Before I review the Guardian’s program about a famous Guardian investigation, I should probably offer a few disclaimers. First off: I don’t know anyone featured in The Hack, Jack Thorne’s seven-part drama about Guardian journalist Nick Davies’s investigation into the phone-hacking scandal carried out by employees of Rupert Murdoch’s News International. That scandal led to seven major police investigations, nearly 40 convictions, and the closure of the News of the World. I’ve never met Davies or the then-editor of the paper, Alan Rusbridger—who is almost as central to the drama—except for a brief handshake in a crowded tent at the Hay Festival twenty years ago. (He’s much taller than Toby Jones, who plays him.) That’s the end of my disclaimers. Now, let’s begin.
The Hack starts in 2008, when Davies—played by David Tennant with his usual intensity and seriousness, which I personally find a bit overdone, though I know I’m in the minority—gets a tip that the News of the World has been hacking into celebrities’ voicemails to get gossip and stories. The paper then uses photos and other evidence gathered later to cover up the illegal source. Editor Andy Coulson had resigned the previous year, blaming “one rogue reporter,” but in reality, the practice was widespread. Coulson is now David Cameron’s communications director, which makes the story a matter of public interest. Davies begins the slow, painstaking work of building the case, which grows bigger and bigger over the next six years, revealing the Metropolitan Police’s troubling relationship with the tabloids—somewhere between complicity, cooperation, and corruption.
The challenge is that piecing together a sprawling investigation like Davies’s doesn’t make for exciting television—especially over seven hours. There are endless failed phone calls, dead ends, reluctant celebrities, lawyers urging patience, and Rusbridger pushing for more quotes, documents, and on-the-record sources. There are small breakthroughs, but the rest of the press stays silent. Thorne tries to spice things up with fourth-wall breaks by Tennant, who comments wryly on events or appears in dreamlike sequences, but this only weakens the story and distances viewers from a narrative that struggles to gain momentum until the final episodes.
A more engaging subplot involves detective David Cook, played brilliantly by Robert Carlyle, as he investigates the murder of private investigator Daniel Morgan and gradually uncovers the deep ties between the media and the Metropolitan Police. But the two storylines are kept apart for too long to really energize each other.
The Hack also suffers because, unlike dramas such as Mr Bates vs the Post Office, it focuses more on ideals—specifically journalistic ones—than on the human emotions that make those ideals meaningful. Abstract concepts are harder to connect with.
On top of that, the script is lackluster. It’s repetitive—nearly every character tells Nick he looks tired, and he twice apologizes to Rusbridger for “making your life difficult.” There are also some clunky lines, like, “We’re in a firefight here! They’re g—”The show resorts to cheap shots, hoping something will land, and relies on weak metaphors, like the recurring image of a dung beetle to remind us that you have to endure a lot of dirt before you can rise above it.
It also treats its subjects with such overwhelming reverence that it often becomes laughable. Davies is portrayed as a saint whose difficult childhood gave him a burning desire to confront those who misuse power. His ex-wife is shown insisting their children admire him by consuming all his work. Rusbridger delivers painfully heroic lines, such as claiming his mission is bigger than his own life, and the overall tone of smug self-righteousness makes the drama hard to stomach.
Amid the excessive length and sanctimonious tone, the real impact of the story gets lost. What’s left feels strangely outdated. In the years since social media transformed the world, we’ve seen far more severe cases of police corruption, abuse of power, and erosion of privacy. Compared to these, the wrongdoing by News International seems almost quaint, making “The Hack” feel like a period piece about what now seems like a simpler time.
The show aired on ITV1 and is available on ITVX.
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of FAQs about a review of The Hack framed around the critique that the show made a dramatic reallife scandal seem dull
FAQs About The Hack TV Show Review
BeginnerLevel Questions
Q1 What is The Hack actually about
A Its a television drama based on the reallife UK phonehacking scandal where journalists from the News of the World newspaper illegally accessed the voicemails of celebrities politicians and crime victims
Q2 So the review says the show is dull What does that mean
A It means that despite the scandal being full of shocking events the TV show fails to create excitement suspense or emotional engagement It might feel slow boring or overly complicated
Q3 Is The Hack a documentary or a fictional drama
A Its a dramatization meaning it uses actors and a script to tell the true story but its based on real events and people
Q4 Why would a story about hacking phones be considered dull
A The review suggests the show focuses more on dry procedural details instead of the human drama tension and moral corruption that made the scandal so gripping in real life
Advanced Practical Questions
Q5 What are the main criticisms mentioned in the review
A The primary criticism is that the show is surprisingly boring Other common problems might include a confusing plot with too many characters a lack of focus on the victims stories and a failure to build narrative momentum
Q6 Are there any positive points in the review
A While the main point is its dullness a review might acknowledge that the show has a strong cast or that its historically accurate in its facts even if its not entertaining
Q7 How does The Hack compare to other shows about journalism like Spotlight or The Newsroom
A According to this critique it likely falls short Shows like Spotlight are praised for building tension and highlighting investigative teamwork whereas The Hack is criticized for failing to generate that same compelling energy
Q8 Should I still watch The Hack if Im interested in the scandal
