Bodyguard skewered for lack of realism over London train station scene

Fans were less convinced by a scene at a London station than they were by Richard Madden and Keeley Hawes' acting

Bodyguard episode two upped the tension last night [Monday 27 August] with some edge-of-your-seat drama, attracting largely positive reviews from critics and fans alike.

Both the BBC series' cast and writer Jed Mercurio [Line of Duty] have received acclaim, with its debut episode bringing in 6.7m viewers, marking it as one of the biggest TV drama launches of the year.

Boyd Hilton, entertainment director at Heat magazine, told the Telegraph that the BBC was using "Netflix" tactics by enabling binge-watching and showing two parts on successive nights before resuming a normal weekly format.

"Viewers enjoy the thrill of watching an exciting high-end drama as it goes out, but they have to address the Netflix issue, without releasing all of the series in one go," he said. "If a good old-fashioned TV channel like the BBC can get seven million viewers, it shows live TV isn't dead."

The Independent's Sean O'Grady commented that it is "shaping up to be a rewarding, indeed compelling series... due [above all] to the outstanding performance of Keeley Hawes as a ruthless and mostly unpleasant politician, Julia Montague, Home Secretary".

The series has also been praised for its accuracy, with a former professional, who guarded pop star Michael Jackson for over a decade, suggesting that for the most part, Richard Madden's portrayal as bodyguard Sergeant David Budd was very realistic.

However, one moment in the opening episode left fans agreeing that it was the least believable part of the show so far. The scene in question showed a train arriving into Euston station at 8.55... the exact time it was scheduled for.

"A train arriving into London, on time, with enough seats for passengers may be pushing the realms of reality a little..." one audience member observed on Twitter.

"[I'm] looking forward to watching and investing a lot in #Bodyguard, but am worried it has undermined its gritty realism early on by showing a train on course to arrive at Euston ON TIME," another said.

"That would never happen," Twitter user Ruby Staton agreed.

Read The Independent's review of episode two here.

Episode three of Bodyguard is set to air on BBC1 at 9pm, Monday 3 September.