This England

Sky Atlantic, 9pm

One day, there will be a cracking docudrama about what happened behind the scenes in government during the pandemic. Sadly, despite boasting Kenneth Branagh as Boris Johnson (right, with Ophelia Lovibond as his then girlfriend Carrie) and Michael Winterbottom as director and co-writer, this series leaves a lot to be desired. The blend of documentary footage and imagined scenes gives a misleading impression that unfounded conjecture, particularly about Johnson and Carrie, has a basis in fact, and it’s hard to escape the feeling this is serving a biased political agenda. That aside, it’s also unconvincing in its depiction of the intricacies of government. This is far from Branagh’s finest hour, thanks to ghoulish makeup and a voice that is a poor impersonation of Johnson’s familiar tones. ★★★★★