Review: Quiz

Most already know the tale that Quiz tells. It is, after all, the stuff of British television legend. Charles Ingram, a middle-aged army major stationed in a cosy corner of Wiltshire, is selected as a contestant for Who Wants to be a Millionaire?. What follows is perhaps the most infamous moment in game show history as Charles (played by Matthew Macfayden), courtesy of some timely coughing by a fellow contestant and wife Diana (Sian Clifford), cheats his way to the jackpot.

Quiz demonstrates that the saga is far more complex than what we may assume

That was the perspective I had before watching Quiz. A new drama on the Charles Ingram scandal, Quiz demonstrates that the saga is far more complex than what we may assume, and this more-than-meets-the-eye theme is clear throughout, with several surprising revelations. Millionaire’s rise to iconic TV status was initially unexpected. How the show chose contestants was not totally random. Most shockingly, Charles Ingram may not have cheated.

The pace often leans more to documentary than drama, particularly in the opening episode. ITV and Celador, in creating a game show that combined soaring financial stakes with the simple question and answer, struck gold. Learning how the concept was met with some scepticism and that giving away £1 million was utterly unprecedented, viewers receive an insight into the fine margins that determine the success of all entertainment programmes.

Considering the groundbreaking winnings Millionaire offered, it is little surprise that some soon attempted to bend the rules. Enter the Syndicate, a ‘resistance’ group who dedicate their livelihoods to finding a way onto the show. Much less sinister than their name suggests, the portrayal of this white, middle-class group of dedicated quiz-lovers is fantastic, bizarre, and slightly disturbing.

Charles’ time under the spotlight is where Quiz is at its most dramatic

Diana Ingram and her brother share the Syndicate’s obsession. After both make it onto Millionaire but fall short of seven figures, Diana convinces her reluctant husband to go on the show, and Charles’ time under the spotlight is where Quiz is at its most dramatic. Matthew MacFayden plays Charles superbly, capturing the excruciating pressure that the dithering, mild-mannered father-of-three is enduring on his quest to win the million. His scenes in the chair with Chris Tarrant (Michael Sheen), whose mannerisms are imitated to a tee by Michael Sheen, create suspense that rivals the real footage from Millionaire itself.

Courtesy of rather peculiar U-turns when answering certain questions, Charles defies the odds and, incredibly, walks home with the million. However, the inclusion of coughs by Diana and Syndicate member Tecwen Whittock (Michael Jibson), who was in the audience as a potential contestant, imply that the pair were guiding Charles to the right answer and there was a clear conspiracy.

Charles, Diana and Tecwen’s subsequent trial is where Quiz’s intention becomes rather confusing. At some points, it seems certain that the trio was guilty; there are stacks of evidence against them. Moments later, they appear to be merely victims of several horrible coincidences and the production team’s paranoia, and it is suddenly impossible not to feel sympathy for Charles.

The problem is not the contrasting evidence that Quiz’s courtroom sequences present; opposing opinions are of course expected in a trial. It is the order that this information is given that makes these scenes feel a little lost, making it difficult to understand how the jury reached their verdict. By the final episodes’ conclusion, many viewers will be no closer to understanding whether the Ingrams truly cheated.

The show is still worth watching despite its unsatisfactory conclusion. Adapted from a play, Quiz naturally features long, dialogue-heavy scenes in a single setting, allowing tension to be gradually built. Cube-shaped TVs, vintage Nokia phones and encyclopedias where today’s viewer would expect laptops are used to hark back to the final years before technology took over daily life. There are even occasionally humorous moments that draw brief but genuine chuckles.

Adapted from a play, Quiz naturally features long, dialogue-heavy scenes in a single setting, allowing tension to be gradually built

The high-quality of everything but the denouement, therefore, poses the question, why does Quiz not answer, or even help to answer, whether the Ingrams tricked the system? Perhaps the reason can be found in the TV channel that aired the show. Quiz is an ITV programme about their own game show which has implied, for almost two decades, that Charles Ingram was a fraud and a liar. By making this drama, by displaying how he might be innocent, was ITV admitting that they pursued Charles too aggressively?

Quiz is a fascinating watch; the story behind Britain’s favourite game show and the people that manipulated it is sure to make jaws drop. Nevertheless, those expecting a definitive conclusion to whether Charles Ingram cheated will be left disappointed and forced to make their own judgement. Then again, that might be exactly what ITV wanted.