I read the description and expected it to be a banale teenage seeries. What I saw was an excellent Scottish crime drama. It's about young people yes, but then not only. Good plot, good actors.
41 Reviews
Surprising
mbs-5056120 November 2018
First four episodes just OK, fifth very good, sixth good
gridoon20244 July 2018
Or, in terms of ratings out of 10, I would say 6-6-6-6-8-7. The first four episodes are slickly made but uncreative and predictable; the people you expect to be good are good and the people you expect to be bad are bad. Things get more interesting in the last two episodes, when the heroine doesn't know who she can trust anymore, and the focus switches to Rachel Hurd-Wood, who emerges as the real star of the show (she outacts, as well as outlooks, the rest of the cast). On the whole, the story could have been told in a two-hour movie - there wasn't really a need for six 45-minute episodes. A "take it or leave it" kind of show - no harm done either way.
Don't read if you haven't seen Season 1
abbieb080928 October 2021
Warning: Spoilers
This had all the promise of a great story. University life, friendships, secrets and masses of suspense. However it fell down at the very beginning by the (unlikely) demise of Holly and Georgia's friendship - literally on Day 1.
Friends since they were 11. Absolute besties. Georgia meets a new group of older girls and literally falls in with them leaving Holly completely alone. Instead of Holly getting upset and doing what normal girls would do - she turns up uninvited to a very prestigious house party, where she knows no one and goes on the hunt for Georgia only to be completely blanked by her. And left out of all their fun and frolics, as Georgia cuddles and mucks around with her new group of girl friends.
In every scene they're in together, Georgia sneers at Holly and tells her to leave her alone. However Holly never ever takes offence and is determined to rescue Georgia from these alleged circumstances that she seemingly knows nothing about.
I literally cannot imagine anyone ever being treated so poorly by their best friend and yet never letting that affect their behaviour. It's like she had no feelings at all. It was very unbelievable and for me, ruined the authenticity of the story, which otherwise could have been portrayed a lot better.
There was a distinct lack of empathy and depth to their friendship. Georgia was vile all the way through. Yet Holly would put herself in immense danger to rescue her friend. Just didn't buy it,.
Friends since they were 11. Absolute besties. Georgia meets a new group of older girls and literally falls in with them leaving Holly completely alone. Instead of Holly getting upset and doing what normal girls would do - she turns up uninvited to a very prestigious house party, where she knows no one and goes on the hunt for Georgia only to be completely blanked by her. And left out of all their fun and frolics, as Georgia cuddles and mucks around with her new group of girl friends.
In every scene they're in together, Georgia sneers at Holly and tells her to leave her alone. However Holly never ever takes offence and is determined to rescue Georgia from these alleged circumstances that she seemingly knows nothing about.
I literally cannot imagine anyone ever being treated so poorly by their best friend and yet never letting that affect their behaviour. It's like she had no feelings at all. It was very unbelievable and for me, ruined the authenticity of the story, which otherwise could have been portrayed a lot better.
There was a distinct lack of empathy and depth to their friendship. Georgia was vile all the way through. Yet Holly would put herself in immense danger to rescue her friend. Just didn't buy it,.
Brilliant
Noeyedear20 December 2018
I doubt I am the target audience for this, being a 61 year old, just couldn't stop watching it. Great script (touch of Luther about it series 2), supremly acted and believable filming. If all you see is sex and drugs then you are missing a real treat.Series 3 please and hurry up!
so stupid
samanthamyan13 September 2021
Worth the time
eleanoramarshall13 April 2017
Found the plot incredibly engaging and complex. It draws you in and you won't be able to stop watching until you've finished the series. Characters are complex and are very well acted with strong leads. The tone is dark whilst still maintaining some lighter moments. Overall a good watch that is thought compelling and exciting at the same time. Worth the time!
