ITV's 'amazing' Quiz is coming to Netflix and Who Wants To Be A Millionaire fans need to watch it
Quiz explores of the most infamous game show scandals ever
Quiz, ITV’s drama about the Who Wants To Be A Millionaire cheating scandal, is days away from its release on Netflix.
When BritBox launched, the BBC and ITV billed it as a ‘Netflix rival’.
However, over the past year, Netflix has become an unexpected home to several acclaimed dramas you can already watch on ITVX. Just last weekend, Agatha Christie’s Poirot and Marple dropped on the platform.
This weekend, following in the footsteps of Des and Broadchurch, subscribers will be able to watch one of the broadcaster’s best dramas.
What is Quiz about?
Quiz is based on the true story of Charles Ingram, who (in)famously cheated on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire in 2001.
Directed by Stephen Frears (Philomena, A Very British Scandal) and based on James Graham’s play, it follows Ingram from his reluctant agreement to take part in the game show, through his two nights in the hot seat, to the aftermath of his £1 million win.
The three-part series was originally released during the pandemic, fetching unusually high ratings (5.3 million live viewers) on the night of the first episode.
It may be a drama, but it’s also very much a comedy. As explained by Graham, it’s a “naturally absurd story”.
“I think most audience members will probably come away thinking – even if they believe that they are guilty – that the proportionality of their punishment and what they suffered was not completely balanced,” he told EW.
If you’ve not watched it, or you’re unaware of the story, we won’t spoil exactly how Ingram cheated.
Quiz cast: Who plays Charles Ingram?
Matthew Macfadyen, best known for his role as Tom Wambsgans in Succession, plays Charles Ingram in Quiz.
Michael Sheen transforms into Who Wants To Be A Millionaire’s former host Chris Tarrant, while Fleabag’s Sian Clifford plays Ingram’s wife, Diana.
The cast also includes:
- Mark Bonnar (Catastrophe, Celebrity Traitors) as Paul Smith
- Helen McCrory (Peaky Blinders) as Sonia Woodley QC
- Michael Jibson (Hamilton) as Tecwen Whittock
- Aisling Bea (This Way Up) as Claudia Rosencrantz
- Trystan Gravelle (Mr Selfridge) as Adrian Pollock
Sheen’s portrayal was praised by Tarrant, who told the Daily Star that the actor nailed his body language.
“The voice was pretty close and he is not an impressionist; he is an actor,” he said.
“What he got was the body language – just these weird things that I do. Like when I’m getting into the chair, I do a sort of Fosbury Flop.”
Is it worth watching?
Yes! Not only does Quiz feature incredible performances (particularly Sheen’s uncanny portrayal of Tarrant), but a compelling story of how a man tried (and failed) to cheat a TV titan.
The first episode also chronicles how Who Wants To Be A Millionaire came to be, from an early, risky pitch to its pilot (with a completely different name).
Don’t just take our word for it. In its review, Empire wrote: “There’s no 50:50 about it – top performances across the board, propulsive energy, and a smart script from James Graham make Quiz must-see TV.”
When is Quiz on Netflix?
Quiz will be available to stream on Netflix this Sunday, February 1.
All three episodes will be available to stream straight away, and at around 45 minutes per episode, you can watch the whole thing in one night.
Read more: The best Netflix series to watch right now
