# Roadkill (2020)

> A ruthless British MP's private secrets threaten his ambitions as he schemes to win the ultimate prize in Westminster.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/93065

## Facts

- Seasons: 1
- Episodes: 4
- Episode runtime: 56 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: drama
- Created by: David Hare
- Network: BBC One
- Cast: Hugh Laurie, Helen McCrory, Pippa Bennett-Warner, Sarah Greene, Olivia Vinall, Iain De Caestecker, Sidse Babett Knudsen, Shalom Brune-Franklin
- TMDB rating: 6.9/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10846250/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: measured
- Intensity: moderate
- Complexity: dense
- Violence: none
- Tone: cynical, sardonic, tense, slow burn, glossy

## What critics say

Viewers found it an intriguing, slow-burning look at political ambition, with Hugh Laurie's performance central to its appeal.

## Synopsis

Roadkill (2020) is a British political drama miniseries created by David Hare for BBC One. Hugh Laurie stars as Peter Laurence, a jaded, ambitious MP whose private life is unraveling while he pursues his own agenda with no trace of guilt or remorse. Helen McCrory plays Dawn Ellison, the prim and cutting Prime Minister whose favour he is trying to keep, and the wider cast includes Sidse Babett Knudsen as Madeleine Halle, Iain De Caestecker as Duncan Knock, and Olivia Vinall as Julia Blythe, all drawn into the tangle of rival ambitions. The engine of the four-episode story is a simple question: can a man who has no conscience outrun his own secrets long enough to claim the top prize? Each hour moves through backroom manoeuvres, leaked rumours and private compromises in the corridors of power, with those on the sidelines positioned to expose the truth. Written in the vein of The Thick of It and House of Cards, the series carries a sardonic, acidic tone, a glossy British prestige finish and a steady, slow-burn tension. It is a tightly controlled, cynical look at Westminster ambition, appealing to viewers who enjoy sharp dialogue and morally bankrupt characters.

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- [The Undeclared War (2022)](https://ember.film/tv/119193)
- [The Regime (2024)](https://ember.film/tv/129206)
- [Secret State (2012)](https://ember.film/tv/54616)
- [Hostage (2025)](https://ember.film/tv/164349)
- [Douglas Is Cancelled (2024)](https://ember.film/tv/156958)
- [Treason (2022)](https://ember.film/tv/119265)
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- [State of Play (2003)](https://ember.film/tv/3844)

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