House of Saddam

If you haven't managed to catch this stunning portrayal of Saddam Hussein's rise and fall then you have missed out on one of the best pieces of television of the last 5 years. The story plays out like The Godfather or The Sopranos, as we follow the slightly unhinged patriarch and his family from 1979. The first episode deals with how Saddam ruthlessly took control of his country and went to war against Iran. Episode two looks at his relationships with America and the first Gulf war. Episode three follows his betrayal by his son in law and UN weapon inspections in the mid-1990s. The fourth and final episode is yet to be broadcast.
Pieced together from eyewitness testimony and historical footage, it is unclear how much dramatic licence has been taken, but the viewer certainly feels like they are watching true events unfold. Igal Naor plays Saddam brilliantly, although we never truly sympathise with him, we can feel his paranoia as those he trusts plot and betray him. Philip Arditti plays the psychotic Uday Hussain - something of a cliche villain, but terrifying nonetheless.
This BBC/HBO collaboration brings back clear memories of The Sopranos, and fans of that show will be likely to be fully drawn into this one. Where this stands out on its own is the fact that, while we could sometimes smile at Tony Sporano's violent outbursts, Saddam's similar rages may have actually happened.