Boiling Point (2023 TV series) explained

Country:United Kingdom
Language:English
Num Series:1
Num Episodes:4
Producer:Graham Drover
Cinematography:Matthew Lewis
Runtime:60 minutes
Network:BBC One

Boiling Point is a four-episode British television drama miniseries created by Philip Barantini, James Cummings and Stephen Graham. Starring Graham, Vinette Robinson and Hannah Walters, the series premiered with its first episode on BBC One on 1 October 2023 and all episodes were released on BBC iPlayer on the same day. It was made for the BBC by Ascendant Fox, Matriarch Productions and It's All Made Up Productions.

Co-directed by Philip Barantini and Mounia Akl, it is a continuation and standalone sequel of the 2021 film Boiling Point, also directed by Barantini and featuring many of the same cast.

Synopsis

The series picks up six-months after the film ends with Carly (Robinson) now running her own restaurant with former boss Andy's (Graham) staff.[1]

Cast

Production

The series is a sequel to the 2021 film Boiling Point, a one-shot film set in a restaurant kitchen. It itself was an expansion of a 2019 short film of the same name, also directed by Barantini and starring Graham.[2] [3] In October 2022 it was revealed that a series following on from the film with the same creative team had been commissioned by BBC One.[4] The series consists of four one-hour episodes with Barantini directing the first two and Mounia Akl directing the last two.[5] [6] Graham Drover is the series producer and Rebecca Ferguson is executive producer for the BBC. The series is written by James Cummings with writers Dan Cadan, Alex Tenenbaum and Nathaniel Stevens joining the team.[7] [8]

Casting

In February 2023 Steven Ogg was revealed to have joined the cast. Graham, Robinson and Walters all reprise their original roles from the film, as do Panthaki, Lamont, Daly, Skylar, Larkai, McMillan, Traylen and Hoyle.[9]

Filming

Filming began in January 2023 in Manchester.[10]

Broadcast

Episode one aired on BBC One in the United Kingdom on 1 October 2023 in the 9pm time slot,[11] with all four episodes becoming available on its iPlayer streaming service the same day.

BBC Studios is handling international distribution.[12]

Reception

Critical reception

[13]

Nick Clark of the Evening Standard gave it a five out of five stars, commenting that it "gives us just a taste of the anxiety and the adrenaline of this world. It's an extraordinary peek behind the kitchen door, and an uncomfortable one. But as a drama, the ingredients are spot on and the execution superb."[14] Another five star review came from Morgan Cormack of The Radio Times, describing it as "a perfect example of what stellar character-driven drama is." Of the casting, Morgan opined that "the magic of having such an ensemble isn't to be taken lightly - it truly is a work of magnificence."[15]

Dan Einav of the Financial Times awarded the show four stars, stating that "The main cast broadly rise to the challenge but there's a ready-made quality to some of the plotting and scene-setting. The point that chefs both depend on and deplore their customers is overstretched... It can also strain credulity to make each night revolve around a disaster."[16] Another four star review came from Nick Hilton of The Independent, again praising both the “quality of the acting” and the writing.[17] Four stars also from Emily Baker of the i, who said that the “TV version never quite matched the heights” of the feature film and bemoaned the lack of screen time afforded to Stephen Graham.[18]

The Times critic, Carol Midgley also awarded the show four stars,[19] as did Rebecca Nicholson at The Guardian, who also singled out the “excellent cast.”[20] The Observers Joel Golby lauded "a brilliant script, a phenomenal cast and some absolutely beautiful filming" and went on to state that "this hugely stressful series is one of the best things on television this year... British TV at its very finest."[21]

