately surface level"},"content":{"rendered":"

The first of two upcoming dramatisations of the Prince Andrew Newsnight interview feels like a pointless exercise. <\/p>

By Patrick Cremona\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Thursday, 04 April 2024 at 15:00 PM<\/p>

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<\/div> 2.0 out of 5 star rating<\/span> <\/span> <\/div> <\/div>

It\u2019s hard to believe that almost five years have passed since the now infamous Prince Andrew interview aired on Newsnight and instantly became one of the most talked-about TV moments of the 21st century.<\/p>\n

But that passing of time is perhaps best illustrated by the fact that two separate retrospective dramatisations of the interview are making their way to streaming this year, one each on Prime Video<\/a> and Netflix<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Later in the year, we\u2019ll see Michael Sheen play the royal in Prime miniseries A Very Royal Scandal<\/a>, but first up it\u2019s the turn of Rufus Sewell in Scoop<\/a>, a film adapted from the memoir<\/a> of former Newsnight guest booker Sam McAlister. <\/span><\/p>\n

Promising to tell the behind-the-scenes-story of how the interview came about, the film follows McAlister (Billie Piper) as she tirelessly pursues leads while at odds with \u2013 at various points \u2013 both Newsnight colleagues and representatives from Buckingham Palace.<\/span><\/p>

Directed by Philip Martin, who is no stranger to Netflix royal dramas having previously helmed several episodes of The Crown<\/a>, the film is competently made but feels a little televisual.<\/p>\n

It also features some commendable performances, with Gillian Anderson excelling as Emily Maitlis \u2013 who is presented as a kind of superwoman, constantly flanked by her pet whippet.<\/p>\n

But it\u2019s by no means to downplay McAlister\u2019s doubtlessly vital work to suggest that the process of engineering the interview doesn\u2019t translate to an especially cinematic prospect. <\/span><\/p>\n

For the most part, we are treated to a bunch of snappy conversations that don\u2019t shed much new light on press relations with the royal family \u2013 a subject that could certainly form the basis of an intriguing drama.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

Scoop does occasionally touch on interesting themes, including the impact of frequent and ongoing cuts to journalism funding and Maitlis\u2019s regret over a previous interview with Bill Clinton, but it doesn\u2019t exactly probe deep into these issues. <\/span><\/p>\n

Meanwhile, a plot strand focusing on the effect McAlister\u2019s work is having on her home life and relationship with her young son is particularly underbaked.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Read more:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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