The first series received a mixed response from critics. The
Liverpool Echos Paddy Shennan called it "deliciously black" and added that it could become a "cop classic". He also praised Stephens's performance, likening it to
Leslie Nielsen's in
The Naked Gun.
The Guardians Sam Wollaston also liked it, saying "It's cheeky, irreverent, puerile, sometimes inappropriate. It also made me laugh, almost out loud a few times, and that's no bad thing in a comedy" and again praised Stephens's "fabulous" acting, while Punch's performance was "excellent". He asserted: "Toby Stephens is fabulous as übertwerp Jack. He has a nice, pleased-as-punch-with-himself complacency, changing his voice and raising an eyebrow when he talks to ladies. There's a hint of self-doubt there, but not enough to stop him being a total cock. And Lucy Punch as Kate is excellent at being appalled by him, but also just a tiny bit impressed, even attracted to him. Together they're wonderfully awful." Most others disagreed with this. The
Metro called it "rubbish" and said Stephens's acting was "over the top"
The Daily Telegraphs Patrick Smith lamented its "[t]huddingly lame humour",
Rachel Cooke of the
New Statesman called it "atrocious". "Truly abysmal" said Kevin Myers of the
Irish Independent while Sean Myers blamed "a sub-standard script totally lacking in style and imagination". and Damien Love of
The Herald (Glasgow) said it was "[b]ad beyond belief... one of the worst things I have ever seen on television.", and likened Toby Stephen's performance to "Hugh Grant doing an impression of Ross Kemp, doing an impression of Hugh Grant doing an impression of Bodie from The Professionals", although he believed there was a chance that Lucy Punch was "wasted" in the show. ==Episodes==