The Wrong Mans: Season 1 | Rotten Tomatoes (2025)

90% Tomatometer 30 Reviews 92% Popcornmeter 50+ Ratings

A case of mistaken identity catapults two council employees into the middle of a deadly conspiracy.

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The Wrong Mans — Season 1

The Wrong Mans — Season 1

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Critics Consensus

James Cordon's slapstick savvy, along with pleasantly silly mystery plots, makes The Wrong Mans the the perfect parody of whodunnit action dramas.

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Critics Reviews

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The Wrong Mans: Season 1 | Rotten Tomatoes (1) Michael Hogan Daily Telegraph (UK) This was a neat conceit, delivered with panache. It might have an annoying title but The Wrong Mans is on the right track. Rated: 4/5 May 20, 2019 Full Review The Wrong Mans: Season 1 | Rotten Tomatoes (2) Rachel Cooke New Statesman [Mathew] Baynton and [James] Corden are good comedians and they've written themselves some funny lines - but all the same, I'm not sure that it quite works. May 18, 2019 Full Review The Wrong Mans: Season 1 | Rotten Tomatoes (3) Alan Sepinwall Uproxx [Matthew] Baynton and [James] Corden make a vintage comedy pairing and some of the series' best moments involve them killing time in the middle of this elaborate web of conspiracies. May 17, 2019 Full Review The Wrong Mans: Season 1 | Rotten Tomatoes (4) Keith Watson metro.co.uk In Hollywood romcom land, this would play out as nerdy outsider guy winds up a hero. But this seems to have more guts than that. Rated: 4/5 May 20, 2019 Full Review The Wrong Mans: Season 1 | Rotten Tomatoes (5) Jack Seale Radio Times [Mathew] Baynton and [James] Corden's refusal to resort to spoof means the characters are likeable, the jokes are properly funny and the action is convincing. May 18, 2019 Full Review The Wrong Mans: Season 1 | Rotten Tomatoes (6) Veronica Lee The Arts Desk The opener had some neat twists and turns and ended on a great cliffhanger. Definitely one to stay with. May 17, 2019 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (8) audience reviews

bill f Absolutely brilliant series. Superbly written, suspenseful, very clever and incredibly funny. Fabulous production values. Both lead characters are perfect. One of the best things I’ve ever seen on television (only beaten by series 2!). A little complicated, but that doesn’t detract from what a fantastic piece of tv this is. Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 10/01/24 Full Review john b Not a total laughfest, but the story moves along quickly, there are some really funny bits, and the leads are perfect for the part. Laurel and Hardy. Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Audience Member Funny in parts. Moves quickly enough and does have a string of cool surprises along the expected plot line. “Pleasantly silly” is how it is summarised which is completely apt. Rated 3.5/5 Stars • Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/09/23 Full Review Audience Member A continually clever, tension-filled rollicking good time roller coaster ride full of twists that somehow never forgets it's a comedy.I want to go back in time and watch it again. Rated 4.5/5 Stars • Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 01/09/23 Full Review Audience Member Wow, they found 'the right mans' to play 'the wrong mans' in 'the wrong mans'. If the characters of Samuel and Philip were played by different people, I wouldn't be interested in this at all, but seeing Matthew Baynton from Horrible Histories and James Corden from The Late Late Show together in an action-comedy-adventure series really makes things more interesting.It may not be the same as any other sitcom I had seen, but it's still funny and enjoyable to watch. Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/09/23 Full Review Audience Member A story with several twists and turns and plenty of laughs will get you hooked! Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/09/23 Full Review Read all reviews

The Wrong Mans — Season 1

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Cast & Crew

Mathew Baynton Actor James Corden Actor Sarah Solemani Actor James Corden Writer Mathew Baynton Writer
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Episodes

Episode 1 Aired Sep 24, 2013 The Wrong Mans Lowly and hungover council employee Sam Pinkett answers a ringing cellphone at a car accident site and suddenly finds himself mixed up in a deadly kidnap plot. Details Episode 2 Aired Oct 1, 2013 Bad Mans Sam and Phil are sent to negotiate the release of a hostage, but end up with an angry hostage of their own. Details Episode 3 Aired Oct 8, 2013 Dead Mans When Lau shows up at the council offices, Sam successfully negotiates the safe handover of Scarlett but Phil has his own ideas and nearly ruins the plan. Details Episode 4 Aired Oct 15, 2013 Inside Mans Scarlett orders Sam and Phil to gatecrash a drug-fueled party to retrieve a music box, inadvertently sending them into the middle of a shady assassination plot. Details Episode 5 Aired Oct 22, 2013 Wanted Mans With spies shadowing their every move, Sam and Phil turn to Linda for help; they attempt to give Marat to MI5, but Smoke interferes. Details Episode 6 Aired Oct 29, 2013 Running Mans After managing a daring escape from their would-be captors, Sam and Phil are on the run, on the edge and on each other's nerves. Details

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The Wrong Mans — Season 1

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Screenwriter
James Corden, Mathew Baynton

Network
BBC

Genre
Drama, Comedy

Original Language
British English

Release Date
Sep 24, 2013
The Wrong Mans: Season 1 | Rotten Tomatoes (2025)
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