Rules of the Game (TV series)

Rules of the Game
GenreDrama
Thriller
Created byRuth Fowler
Written byRuth Fowler
Directed byJennifer Sheridan
Starring
ComposerEdmund Butt
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of series1
No. of episodes4
Production
Executive producers
  • George Faber
  • Ayela Butt
  • Mark Pybus
  • Lucy Richer
ProducerSimon Meyers
CinematographyMilos Moore
Running time60 mins.
Production companyThe Forge
Original release
NetworkBBC One
Release11 January (2022-01-11) –
19 January 2022 (2022-01-19)[1]

Rules of the Game is a four-part British television drama series, written by Ruth Fowler. It stars Maxine Peake as a sportswear executive who deals with the fallout of an employee's shocking death in her company's office building. It aired on BBC One from 11 to 19 January 2022.[2]

Synopsis

Sam (Peake) is the chief operating officer at a family-run sportswear business in Northern England. When an employee turns up dead in the foyer, seemingly by suicide, Sam is forced to reflect on the company's problematic culture and events stretching back an entire decade, and another death.

Cast

Production

Fowler was inspired to write the series by the Harvey Weinstein scandals. The series was filmed in Manchester, the north west of England and also in Frodsham.[3]

Episodes

No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateUK viewers
(millions)
1"Episode 1"Jennifer SheridanRuth Fowler11 January 2022 (2022-01-11)N/A
2"Episode 2"Jennifer SheridanRuth Fowler12 January 2022 (2022-01-12)N/A
3"Episode 3"Jennifer SheridanRuth Fowler18 January 2022 (2022-01-18)N/A
4"Episode 4"Jennifer SheridanRuth Fowler19 January 2022 (2022-01-19)N/A

Reception

Lucy Mangan of The Guardian awarded the first episode four stars out of five, praising the writing and its weaving together of commentary and mystery elements, and dubbed Peake's work 'another barnstorming performance'.[4] Anita Singh of The Daily Telegraph also gave it four out of five stars, calling the show 'high on entertainment value'.[5] Ed Cumming from The Independent gave the first episode two out of five stars, claiming 'the script and performances have all the subtlety of a boss’ hand up a skirt at the Christmas do.'.[6]

References

  1. ^ "BBC One - Rules of the Game, Series 1, Episode 4". BBC. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  2. ^ "Rules of the Game release date: cast, plot and trailer for BBC thriller". Radio Times. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  3. ^ "Rules of the Game filming locations: Where is the BBC drama set?". HELLO!. 12 January 2022. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
  4. ^ Mangan, Lucy (11 January 2022). "Rules of the Game review – Maxine Peake is barnstorming in a rich, meaty murder mystery". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  5. ^ Singh, Anita (11 January 2022). "Rules of the Game, review: plenty of fun – and a furiously vaping Maxine Peake – in this mad MeToo thriller". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
  6. ^ "Maxine Peake abusive workplace drama Rules of the Game lacks nuance – review". The Independent. 11 January 2022. Retrieved 9 July 2023.


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