TELEVISION / The critics

Mark Lawson's Screenplay 'The Vision Thing' (BBC2): 'It was amusingly done, but when are writers going to outgrow this puerile fantasy that politicians are power-crazed and will stop at nothing to achieve their objectives?' Max Davidson, Daily Telegraph

'Quite a good jape. Some of the jokes are good and some are dreadful, but they keep coming, and it keeps going like a backfiring car.' Nancy Banks-Smith, Guardian

'Looked a dead cert at halfway, but then began to lose its way . . . The first half- hour was nothing short of magnificent.' Matthew Norman, Evening Standard

'Not since some of the better episodes of Yes, Minister have I enjoyed a political satire so much as last night's witty, intelligent and bang- up-to-the-minute Screenplay.' Peter Paterson, Daily Mail

'Entertaining but slightly heavy-handed.' Maureen Paton, Daily Express

'Curiously structured but still thoroughly entertaining.' Pam Francis, Today