Sex drugs and not much studying
peterrichboy19 March 2017
I didn't go to university but if I did I wouldn't have minded going to the one in Clique. Rather like Julia Brittains previous show Skins set in a sixth form college in Bristol. The students are on a mission to have as much sex do as many drugs and booze as possible. No need to worry about student grants here as most are filthy rich and parade in designer clothes and drive luxury cars. Whilst this may not be an accurate portrayal of student life there is enough going on to keep the viewers interested. And like it's predecessor Skilns there is some fine young acting talent on display in particular Synovve Karlson who along with stunning looks has a bright future ahead.
British drama's always meet the mark don't they?
fshardlow10 April 2017
Finishing the short but sweet 6 episode season 'Clique', I'm not left feeling deflated!
Clique is a drama that is dark, entertaining and quite sexy- whilst not trying to be too philosophical about itself. Watch this show because you enjoy dramas with a thick (and perhaps, unrealistic) plot and good looking actors who all do a great job. Also, watch this show if you're into nice aesthetics combined with great filming; it does just that.
Not too much of a slow burner, but not too fast either, 'Clique' conveys the slow decline of a friendship between two young women as they enter a darker, grown up world at university. With lots of drugs (which I found slightly too much, considering they're meant to be broke students, but hey! It's still a fun watch) and mystery that is actually engaging, this show doesn't disappoint- unless you're not into glossy late- teen shows, then stay away!
All in all, an interesting show that pokes at gender roles and feminism in a dark and engaging way- I highly recommend and PLEASE HAVE A SECOND SEASON!
Clique is a drama that is dark, entertaining and quite sexy- whilst not trying to be too philosophical about itself. Watch this show because you enjoy dramas with a thick (and perhaps, unrealistic) plot and good looking actors who all do a great job. Also, watch this show if you're into nice aesthetics combined with great filming; it does just that.
Not too much of a slow burner, but not too fast either, 'Clique' conveys the slow decline of a friendship between two young women as they enter a darker, grown up world at university. With lots of drugs (which I found slightly too much, considering they're meant to be broke students, but hey! It's still a fun watch) and mystery that is actually engaging, this show doesn't disappoint- unless you're not into glossy late- teen shows, then stay away!
All in all, an interesting show that pokes at gender roles and feminism in a dark and engaging way- I highly recommend and PLEASE HAVE A SECOND SEASON!
tis OK
vriddheeg13 March 2017
The show starts slow but soon especially at the end of the pilot picks my interest.Sometimes, I found the actors' accents too strong.The whole team looks really glamorous, the outfits and the looks created for each character are great. Hats off to the style team.The production of the show is realistic.
It got very annoying!
jobrigham13 January 2020
I quite enjoyed the first series but found towards the end and throughout series 2, it got very annoying. I just found that the lead character would react and over react to everything she was told and never questioned anything. I felt that people don't generally behave like that.
Incredible show, definitely worth the watch
kerstiannok28 March 2019
Well I didn't expect to be so in to it at all. The first episodes, I thought that I'm gonna stop watching it but DO NOT MAKE THAT MISTAKE. This show is absolutely incredible, I'm really sorry that there's only two seasons and 6 episodes each of it. This show needs another season! I was really sceptical when I heard that there's going to be season 2 but yet again, they surprised me completely. These plots and the storyline and the acting - it's all incredible!
The plot twist was just way too obvious
captcatfish3 March 2020
No likeable characters
colormeunimpressed23 August 2021
This show was recommended to me after watching one that was similar. The story sounded intriguing so I decided to give it a shot. I can only review season one as I'm just not sure I'm going to watch season 2. That's mostly because I really disliked almost every character on here. No one more than Holly though. She earned that top spot. I had so many issues with her over the top obsessive behavior when it came to her best friend and her knack for continuously trusting the wrong people and not the right ones no matter how obvious it was. The permanent lost look on her face and horrible decision making was hard to watch without cringing. If it weren't for the actress that played Rachel and the fact that I was interested in how everything was connected, I probably would have given up completely. Since those elements are no longer part of the story, I just don't see the appeal of a second season.
Clique Series 1
anythinkfilms18 December 2018
Warning: Spoilers
**SPOILERS**
The Scottish drama that you probably didn't know about created by the talented former 'Skins' writer Jesse Brittain.
