Hugh Grant was applauded by critics for his portrayal of disgraced former Liberal leader Jeremy Thorpe. As in, yes, the same Jeremy Thorpe who, in 1979, was accused of conspiring to murder his secret lover Norman Scott.

It makes for dark viewing. Really, really dark. But Grant convincingly suggests a man who would have been capable of almost anything in pursuit of his sexual desires and political ambitions – without stripping away any of his character’s humanity in the process.

Watch it, if you haven’t already. Just know in advance that Grant’s own dad found the much-discussed ‘Vaseline scene’ too much to handle.

The Undoing

Fair warning: spoilers ahead.

Grant’s role in Sky Atlantic’s The Undoing seems, at first, ambiguous. On the outside, he’s a devoted husband and doctor. But, when a horrific murder occurs and Jonathan disappears, his wife is left wondering if she ever knew her husband at all. He’s an adulterer, yes, and a narcissist. He seems, too, to be something of a compulsive liar. And his mother insists he lacks empathy or remorse.

But a murderer? Really? You’ll have to watch for yourself to find out.

Find out more about The Undoing here.

Hugh Grant films: unpacking the actor’s evolution from romantic hero to pure villain