ITV criticised for downbeat ending to flagship Portsmouth drama

THE FINAL episode of ITV’s blockbuster drama series Pompey Dreams has been panned by critics for not offering a widely-anticipated fairytale ending.

The drama show started in low key circumstances this January with a slow-burning one all draw against Coventry but was expected to go out with a bang on Saturday with a heroic backs against the wall victory on penalties over Chelsea. But cuts to ITV’s drama budget left the channel unable to afford the rights to extra time at Wembley

After bosses decided that a Pompey winning goal in the 90 minutes was not dramatically justifiable, they were left with no choice but to go for a storyline they dubbed “plucky losers”.

The decision to bring in the glitzy Chelsea team to guest star in the final was the series’ “pivotal error”, according to the Times’ AA Gill, who wrote: “Where earlier you found yourself cheering for the heroic amateur players of Portsmouth, by the final their story was less FA Cup, more FA Crup [ed- ‘crap’].”

Writing in The Sun, Colin Robertson described the final show as a “gaffe” and a “blunder” after the “ace” semi final episode, which featured a high profile cameo from philosopher Bertrand Russell as Harry Redknapp.

Viewers had rallied around the Portsmouth team over the course of the series as they overcame off the pitch problems to put together a spirited run in an old-fashioned cup competition, channelling what ITV called “the Billy Elliot spirit of a dozen Full Montys”.

High viewing figures and critical praise culminated in April with a TV Quick award nomination for David Suchet for his understated and sympathetic performance as Avram Grant.

ITV are now pinning their hopes on hard-hitting summer reality series Robbie Earle’s Cultural Apartheid, in which the former footballer dons whiteface to investigate racism in South Africa.

Published May 17, 2010

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