by Christos Zabounis

If we consider that the edited photo of Kate was an unfortunate initiative of the ailing Princess of Wales, then the B.B.C. interview that the Duke of York gave can be described as disastrous, at the very least. Inspired by journalist Sam McAlister’s book “Scoops: Behind the Scenes of the B.B.C’s Most Shocking Interviews”, the new creation of the director Philip Martin (“The Crown”), takes us behind the scenes of Prince Andrew’s much-lauded interview in the British state television, over his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The facts are as follows. In 2010, Queen Elizabeth’s favorite son was photographed by a paparazzi walking in Central Park with his billionaire boyfriend. When nine years later, the F.B.I. breaks into the latter’s home, discovers evidence implicating Andrew. The prosecution against him rests on the testimony of then-17-year-old Virginia Giuffre, who was paid $15,000 by Epstein at the turn of the century to sleep with his high-profile guest. Amid threats of channel cuts and uncertainty about their professional futures, three women band together and achieve the impossible. An interview that was supposed to reverse the negative climate of the Falklands war hero, but in fact led to his ouster as a working member of the English royal family. “One hour of television can change everything,” is mentioned at some point in the dialogues, which the prince will realize in hindsight, not in the way I would like. Great female actors (Gillian Anderson, Keeley Hawes, Billie Piber) and an exemplary Rufus Sewell in the exceptionally complex role of Prince Andrew.