Photo of Barbara Ellen
Barbara Ellen

Columnist

Barbara Ellen is a TV critic and columnist for The Observer.

Photo of Barbara Ellen

Barbara Ellen

Columnist

Barbara Ellen is a TV critic and columnist for The Observer.

  • Barbara Ellen
    The Beauty is a body horror with substance

    Ryan Murphy is back on familiar territory in this beyond-camp satire of beauty standards, starring exploding supermodels

    Sat, 24 Jan 2026

  • Barbara Ellen
    Treasons to be cheerful as Traitors keeps us guessing to the end

    The hardest-working show on television has reached its nailbiting conclusion. Did all its twists, turns and format tweaks add up to the best series yet?

    Fri, 23 Jan 2026

  • Barbara Ellen
    What to watch this week, from The Beauty to a new hostage drama

    The Observer’s TV critic Barbara Ellen on the best new shows airing and streaming

    Wed, 21 Jan 2026

  • Barbara Ellen
    Industry’s anti-woke new series is big, bold and nasty

    The financial drama gives you more bang for your buck than any other British show

    Sat, 17 Jan 2026

  • Barbara Ellen
    What to do this weekend, from David Bowie’s archives to a festival of dance

    Our critic picks five cultural highlights, whether you have a few minutes, hours or a night out to spare

    Fri, 16 Jan 2026

  • Barbara Ellen
    What to watch this week, from Industry to Hijack

    The Observer’s TV critic Barbara Ellen on the best new shows airing and streaming

    Fri, 16 Jan 2026

  • Barbara Ellen
    Jacob Elordi, the Aussie actor with movie star good looks and an eye for standout roles

    The Australian’s name has been a mainstay this awards season – his gorgeous profile is a mere adjunct to his genius for picking roles and being ‘in it for all the right reasons’

    Fri, 16 Jan 2026

  • Barbara Ellen
    How clued-up Traitors stormed the castle

    Secrets and surprises have ignited the fourth series as savvy contestants with real agency lead the fight against format fatigue

    Sat, 10 Jan 2026

  • Barbara Ellen
    Why everyone’s talking about Heated Rivalry, gay erotica on ice

    This steamy Canadian drama about two ice hockey players has become a sensation

    Fri, 9 Jan 2026

  • Barbara Ellen
    What to watch this week, from a gay ice hockey drama to Black Ops

    The Observer’s TV critic Barbara Ellen on the best new shows airing and streaming

    Wed, 7 Jan 2026

  • Barbara Ellen
    The Traitors is back – and pay attention, because everything has changed

    The new series follows its record-breaking celebrity sibling with a twist. May the mind games begin

    Fri, 2 Jan 2026

  • Barbara Ellen
    Is The Night Manager still the best of the television spy genre?

    Ten years later, the series returns after Slow Horses revolutionised the format – but the BBC show remains tense, sharp and grim

    Fri, 2 Jan 2026

  • Barbara Ellen
    What TV to watch in 2026

    Our TV critic looks ahead at the year in television, from Lord of the Flies to the lates from the Baby Reindeer creator

    Thu, 1 Jan 2026

  • Barbara Ellen
    The best TV of 2025

    Barbara Ellen on the shows of the year, from The Celebrity Traitors to Adolescence

    Thu, 25 Dec 2025

  • Barbara Ellen
    The greatest festive tradition of all: the Christmas row

    A column by Barbara Ellen on the importance of a good Christmas row is just as relatable today as it was in 2006, when it was first published

    Thu, 25 Dec 2025

  • Barbara Ellen
    What to watch this week, from Amadeus to a Titanic documentary

    The Observer’s TV critic Barbara Ellen on the best new shows airing and streaming

    Wed, 24 Dec 2025

  • Barbara Ellen
    Taylor Swift: The End of an Era is bland and perfunctory

    Brand Taylor reminds me of one of those nose-to-tail restaurants. Every last bit of the beast is used. Plus, Emily in Paris and Steve Backshall

    Sat, 20 Dec 2025

  • Barbara Ellen
    What to watch this week

    The Observer’s TV critic Barbara Ellen on the best new shows airing and streaming

    Thu, 18 Dec 2025

  • Barbara Ellen
    See No Evil – a too painful story of child abuse and the Church

    This docuseries unpacks the horror of the crimes of John Smyth

    Sat, 13 Dec 2025

  • Barbara Ellen
    What to watch this week, from See No Evil to Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour

    The Observer’s TV critic Barbara Ellen on the best new shows airing and streaming

    Wed, 10 Dec 2025

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