Doctor Who remains one of the best known and most beloved British TV shows. A number of actors have played the iconic character over the course of the show’s 60-year history, including actors like Matt Smith, David Tennant, and Peter Capaldi, with Ncuti Gatwa playing the current iteration. Gatwa took over from actor Jodie Whitaker (not including a brief return from Tennant in 2023), who played Doctor Who from 2017 to 2022.
Prior to taking on the role of the first female Doctor Who, Whitaker was well-known for her role in the critically acclaimed show Broadchurch, which also featured Tennant in a starring role. She has also appeared in projects like Attack the Block (2011) and Venus (2006). Whitaker’s tenure as the lead in Doctor Who was generally well-received, but she has since moved on to tackle other movies and TV shows, including one true-story-inspired show that was just released on Netflix.
Toxic Town Is A Big Hit With Critics
Jodie Whitaker’s New Show Is Off To A Strong Start On Rotten Tomatoes
Toxic Town
has debuted to a stunning score on Rotten Tomatoes. Written by Jack Thorne, Toxic Town is based on the true story of the Corby toxic waste incident, following three mothers as they fight for justice due to their town’s shockingly high baby deformity rates. The limited series features Whitaker in a starring role as Susan McIntyre, with Aimee Lou Wood, Robert Carlyle, Rory Kinnear, and Claudia Jessie, among others, rounding out the rest of the cast. The four-episode show was released in its entirety on Netflix on February 27.
Following the show’s release, Rotten Tomatoes now reveals that Toxic Town has debuted to a perfect score of 100%. There are only five reviews for the show listed on the site as of writing, though, and the score could certainly change as more reviews are added. There currently aren’t enough audience reviews for a Popcornmeter score to be generated, but one could begin to take shape over the next few days as more people get a chance to watch the show.
What Toxic Town’s Reviews Mean For The Show
What Critics Are Saying About The Netflix Series
Reviews for the series praise the strong performances from the Toxic Town cast, as well as the ways in which the show chronicles a harrowing true story. Even though the storytelling itself may not break the mold, the show clearly has plenty of strengths that make it worthwhile viewing. In his Toxic Town review for ScreenRant, Nick Bythrow awards the show seven out of 10, writing that, though the show’s episode count sometimes works against it, the performances and story make up for this:
Aside from this pacing issue in the show’s first half, Toxic Town presents an important story in a serviceable way, with a focus on mothers who fought for their children. This includes strong performances from everyone involved, coupled with important aspects of the real case being presented alongside the dramatized moments.
As a limited series, Toxic Town tells a complete story, meaning the strong critical response won’t be leading to a season 2. The positive debut on Rotten Tomatoes could, however, suggest that the series will strike a chord with viewers and benefit from strong word-of-mouth. It remains to be seen how audiences will respond to Toxic Town, but the series evidently has plenty worth celebrating.
Source: Rotten Tomatoes
Toxic Town
7/10
- Release Date
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February 27, 2025
- Network
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Netflix
- Writers
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Amy Trigg
Cast
