# Pompeii docudrama review: dull, cringe, best left buried

2026-08-09T01:51:20+00:00 | Entertainment | Indian Opinion Desk

Corroboration: 1 independent outlet

New Indian Express gives NatGeo’s three-part docudrama Pompeii: Out of Time with Tom Hiddleston a 2-star rating, calling it “astonishingly dull” and “relentlessly cringe”. The series, streaming on JioHotstar, blends documentary, drama and immersive storytelling but becomes a self-important spectacle that mistakes solemnity for substance. The review says dialogue is painfully earnest, dramatic recreations tip into parody, and Hiddleston’s charisma is wasted on portentous narration. Visually impressive, the series still fails to make the ancient city’s story compelling. The eruption feels less like a climax than a merciful conclusion.

## Coverage

- newindianexpress.com <https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/2026/Aug/09/buried-in-its-own-ashes>

Tags: docudrama, JioHotstar, NatGeo, Pompeii, review, Tom Hiddleston
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