What captivated more [than Stranger Things], however, was an easily missed programme on Channel 4. Despite its asterisk-heavy title - I had inwardly sighed; not another wacky dystopian angry youths road trip - The End of the ****ing World was mesmerically fine.

Blackly and bleakly comic in parts, this adaptation of a graphic novel had grand scripting, production, filming, locations and the rest, but all were utterly outshone by the two young leads. Alex Lawther, best known for his phenomenal young Alan Turing in The Imitation Game, haunted throughout as the confused maybe-psycho with a fat knife down his sock. Jessica Barden, as the gobby, sweet, foul-mouthed innocent, was never less than convincing, either in her beyond-her-years cynical wisdom or sudden wee-girl vulnerability. These two runaways, from boredom, from adults, from actually having to manage to tackle sex, had so many winning ways about them I was almost physically urging them on toward the sunlit uplands, where of course it all went wrong. A dirty, hard watch, and wonderful.

The End of the F***ing World: review

I know that TV is subjective - one man's University Challenge is another man's TOWIE - but I just didn't like this programme, and here's why. Swearing should be like salt - a little can add flavour to a scene, too much makes it unpalatable - and this is overladen with profanities. The flashes of knives and blood are a little wearisome. However, Alex Lawther and Jessica Barden, who play James and Alyssa, bring a certain pathos and charm to their roles.

The End of the F***ing World review

It's so dark that you can barely make out the humour at all - and yet this adaptation of Charles Forsman's comic is totally convincing.

Preview - The End of the F***ing World

Channel 4 is showing the first episodes of this new comedy drama on TV before making the rest of the series online only.

Based on the comic by Chuck Forsman, this show, stripped across the week, finds Alex Lawther and Jessica Barden as misfit teens James and Alyssa. Alyssa is looking for someone with an edge amid stultifying suburbia and she finds it in James. Sadly, he's a budding psychopath who is looking for someone to murder. Which creates a queasy dynamic for a black comedy - there really had better be a good reason for it down the line.

Review: The End of the F***ing World, an effing triumph

Goodbye Christopher Robins's Alex Lawther and Jessica Barden (The Lobster) star as teen outcasts on the run

The End of the F***ing World review

A stylish American road drama with British accents.

Video: Arterton 'didn't like' Tamara Drewe character

Star of Tamara Drewe Gemma Arterton has said she did not want to play the character, because "I didn't like her" - but director Stephen Frears convinced her.

The film also features Tamsin Grieg and Dominic Cooper - who caused a stir among his younger co-stars, with Jessica Barden saying he was "hot in this film... but it's embarrassing to admit it".