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ITV’s new crime thriller Frauds arrived on screens last night with the kind of star power most networks would kill for — Jodie Whittaker and Suranne Jones, two of British television’s most magnetic performers.
But despite the promising premise and powerhouse casting, many viewers were left underwhelmed, with several taking to social media to lament that the pair ‘deserve better.’
Co-created by Hostage star and Maryland writer Anne Marie O’Connor, Frauds follows former heist artist Sam (Whittaker) and her longtime partner-in-crime Bert (Jones), who’s just been released from prison and diagnosed with cancer.
While Sam wants to settle into a quiet life and care for her friend, Bert has grander – and riskier – plans.
Soon the two are drawn back into the adrenaline-fuelled world of scams and art theft, roping in an eccentric team to pull off an elaborate final job.
The series opens with a slickly choreographed funeral heist, a sequence that sees the duo lifting jewels and watches from wealthy mourners before striding out in brightly coloured suits.
It’s an ambitious setup that aims for the stylish anarchy of Killing Eve and the emotional depth of Gentleman Jack, but early reactions suggest it might not quite stick the landing.
On X (formerly Twitter), viewers voiced disappointment in the series’ execution despite praise for its leads.
‘I want to enjoy this but not sure yet. It needs to get better. #frauds,’ wrote one viewer, @philm2244.
Frauds review by Metro TV writer Asyia Iftikhar
‘…Of course, while it does make some fun, unconventional plotting decisions to set it apart from other heist dramas, it also has plenty of the tropes we know and love as we watch Sam and Bert scheme and hoodwink their way across Spain.
‘Frankly, it’s a hoot.
‘Where the series falls short, however, is the times when Suranne and Jodie’s acting prowess has to make up for somewhat clunky dialogue, occasionally filled with ineloquent exposition and unnatural repartee.
‘And, although having time with the characters in the first episode grounds the whole show, the pacing starts to wildly fluctuate as the season progresses.
‘In certain scenes, it felt all at once as though we’re skipping through major, story-altering plot points and, at times, like you want to hurry the scenes along just slightly to move our characters forward.
‘All in all, our two stars portray an endearing friendship that will keep you coming back for more if only to see what will fall apart first – them or the heist.’
Another, @SimonMi53066291, was more blunt: ‘Thelma and Louise it ain’t. These fine actresses deserve better. The money must have been good. #Frauds.’
And @beakybox quipped: ‘It had so much potential but Jesus Christ that was bad, if Temu did an Oceans 8 version. #frauds.’
@SIRJOHNREITH put it even more brutally, writing: ‘It’s terrible, gave it a half hour, both characters smart arse dislikeable, cringingly bad dialogue, empty gestures thrown at the camera lens.’
Frauds: Key Details
Creators
Anne-Marie O’Connor and Suranne Jones
Cast
Suranne Jones, Jodie Whittaker, Christian Cooke, Karan Gill, Talisa García, Elizabeth Berrington, Lee Boardman, Abdul Salis, and Thais Martin
Run time
6 episodes, an hour each
While some fans appreciated the show’s playful structure and flashes of dark humour, others felt its tone and pacing veered unevenly between caper and melodrama.
For a series built around two of television’s most compelling women, Frauds may not yet have found the balance that lets them truly shine.
Still, it’s early days. With more episodes to come, Frauds could yet pull off a comeback worthy of its con-artist protagonists.
But for now, many ITV viewers seem to agree: Whittaker and Jones aren’t the frauds – the show might be.
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