The Reckoning

I watched The Reckoning on BBC iPlayer a month ago, following a shaky signal on BBC1. The drama, a biographical take on Jimmy Savile, delves into his career and the sexual offenses he got away with. Controversial, but intriguing. 

Not all of us knew before Jimmy's death in 2011 that he was a sex offender. One reason was due to cover-ups by the BBC. My late mother found him a little bit snarky. I can't really blame her, nor can I defend Jimmy's actions. Further to our knowledge on what he did outside of showbiz, there were some people who were suspicious about him. One example is highlighted through a speech Johnny Rotten once made when he said that he wanted "to kill Jimmy Savile" and that he thought he was "a hypocrite".

The show explores how he evaded punishment, featuring impactful music and cinematography. The portrayal by Steve Coogan is spot-on, navigating interviews and interactions convincingly. Heart-breaking snippets from real-life victims add depth. 

If I had to nit-pick, the show could've included more on Operation Yewtree. I know this is primarily based on Jimmy Savile and they do have his colleague Ray Teret portrayed. I would've thought though that maybe a few more of those who did get sentenced, i.e. Dave Lee Travis, would have been depicted in the drama. 

Further to Steve Coogan's portrayal as Jimmy Savile; Knowing Steve Coogan, he has been known to play characters who are rude, arrogant, snarky and/or sarcastic, i.e. the titular protagonist in the Alan Partridge franchise. Some viewers had doubted having a guy known for his comedies in such a role. But a number of other comedians had broke type-casting; Bryan Cranston, for example shifted from his role as Hal Wilkerson in Malcolm In The Middle to Walter White in Breaking Bad. The way Jimmy manages to talk himself out of prosecution during interviews, yet manages to annoy some folk justifies the solid portrayal. Even the way Steve's character lies to the authorities sounds realistic - it seems convincing to most of the questioners, but we the audience know that what he says isn't true.

Overall, disturbing but well-directed—worth a watch on BBC iPlayer. What do you reckon?