Bodyguard: Season 1 | Rotten Tomatoes (2025)

93% Tomatometer 71 Reviews 84% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings

War veteran David Budd finds work as a police sergeant with London's Metropolitan Police Service, in the Royalty and Specialist Protection branch. He is assigned to protect the home secretary, the Rt. Hon. Julia Montague MP, a controversial and ambitious politician who is described as "the sociopath" by one of her aides, and who has plans to introduce invasive new surveillance powers for security forces. Finding himself increasingly at odds with Montague's policies and personality, and dealing with physical and psychological scars from his time serving in Afghanistan, volatile Budd is torn between his beliefs and his duty to protect.

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Bodyguard — Season 1

Bodyguard — Season 1

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Critics Consensus

Bodyguard maintains a palpable tension throughout its pulpy proceedings to create an absorbing and addicting psychological thriller.

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Critics Reviews

View All (71) Critics Reviews
Bodyguard: Season 1 | Rotten Tomatoes (1) Melinda Houston and Debi Enker Sydney Morning Herald Madden plays Budd like a time bomb poised to detonate, revealing a man scarred by his wartime experiences. Hawes is excellent as the hawkish politician and Mercurio keeps the twists coming through to the finale. May 18, 2020 Full Review Bodyguard: Season 1 | Rotten Tomatoes (2) Craig Mathieson The Age (Australia) She's older, upper class, English, and female; he's younger, working class, Scottish, and male. There's 50 shades of "ma'am" in the way he addresses her. Rated: 3/5 Oct 22, 2019 Full Review Bodyguard: Season 1 | Rotten Tomatoes (3) Matthew Gilbert Boston Globe It's two things at once - the list of who did what and the reminder of what happened - and it feels nicely succinct. Like everything else about "Bodyguard," including its hero, the opening is taut. Nov 9, 2018 Full Review Bodyguard: Season 1 | Rotten Tomatoes (4) Serena Seghedoni Loud and Clear Reviews one of those rare shows that will have you hooked to the screen from the very first scene to the last. Rated: 5/5 Nov 2, 2023 Full Review Bodyguard: Season 1 | Rotten Tomatoes (5) David Walsh World Socialist Web Site What the series creators, fully consciously of it or not, do show is a country ruled by vehemently anti-democratic and authoritarian cliques, none of whom would exhibit the slightest qualms about establishing openly dictatorial rule. Feb 11, 2021 Full Review Bodyguard: Season 1 | Rotten Tomatoes (6) Huw Saunders Cultured Vultures While Bodyguard is being billed as a thriller, at its core it's that old favourite of the British isles, the police procedural - and crucially, even when it's just going through the procedures, it stays engaging. Oct 9, 2019 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Avindu G Non-stop drama full of surprises. But it's hard not to think that this is not how it was supposed to be played out. There were lot of moving pieces and it all gets put together suddenly like the show was suddenly called off, but at the same time it's how immersive this series is. A sincere masterful performance by the cast that captures shifts of emotions and contrasting identities. Great sound effects and excellent visuals with equally superior cinematography. It's a wonderful story about many things that's human, that's scandalous and flawed. It's a unique story considering it's theme so it's not wrong to expect seeing David Budd sooner than later. Rated 3.5/5 Stars • Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 12/20/24 Full Review Groucho G Not bad but as usual, there’s some dumb stuff in it that detracts from the real thing. PC Budd not immediately admitting he knew the shooter - really? The guy was in his unit in the forces and would be easily identified by finger prints and DNA, so why lie and get caught later?The initial terror bombing scene - all commanders including expo were female - nice thought but not in real life. Lots of other irritating small things but mostly well acted and keeps you hooked. Rated 3.5/5 Stars • Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 12/17/24 Full Review Tony J Good watch overall but it never really properly hooked me until the last episode. Rated 3.5/5 Stars • Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 12/14/24 Full Review Audience Member Compelling show with some good twists. Acting is quite good. I would recommend you give it a watch. Rated 4/5 Stars • Rated 4 out of 5 stars 12/04/24 Full Review Joshua M Very good!!! Richard Madden shines in this show. Rated 4.5/5 Stars • Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 11/30/24 Full Review Audience Member *spoiler* The first Scene of the whole show which started everything of was pretty cool but after it, it got a little bit boring and there wasnt really something interesting behind the everything all, but as soon as the the first assassination was planned it became exciting again but that wasnt pretty long because directly after that the show became boring again and it just was pretty slow in general, the rolling stone was set when the minister (Juliet) was assassinated because after that scenes the whole show in general just became more exciting and made way more fun to watch, especially the last 3 episodes were great in particular, the last episode was genuinely genius, it was very good and probably the best one out of all, the last episode on its own was incredible, the rest was pretty decent. Rated 3/5 Stars • Rated 3 out of 5 stars 11/14/24 Full Review Read all reviews

Bodyguard — Season 1

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Cast & Crew

Richard Madden David Keeley Hawes Julia Sophie Rundle Vicky Gina McKee Sampson Pippa Haywood Craddock Paul Ready Rob
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Episodes

Episode 1 Aired Aug 26, 2018 Episode 1 After distinguishing himself by courageously neutralizing a terrorist threat, a troubled war veteran, now a sergeant of the London Metropolitan Police Service's Royalty and Specialist Protection Branch, is assigned to protect the home secretary. Details Episode 2 Aired Aug 27, 2018 Episode 2 Another terrorist attack raises the U.K. threat level to severe and the home secretary holds secret meetings with the director general of the security service, freezing out the police and her own minister of state for counterterrorism. Details Episode 3 Aired Sep 2, 2018 Episode 3 In the wake of two terrorist attacks, David is under more pressure than ever to keep the home secretary safe, but the threat to her life does nothing to curb her political ambitions. Details Episode 4 Aired Sep 9, 2018 Episode 4 David struggles to come to terms with the fallout from the devastating events of the past 24 hours and he is questioned by detectives. Details Episode 5 Aired Sep 16, 2018 Episode 5 Determined to push the investigation forward, David targets enemies of Julia, and his theories about a conspiracy at the heart of government look increasingly plausible. Details Episode 6 Aired Sep 23, 2018 Episode 6 David makes a major breakthrough in the investigation into the attack on the home secretary, but his inquiries put him in mortal danger. Details

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Bodyguard — Season 1

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Director
Thomas Vincent, John Strickland

Screenwriter
Jed Mercurio

Network
BBC

Rating
TV-MA

Genre
Drama, Mystery & Thriller

Original Language
British English

Release Date
Aug 26, 2018
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Bodyguard: Season 1 | Rotten Tomatoes (2025)

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