New political thriller Bodyguard has won the seal of approval from viewers, who said it was one of the most tense shows on television.
The BBC One programme, which stars Keeley Hawes and Richard Madden, got under way on Sunday night.
The dramatic first instalment focused on an attempted bombing on a London train.
People tuning in said they were gripped by the opening segment and that they could hardly wait for the next instalment.
“Opening twenty minutes most tense drama this year,” wrote one viewer on Twitter.
“Richard Madden is immense and Keeley Hawes is as excellent as ever.”
Opening twenty minutes most tense drama ths year. Richard Madden is immense and Keeley Hawes is as excellent as ever. #Bodyguard
— terriwoods (@terriwoodschels) August 26, 2018
Another posted: “#Bodyguard was brilliant!! omg literally on the edge of my seat!!
“OMG that opening scene, what?!?! My heart can’t take that much tension!!”
#Bodyguard was brilliant!! omg literally on the edge of my seat!! OMG that opening scene, what?!?! My heart can’t take that much tension!! 😱😱😱😱
— 🧐🧐🧐🧐🍰🍰🍰🍰 (@LauraOfJakku) August 26, 2018
“An excellent first episode of Bodyguard,” said another person of the show, adding that writer Jed Mercurio, who also created Line Of Duty, had made “another cracker”.
“The first half was as tense a bit of television as I’ve seen in a long time,” added the viewer.
An excellent first episode of Bodyguard. Looking like Jed Mercurio has written another cracker. The first half was as tense a bit of television as I've seen in a long time.#Bodyguard
— Simon Myring (@simon_myring) August 26, 2018
Another person tweeted: “Tense, compelling, traumatic and tear-jerking. Yes, #Bodyguard was phenomenally brilliant and addictive!”
Tense, compelling, traumatic and tear-jerking. Yes, #Bodyguard was phenomenally brilliant and addictive! Roll on tomorrow evening as it continues…. @Misskeeleyhawes @_richardmadden pic.twitter.com/mIqrMEfQvE
— Stephen 🏳️🌈 (@stejs9) August 26, 2018
The programme stars Hawes as the home secretary, who is pushing a controversial new counter-terrorism bill through Parliament. Madden plays a Helmand veteran assigned to protect her.
Episode two airs on BBC1 on Monday at 9pm.