Hugh Bonneville plays a news anchor who could be cancelled after making a sexist joke (Picture: Sally Mais/ITV)
Steven Moffat’s new drama Douglas is Cancelled tackles a subject at the heart of the culture wars: cancel culture.
The four-part drama centres on national treasure news presenter Douglas ( Hugh Bonneville) whose career is threatened when a sexist joke he made at a wedding emerges online.
The ITV comedy follows Douglas and his producer Toby (Ben Miles) attempt tocontain the scandal and control the narrative by having a public persona that is ‘balanced, boring and bland.’
However, Douglas is Cancelled, which also counts Karen Gillan as Douglas’ co-anchor Madeline among its cast, divided viewers on X after the first episode aired last night.
For some, the MeToo drama’s jokes failed to land, while the characters were ‘unrealistic’ and often veered into becoming ‘caricatures.’
As @leepg explained: ‘I had high hopes for #DouglasIsCancelled but it’s terrible. I’m not sure Stephen Moffat and primetime ITV is a sensible combination. The dialogue is unnatural, and it’s full of generational clichés and lame gags. I’m sorry but for me, Douglas Is Cancelled is… erm, cancelled.’
His career is thrown off course when footage emerges of the sexist joke online (Picture: ITV/Sally Mais)
Producer Toby, played by Ben, helps Doulgas to try to contain the scandal (Picture: Sally Mais)
Echoing their sentiment, @MJPGallagher said: ‘The teenage character is so poorly written. It’s like every cliché all just thrown together. #DouglasIsCancelled.
@NicPerrins also added: ‘Gave up on #DouglasIsCancelled after less than two episodes. The script is infuriating and frustrating, the acting is childlike, overdone and caricature. Switched off at the ‘hand-holding’ scene in Madeleine’s office. Awful and ridiculous.’
However, others praised Douglas is Cancelled for its confronting portrayal of today’s fractured society. @ShireTax said when they saw #DouglasIsCancelled was trending on X they thought a Tory MP called Douglas had been embroiled in a scandal.
@zoeclairej was also taken aback by the show’s realism: ‘Just binge watched all of #DouglasIsCancelled. Suckerpunch ending is really something. And @karengillan is vulnerable and powerful in the same instant, exactly as so many women are. We balance on a knife edge. Extraordinary telly, a mix of nuance and comedy and tension.’
Doctor Who legend Karen plays Douglas’ co-anchor Madeline (Picture: Sally Mais/ITV)
I had high hopes for #DouglasIsCancelled but itâs terrible. Iâm not sure Stephen Moffat and primetime ITV is a sensible combination. The dialogue is unnatural, and itâs full of generational clichés and lame gags. Iâm sorry but for me, Douglas Is Cancelled is⦠erm, cancelled.
— Lee Graham (@leepg) June 27, 2024
The teenage character is so poorly written. It’s like every cliché all just thrown together. #DouglasIsCancelled
— Gallagher (@MJPGallagher) June 27, 2024
Gave up on #DouglasIsCancelled after less than two episodes. The script is infuriating and frustrating, the acting is childlike, overdone and caricature. Switched off at the âhand-holdingâ scene in Madeleineâs office. Awful and ridiculous ð
— Nic Perrins …read more
Source:: Metro
