If you’re looking for something new to watch after Normal People, you might want to give HBO’s new show Run a go. It premieres on Aussie TVs tonight.
Run comes from frequent collaborators Vicky Jones and Phoebe Waller-Bridge. Neither need an introduction, to be honest. Together they’ve worked on Fleabag and Killing Eve… to name two. Jones directed the stage production of Fleabag, too. Their reputations precede them and so on and so forth. Jones created and is the executive producer of Run, Waller-Bridge is the other executive producer. She also guest-stars in the series, as you’ll see in the trailer.
Merritt Wever stars as Ruby Richardson and Domhnall Gleeson as Billy Johnson. The series is a half-hour comedy, which follows Ruby’s life as its thrown upside down when she receives a text from her college sweetheart, Billy. Said text, a single word, invites her to drop everything and meet him in New York to fulfil the pact they made 17 years ago.
It looks part comedy, part romance, part thriller, and part heist.
So what have the critics said? Well on Metacritic, the series has a score of 74/100 with generally favourable reviews based on what 21 critics had to say. But the user score is 6/10, with mixed or average reviews based on 21 ratings. Those who hated it could barely make it through the first episode, those who liked or loved it stuck around for more.
Vulture described Run as “a beam of glorious light and a jolt of electricity.
“It’s also an absorbing piece of escapism about two people compelled to drop everything and escape.” The review is a delightful read, and you can view it in its entirety right here.
Collider‘s headline is literally “The New HBO Show ‘Run’ Is Very – How Shall I Phrase This? – Horny”. We love the horn. Collider also gave high praise to Weaver, calling her role a “career-making performance”. Four stars, overall.
Variety praised the leads’ “admittedly scorching chemistry”, but thought the story could’ve been better executed. It’s vague of me to leave things here, but according to Vanity Fair, “the less you know about Run, the better” so I’m not going to risk any more spoilers.
Run hits Fox Showcase [115] tonight at 8.30pm. Catch new episodes at the same time every Thursday.