Accolades

The series was nominated for Best Limited Series at the Royal Television Society Programme Awards in March 2024.[22] The series was nominated for Best Drama Series, and Robinson for Best Actress, at the 2024 Broadcasting Press Guild Awards.[23]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Line of Duty and Sherlock stars announced for Boiling Point TV adaptation. Digital Spy. 30 January 2023 . 30 January 2023. 30 January 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230130192737/https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/a42698144/line-of-duty-sherlock-boiling-point-tv-adaptation-stephen-graham-vinette-robinson/. live.
  2. News: Boyce. Laurence. 23 August 2021. Karlovy Vary 2021: Philip Barantini talks filming 'Boiling Point' in one take. Screen Daily. 19 October 2021. 25 September 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210925184104/https://www.screendaily.com/features/karlovy-vary-2021-philip-barantini-talks-filming-boiling-point-in-one-take/5162560.article. live.
  3. News: Aftab. Kaleem. 31 August 2021. Philip Barantini • Director of Boiling Point. Cineuropa. 19 October 2021. 24 October 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211024172721/https://cineuropa.org/en/interview/409592/. live.
  4. Web site: Boiling Point' TV series to be made with original creative team for the BBC (exclusive). Screen Daily. 30 January 2023. 23 October 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221023133750/https://www.screendaily.com/news/boiling-point-tv-series-to-be-made-with-original-creative-team-for-the-bbc-exclusive/5175656.article. live.
  5. Web site: Boiling Point TV Series Confirms Cast As Shooting Begins. Empire. 30 January 2023 . 30 January 2023. 30 January 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230130143405/https://www.empireonline.com/tv/news/boiling-point-series-confirms-cast-shooting-begins. live.
  6. Web site: First look at Boiling Point TV series starring Stephen Graham. RadioTimes. 27 October 2023. 31 August 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230831173812/https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/boiling-point-tv-show-first-look-stephen-graham-newsupdate/. live.
  7. Web site: Full casting announced for Boiling Point, as filming begins on the brand new BBC drama series. BBC.co.uk. 30 January 2023. 30 January 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230130184832/https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/2023/boiling-point-series-casting. live.
  8. Web site: First look at Boiling Point TV series starring Stephen Graham. RadioTimes. 27 October 2023. 31 August 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230831173812/https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/boiling-point-tv-show-first-look-stephen-graham-newsupdate/. live.
  9. Web site: Walking Dead' Star Steven Ogg Boards BBC 'Boiling Point' Sequel. Deadline. February 23, 2023. February 23, 2023. 23 February 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230223170358/https://deadline.com/2023/02/walking-dead-steven-ogg-bbc-boiling-point-sequel-stephen-graham-philip-barantini-1235268609/. live.
  10. Web site: BBC's Boiling Point TV series based on movie starring Stephen Graham begins filming in Manchester. Manchester Evening News. 30 January 2023 . 30 January 2023. 30 January 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230130193435/https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/tv/bbcs-boiling-point-tv-series-26107296. live.
  11. Web site: Tim. Glanfield. The best TV shows still to come in 2023. The Times. April 2, 2023. April 3, 2023. 4 April 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230404034604/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/tv-shows-coming-in-2023-2l25nlzw3. live.
  12. Web site: BBC Series 'Boiling Point' Reveals Full Cast, Commences Filming . Variety . 30 January 2023 . 30 January 2023 . 30 January 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230130191838/https://variety.com/2023/global/news/bbc-series-boiling-point-cast-filming-1235506235/ . live .
  13. boiling_point_2023/s01 . tv . 2023-10-24.
  14. Web site: Clark . Nick . 2023-09-26 . Boiling Point on BBC One: ingredients and execution are *chef's kiss* . 2023-10-01 . Evening Standard . en . 5 October 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231005173605/https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/tvfilm/boiling-point-bbc-one-review-tv-series-stephen-graham-phil-barantini-b1109439.html . live .
  15. Web site: Boiling Point review: Stephen Graham takes a backseat in this stellar slice of TV . 2023-10-01 . Radio Times . en-GB . 26 October 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231026042813/https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/boiling-point-bbc-review/ . live .
  16. News: Einav . Dan . 2023-09-29 . Boiling Point TV review — sequel to the single-shot restaurant drama arrives on BBC1 . Financial Times . 2023-10-01 . 10 October 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231010145718/https://www.ft.com/content/49b3396a-c4b6-4b77-9c80-c092ddb07674 . live .
  17. Web site: 2023-10-02 . Boiling Point's TV series takes us back inside the turbulence of the kitchen – review . 2023-10-08 . The Independent . en . 20 October 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231020122239/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/reviews/boiling-point-bbc-review-stephen-graham-b2420861.html . live .
  18. Web site: Baker . Emily . 2023-10-01 . Stephen Graham's Boiling Point TV sequel turns down the heat . 2023-10-08 . inews.co.uk . en . 19 October 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231019064033/https://inews.co.uk/culture/television/boiling-point-bbc-one-review-stephen-graham-tv-sequel-heat-2653197 . live .
  19. News: Midgley . Carol . 2023-10-08 . Boiling Point review — a feast of realism, camaraderie and claustrophobia . . en . 2023-10-08 . 0140-0460 . 5 October 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231005094146/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/boiling-point-review-a-feast-of-realism-camaraderie-and-claustrophobia-ltt6dcpms . live .
  20. News: Nicholson . Rebecca . 2023-10-01 . Boiling Point review – TV that asks what if The Bear isn't stressful enough? . en-GB . The Guardian . 2023-10-08 . 0261-3077 . 25 October 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231025131450/https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2023/oct/01/boiling-point-review-tv-that-asks-what-if-the-bear-isnt-stressful-enough . live .
  21. News: Golby . Joel . 2023-09-30 . Boiling Point: this nailbiting kitchen drama is British TV at its finest . en-GB . The Observer . 2023-10-01 . 0261-3077 . 19 October 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231019231827/https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2023/sep/30/boiling-point-this-nailbiting-kitchen-drama-is-british-tv-at-its-finest . live .
  22. Web site: RTS PROGRAMME AWARDS 2024. 7 March 2024. RTS.org.uk.
  23. Web site: BPG Television and Streaming nominations for the 50th annual BPG Awards . Broadcasting-pressguild.org. 21 March 2024. February 29, 2024. James. Naylor.