'Clique' follows Holly McStay played by a relatively new comer called Synnøve Karlsen (When you watch this show you'd think she's been doing this for ages). Holly is a university student just beginning her first year in Edinburgh with her best pal since childhood Georgia Cunningham (How rare is that in real life?)
One day they go into a lecture led by the charismatic Jude McDermid and her brand of feminism lures both Holly and Georgia to discover more.
As the first episode goes on Georgia becomes ever more distant to her once best friend and begins following a 'clique' of bright students that she feels she now identifies with as they have a similar view on the feminism that Jude spoke about. However, it turns out that Jude is the alpha of this so called 'clique'. As time passes Holly continues to try and reconnect with Georgia but is left as an outcast which motivates her to try and enter this closely guarded circle to find out what is happening.
She finds out at the lavish parties this circle is populated by Edinburgh's most powerful men and women leading to Holly exposing it's corrupt core. This proves to be a lot more dangerous than imagined and Holly's past is threatened to resurface.
'Clique' has noir like undertones but looks at modern university life with a bit of added drama, the team definitely make good use of the city and Scotland as a location, I remember reading an article that stated that this could be the next 'Gossip Girl' personally I don't think it's like 'Gossip Girl' unless its the fashion aspect they're talking about, in terms of students and the shows demographics wanting to dress like the characters. Who doesn't want to look elegant?
Good mystery thriller
celinacasey-8889912 September 2021
I need season 2
scottishrisky30 May 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Seriously this series really addicting. I really need season 2. You can't do this to me OMG. I need to know what will happen with Rachel aka Milly. And the reason Holly visited her. and what happen with Alistair. There's still so many things to be explained. and the story line is really great I didn't expect anything at all. I always loves mystery
jeez
Headturner19 March 2020
I wanted to do an honest review and clear up some of the mythic reviews. This is not all sex and drugs( maybe that person was hoping since it's a college series) there is maybe 3 scenes that show sex and drugs. Eating? I must of missed something while actually "watching" the series. Complaining the leads not attractive enough or they are too attractive?!? There was nothing else to watch and I came upon this. I ended up watching all but 1 episode of season 2 last night( didn't even stop and watch the Outsider finale. I thought it quite entertaining. I usually turn most series off an episode in ( if I can get that far) , Yes it's unrealistic to a point but all dramas are embellished for entertainment purposes. It was quite suspenseful imo and kept me engaged. None of this would of happened if she'd stuck with the first cute guy. Lol. Didn't like the second season as much at first but somehow I'm on the last episode. This isn't like say " Line of duty" where 90% of people love it. There's 50/50 chance with this one. I'm in the 50 that thought t was pretty good.
Really Enjoyed
sylvia-douglas8 May 2020
First series was great
thediva-8911427 January 2021
Finally a thriller to love!
juttha11 June 2020
Don't waste your time.
preslotis16 April 2017
One of the worst shows I have seen.
This doesn't make any sense at all. The writers seemed to have tried creating a dark, dramatic drama but came up producing a long series about depressed people drinking and just having sex.
The characters are boring and their dialogue is usually short and just dragged out. Nothing makes sense. Main character is very annoying and just quiet and walks around. There is no emotion, no energy just nothing. I did hope for some kind of energy or moment that would catch my attention but was left clueless and angry.
I really don't understand how the rating is so high as most of my friends regularly watch BBC iPlayer shows and can confirm this is the worst show produced by BBC THREE. I didn't even finish it because it was that bad.
This does not portray the youth or university at all. It's just rich snobs being boring and trying to be mysterious. It is horrible.
This doesn't make any sense at all. The writers seemed to have tried creating a dark, dramatic drama but came up producing a long series about depressed people drinking and just having sex.
The characters are boring and their dialogue is usually short and just dragged out. Nothing makes sense. Main character is very annoying and just quiet and walks around. There is no emotion, no energy just nothing. I did hope for some kind of energy or moment that would catch my attention but was left clueless and angry.
I really don't understand how the rating is so high as most of my friends regularly watch BBC iPlayer shows and can confirm this is the worst show produced by BBC THREE. I didn't even finish it because it was that bad.
