The Hack - Season 1

The Hack has good ideas, strong actors, and an interesting current theme. Unfortunately, the series tries to be too many things at once, which doesn't do it any favors. The wiretapping scandal surrounding the British newspaper News of the World was enormous. The newspaper, led by media mogul Rupert Murdoch, had been using private detectives since the 1990s to hack the voicemails of celebrities, politicians, and members of the royal family. When this came to light, it led to numerous lawsuits and ultimately the closure of the newspaper in 2011.

It's clear that there's an interesting story for a television series here. That ITV subsequently hired writer Jack Thorne to create this series is only logical; earlier this year, he made waves with Toxic Town, which was also based on a true scandal. Casting Toby Jones in one of the lead roles is almost a mandatory move. But although The Hack is certainly interesting and has a strong cast, it tries to do too much at once, and as a result, it sacrifices some of its power.

The strength of Toxic Town was that it managed to make a large scandal feel small, human, and personal. Highlighting the personal stories of people affected by the wiretapping scandal is a strong move. This does happen in The Hack and it is effective, but it gets overshadowed by the political games with the big players that are also part of the story.

The Hack tries to be too many things at once.

What also doesn't help is that there are two major storylines running simultaneously. On one hand, we see how journalists Nick Davies (David Tennant) and Alan Rusbridger (Toby Jones) help bring the wiretapping scandal to light. On the other hand, we see how detective Dave Cook (Robert Carlyle) tries to solve a murder from the 1980s. The victim in question was an old acquaintance of one of the main suspects in the wiretapping scandal.

Now, I understand that the two cases are connected, but it's just too much. In the first episode, we see Davies and Rusbridger discovering that something is amiss at News of the World. In the second episode, the pair is barely on screen as we see Cook getting involved with the murder case. Gradually, the two storylines merge, but for a long time, they seem too far apart.

Despite everything, the series features strong actors and interesting themes.

Nonetheless, there is more than enough to enjoy. Tennant, Jones, and Carlyle are top actors who do exactly what they need to do. The Hack also sheds an interesting light on the state of journalism. Although this series mainly takes place between 2002 and 2012, interesting parallels are drawn with the contemporary press and dilemmas about ethics, quality, and sensationalism to attract readers. It is also beautifully and tightly filmed and knows how to break the fourth wall in an interesting way.

The Hack could have been the new Toxic Town or Adolescence, but unfortunately, in my opinion, it didn't succeed. It has interesting things to say, but it tries to be too much at once. The small personal drama, the grand political indictment, and the murder mystery are too far apart and do not blend well into a streamlined whole. It is absolutely not bad and definitely worth watching thanks to the three main actors and relevant themes, but I believe it could have offered much more.