Netflix's Jimmy Savile: A British Horror Story doesn't convey the structures that kept him aloft and continue to dominate British culture and politics in 2022

Pajiba

The docuseries on the disgraced British TV icon "is two parts long and runs at about three hours. It’s not enough, frankly," says Kayleigh Donaldson. "This thing could have been the length of the extended Lord of the Rings trilogy and there would still be a slew of key information to cut. We don’t hear from many of Savile’s victims, nor do we get much in terms of his pre-fame life (check out the Dan Davies book In Plain Sight for a more comprehensive view of things.) A psychologist offers a truncated analysis of his predatory behaviour but doesn’t go far enough. In fairness, I’m not sure anyone ever could create a full portrait of such a grotesque man. This is an abuser who disguised himself with the truth, a very smart bully who played the game with a lot of help from his powerful friends. In one rare moment of candour, we hear Savile on tape as he is interviewed by the police and his anger becomes impossible to cloak with the dazzle of celebrity."