This does not portray the youth or university at all. It's just rich snobs being boring and trying to be mysterious. It is horrible.
Underrated gem
silveredspirit9 January 2022
Warning: Spoilers
The first season is brilliant in my opinion, I've rewatched it several times now (6x45min episodes, 4,5h altogether). The dark and alluring atmosphere, the suspense and how the crime is intertwined with the main characters' past is mysterious while (more or less) realistic.
The story isn't complicated but there are layers to it, it's fragmented, with recurring flashbacks. The writing is excellent really, it deals with heavy themes in a graceful way. It's executed beautifully.
My only criticism is related to casting: the actors who play Sam (the musician/bartender) and Charlie (one of the bank interns), who are polar opposites, look way too similar. Since they don't really appear in scenes together, I thought they were the same person at first (or this might have been intentional actually).
A key theme in the show is "saving" people. Holly's backstory is that in her childhood, a prank goes horribly wrong and she can't save a little girl from drowning, yet she "saves" Milly/Rachel by (unintentionally) implying with her actions that being evil can be normal, basically. Then Georgia shows up and saves Holly from Milly/Rachel's bad influence. Holly carries the guilt into adulthood, while Rachel the psycho proceeds to thrive in the corporate world. The show deals with how Holly wants to find out what happened to Fay, in an attempt to somehow make up for that tragic childhood prank. Finally, she also has to save Georgia from Rachel(who is completely unhinged by the end of the season). I wish we learned more about Rachel's motivation and how she's supposed to know so much, aside from the fact that she's a damn maniac. She's an interesting character. To me, the others were likeable as well, and I loved Louise Brealey's performance (Jude is a great example of how someone smart and competent can still be painfully clueless).
A good story and very pleasant to look at, overall a great season. I wasn't impressed by the second season though.
The story isn't complicated but there are layers to it, it's fragmented, with recurring flashbacks. The writing is excellent really, it deals with heavy themes in a graceful way. It's executed beautifully.
My only criticism is related to casting: the actors who play Sam (the musician/bartender) and Charlie (one of the bank interns), who are polar opposites, look way too similar. Since they don't really appear in scenes together, I thought they were the same person at first (or this might have been intentional actually).
A key theme in the show is "saving" people. Holly's backstory is that in her childhood, a prank goes horribly wrong and she can't save a little girl from drowning, yet she "saves" Milly/Rachel by (unintentionally) implying with her actions that being evil can be normal, basically. Then Georgia shows up and saves Holly from Milly/Rachel's bad influence. Holly carries the guilt into adulthood, while Rachel the psycho proceeds to thrive in the corporate world. The show deals with how Holly wants to find out what happened to Fay, in an attempt to somehow make up for that tragic childhood prank. Finally, she also has to save Georgia from Rachel(who is completely unhinged by the end of the season). I wish we learned more about Rachel's motivation and how she's supposed to know so much, aside from the fact that she's a damn maniac. She's an interesting character. To me, the others were likeable as well, and I loved Louise Brealey's performance (Jude is a great example of how someone smart and competent can still be painfully clueless).
A good story and very pleasant to look at, overall a great season. I wasn't impressed by the second season though.
The writing and directing is brilliant
phantom_pixie5 April 2020
Warning: Spoilers
I'll be honest, I was not impressed by this show at first. Watching Holly and Georgia drunk-dancing and singing into a hairbrush just seemed like every into to any dozen of teen shows about friendship. Nor the following nightclub scene did much to convince me that this show was worth my time, and as Holly and Georgia go to their first class I was all about to shut it off... But then came Professor McDermits speach and I was amazed by the writing. Realizing that someone actually had spent some time doing research, and put some effort into this I did give it a chance, and I am so glad I did. This show has become one of my favourite shows.
The writing and directing is brilliant. Subtle hints are dropped through out the episodes as to all the secrets of the characters and at the same time the character development is awesome.
Even though I wasn't superexcited about the ending the first time I watched it it grew on me. And the show itself is still great enough to give it 10/10 stars.
I really forward to see more shows by Jess Brittain if they are like this.
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