Rules Of The Game viewers slam ‘disappointing’ series
‘That’s the worst TV show I’ve ever had to endure’: New BBC toxic workplace drama Rules Of The Game starring Maxine Peake is slammed by viewers over its leaden scripts, unlikeable characters and ‘terrible’ acting
BBC drama Rules Of The Game, starring Maxine Peake, premiered last nightDisappointed viewers criticised everything from the casting to the scriptDozens said the four-part series failed to live up to expectations of a BBC drama
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Disappointed viewers slammed new BBC drama Rules Of The Game following last night’s premiere, criticising everything from its unlikeable characters to the ‘leaden’ script.
The four-part series, which continues tonight, stars Maxine Peake as Sam, the fearsome manager of a family-run sportswear business, Fly Dynamics, which is controlled by brothers Owen and Gareth Jenkins, played by Ben Batt and Kieran Bew.
The brothers are on the verge of floating the company on the stock market when Sam discovers a body on the foyer floor.
This is how the first episode starts. The storyline then switches between the events leading up to the discovery and Sam’s interrogation by police in the present day.
The four-part series, which continues tonight, stars Maxine Peake as Sam, the fearsome manager of a family-run sportswear business, Fly Dynamics, which is controlled by brothers Owen and Gareth Jenkins, played by Ben Batt and Kieran Bew
The premiere was branded ‘disappointing’ by viewers following last night’s premiere, with everything from the plot to the ‘leaden’ script drawing criticism on social media
It quickly becomes clear Fly Dynamics has a toxic and misogynistic workplace culture, with suggests of forced drug-taking, rape and sexual harassment.
New HR director Maya (Rakhee Thakrar) delves into this dark underbelly as she tries to support staff member Tess (Callie Cooke) who is grieving the death of a friend and colleague, whose body was found by Sam on a work night out.
However the story was not enough to grip viewers, who felt it didn’t live up to expectations.
One tweeted: ‘Struggling to keep watching this… had such high hopes. If I pick up my phone during a drama, then it clearly isn’t that gripping! So disappointed #RulesOfTheGame.’
Another posted: ‘The worst 20 mins of tele I’ve ever had to endure, absolute tripe #RulesOfTheGame.’
A third added: ‘Rules of the Game? The rule of drama is that there has to be at least one character to care about. In this example, they could all jump off the foyer balcony without anyone shedding a tear, except the office cleaner. Dreadful. #RulesoftheGame.’
Alongside the current issues facing the company – like one of the brother’s assaulting Sam in an office after-hours and Tess and her boyfriend having sex in the HQ – there is a mystery surrounding the fate of a former employee, Amy.
Then 16, Amy died after drinking and taking drugs on a company night out 10 years ago. Both Tess and Sam have flashbacks to this night and it is clear Sam feels at least partially responsible.
Owen (Ben Batt) and his brother Gavin are on the verge of floating the company on the stock market when Sam discovers a body on the foyer floor. Pictured, Owen and Sam
New HR director Maya (Rakhee Thakrar), pictured, delves into this dark underbelly as she tries to support staff member Tess (Callie Cooke) who is grieving the death of a friend and colleague, whose body was found by Sam on a work night out
It quickly becomes clear Fly Dynamics has a toxic and misogynistic workplace culture, with suggests of forced drug-taking, rape and sexual harassment. Pictured, Tess (Callie Cooke)
Maya goes to visit Amy’s family on the anniversary of their daughter’s death and learn that they believe Fly Dynamics is at least partly to blame.
Back at the office, she is trying to get Tess support for her apparent alcoholism and suicidal thoughts.
‘There’s nothing happy or healthy about this place,’ Tess tells Maya, before adding intriguingly: ‘They’ll never get rid of me’.
Later in the episode she reveals she lost her virginity in the office, with a flashback suggesting she was forced into sex.
At the same time Maya is trying to deal with a stalker estranged husband who tracks her down to her new workplace, sends flowers to a house she didn’t tell him about and even keys her car.
The storyline switches between the events leading up to the discovery and Sam’s interrogation by police in the present day (pictured)
Meanwhile the brothers’ dysfunctional marital and family dynamics also come into play.
Gareth’s frumpy spouse Carys (Katherine Pearce), suspects her husband is cheating (which he is) and logs on to his home computer and finds porn.
Viewers criticised small inaccuracies in the plot, questioning why a husband would leave porn visible in his browser history and asking why so little work seemed to be done at the office.
Others joked they were more invested in the wellbeing of Maya’s cat, which goes missing halfway through the episode, than the fate of any of the characters.
One tweeted: ‘You know a TV show is garbage when the cat is the best character and actor. #rulesofthegame.’
Rules Of The Game continues on BBC1 at 9pm and is available to watch in full on iPlayer
