Fans of classic British crime dramas like Prime Suspect and Line of Duty have a new binge-worthy series to stream on Netflix: Bodyguard. Written and created by Jed Mercurio, the mastermind behind Line of Duty, this political thriller crime drama first aired on BBC One in 2018 and has since garnered international acclaim.
Award-Winning Performances and Critical Acclaim
The six-part limited series stars Richard Madden as Police Sergeant David Budd, a British Army combat veteran struggling with PTSD who joins the Royalty and Specialist Protection Branch of London's Metropolitan Police Service. Madden's gripping performance earned him the Golden Globe for Best Actor – Television Series Drama. The series also received nominations for Best Television Series – Drama at the Golden Globes and Outstanding Drama Series and Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series at the Primetime Emmys.
Supporting Madden is an outstanding ensemble cast including Sophie Rundle, Keeley Hawes, Ash Tandon, Vincent Franklin, Gina McKee, Pippa Haywood, Paul Ready, Nicholas Gleaves, Matthew Stagg, and Bella Padden. Hawes plays Home Secretary Julia Montague, a controversial politician whom Budd is assigned to protect.
Plot and Reception
The official synopsis describes Budd as a war veteran who finds himself increasingly at odds with Montague's policies and personality while dealing with his own physical and psychological scars from Afghanistan. The series has a near-perfect 93% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. One critic called it "one of those rare shows that will have you hooked to the screen from the very first scene to the last." Another reviewer said: "Pure, can't-take-your-eyes away entertainment that's bound to have you saying 'just one more episode before bed.' This is sterling television, a well-crafted crime thriller, which is what the BBC does best."
Audience reactions have been equally enthusiastic. One viewer described it as "A rare gem in today's cinematic apocalypse," while another said: "Phenomenal intense thriller with a fast pace intelligent script, flawless direction and a brilliant gritty performance from Richard Madden. Every episode is riveting." An IMDb reviewer added: "Edge of your seat thriller! Bodyguard actually surprised me by how good it was. It was so good I binged all six episodes in a day."
Streaming Now on Netflix
Bodyguard is available to stream now on Netflix, offering six hours of intense, award-winning drama that has been hailed as "a brilliant, compulsive, five-star mind trip of a series."
