Nearly four decades after the death of Noele Gordon, the soap star’s “pioneering achievements” are all but forgotten, said Christopher Stevens in the Daily Mail. But Nolly, which was written by Russell T. Davies (and which can be seen on ITVX), “aims to bring her back to the fore – and castigate the chauvinistic male TV establishment that cancelled her for the crime of being female and forceful”.
Gordon is played by Helena Bonham Carter sporting “a mink coat that reeks of gin and ciggies, and an auburn hairdo that could scrub pans”. The drama focuses on 1981, when she was sacked from Crossroads, then one of the most popular British programmes ever made, after 17 years in the role. Davies clearly has a huge affection for the TV of that era, and Bonham Carter is fabulous as “the imperious soap queen”.
“This is a big, brassy period drama about a big, brassy star,” said Camilla Long in The Sunday Times. And I quite enjoyed it. “If you’re into soaps or dramas about dramas, the detail is rollicking.” But Bonham Carter’s Sybil Fawlty-esque Nolly doesn’t entirely convince in this “shiny, lost, camp world”.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
With a cast of characters that includes Larry Grayson, Nolly serves as a “tender tribute to British television”, said Rebecca Nicholson in The Guardian. And though it could have done with a touch more “acidity”, it’s such a joy to watch that it’s hard to care. “It is warm, thoughtful and gorgeous, and by the end of it, I was a little bit in love with Nolly myself.”
-
The ‘ravenous’ demand for Cornish mineralsUnder the Radar Growing need for critical minerals to power tech has intensified ‘appetite’ for lithium, which could be a ‘huge boon’ for local economy
-
Why are election experts taking Trump’s midterm threats seriously?IN THE SPOTLIGHT As the president muses about polling place deployments and a centralized electoral system aimed at one-party control, lawmakers are taking this administration at its word
-
‘Restaurateurs have become millionaires’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Kia EV4: a ‘terrifically comfy’ electric carThe Week Recommends The family-friendly vehicle has ‘plush seats’ and generous space
-
Bonfire of the Murdochs: an ‘utterly gripping’ bookThe Week Recommends Gabriel Sherman examines Rupert Murdoch’s ‘war of succession’ over his media empire
-
Gwen John: Strange Beauties – a ‘superb’ retrospectiveThe Week Recommends ‘Daunting’ show at the National Museum Cardiff plunges viewers into the Welsh artist’s ‘spiritual, austere existence’
-
Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl: A win for unityFeature The global superstar's halftime show was a celebration for everyone to enjoy
-
Book reviews: ‘Bonfire of the Murdochs’ and ‘The Typewriter and the Guillotine’Feature New insights into the Murdoch family’s turmoil and a renowned journalist’s time in pre-World War II Paris
-
6 exquisite homes with vast acreageFeature Featuring an off-the-grid contemporary home in New Mexico and lakefront farmhouse in Massachusetts
-
Film reviews: ‘Wuthering Heights,’ ‘Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die,’ and ‘Sirat’Feature An inconvenient love torments a would-be couple, a gonzo time traveler seeks to save humanity from AI, and a father’s desperate search goes deeply sideways
-
A thrilling foodie city in northern JapanThe Week Recommends The food scene here is ‘unspoilt’ and ‘fun’
