Is Frauds worth watching? Critics deliver verdict on Suranne Jones ITV drama

Frauds has landed on ITV1, and it is primed to be the newest Sunday night treat for viewers at home.

The six-part series stars Suranne Jones and Jodie Whittaker as friends and former business partners, who are ready to take on one last heist together. For those keen to know if the show is worth their time or not, the good news is that reviews have landed for the series.

Here is what critics think of Frauds and why it may, or may not, be worth your time.

What is Frauds about? 🤔

Old school friends Bert (Jones) and Sam (Whittaker) come back into each other’s lives when the former learns she has cancer and is released from prison into Sam’s care. Sam, it turns out, is the reason Bert ended up in prison, and thus she feels guilty for being at fault for landing her in custody.

So when Bert decides she has nothing to lose and suggests one last job to Sam, what can she say other than yes? The job is to conduct a heist to remove Salvador Dalí’s The Great Masturbator from the Museo Reina Sofía and replace it with a forgery.

What critics liked 👍

The ITV drama is a heist thriller that follows the reunion of old friends, and scam artists, Sam and Bert as they conduct one last job. (ITV)

The Standard‘s Vicky Jessop was a big fan of the series, giving the film a strong four stars and sharing how good it is thanks to its lead cast.

“The first thing to say about Frauds, ITV’s new heist thriller, is that it looks gorgeous. Sweeping shots of Tenerife, the ocean, and people brooding against holiday worthy backdrops? Yes please.

“The other is that it’s damn good fun,” describing the show as “a sort of screwball comedy which hits unexpectedly heavy emotional beats too.”

The critic added that it “almost feels like a crime” that both Jones and Whittaker haven’t worked together all that often before, because they are perfect companions on the screen

This was a sentiment shared by The Guardian‘s Lucy Mangan, who also gave the series four stars, describing it as “a wild, thrilling six-part ride.”

Comparing the series to Jones’ thriller Maryland, the critic wrote that Frauds had many of the same strengths and added: “Just as the mystery-thriller formula there was used as background to the psychodramas gradually unveiled, here the grand heist Jones’ character Roberta (Bert) has carefully planned in prison since her diagnosis is the vehicle for an exploration of friendship, betrayal and love in all its forms.”

The series was celebrated by critics for being a lot of fun. (ITV)

Metro‘s Asyia Iftikhar gave the series a 3.5 rating out of five, and said that the series is “a hoot”, adding: “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.”

However, it wasn’t all perfect, with the critic adding: “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.”

What critics didn’t like 👎

Some critics felt that it takes a long time for the series to get going, and it also is full of the usual stereotypes of the genre. (ITV)

The Independent‘s Charlotte O’Sullivan gave the series four stars, but shared that while it was a lot of fun to watch and is “a shining example of accessible, transgressive TV” there was one small flaw — it isn’t realistic because it ramps up the “silly” factor for fun.

The critic wrote: “Bad news: the latest project from Suranne Jones doesn’t always feel like the real deal. Implausible details abound in this six-part heist thriller (that she produced through her company, TeamAkers). And there are weak links in the cast. Still, don’t panic, because the blissful moments outweigh the blah ones.”

The critic added that the series would be a perfect source of entertainment to anyone looking for something fun and easy to watch.

Radio Times critic David Craig gave the series just three stars because, he said, it “isn’t wholly original.” However, he admitted that this is by design, and at the very least, the creative team “deserve credit for injecting life into a drama landscape that can all too often lean on the strictly familiar.”

“The full potential of this line-up doesn’t present itself until the third episode (by far the strongest of the first half), which sees our gang finally collaborate on a mission where their chemistry rapidly builds,” the critic wrote. “Prior to this, Frauds drags its feet through a flat introduction.”

Is Frauds worth watching? 👀

Based on the strong ratings from critics, it seems like Frauds is worth a watch for anyone looking for a funny, stylish, high-octane heist thriller that gives Jones and Whittaker the chance to shine in ways they might not have been able to before.

The actors make a great pairing on-screen, with an electrifying chemistry and a great ear for comedy. Both stars have proven themselves time and again to be a delight to watch, so the fact that critics say they are even stronger together suggests that they will make it all worth it.

Frauds airs on Sundays and Mondays on ITV1 at 9pm and is available to watch on ITVX.

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