HAPPY VALLEY | WHEN MOTOWN CAME TO BRITAIN | STONEHOUSE

This article was originally published in The Courier on 31st December 2022.

NEXT WEEK’S TV

Happy Valley – New Year’s Day, BBC One, 9pm

Rightly regarded as one of the greatest British TV dramas of the last ten years, Sally Wainwright’s gripping magnum opus returns for its third and final series this week.

When series two concluded in 2016, that appeared to be the end of the line. However, Wainwright always had one more chapter in mind. 

Preview copies weren’t available, but here’s the gist: while investigating a local gangland murder, Sergeant Catherine Cawood (Sarah Lancashire) unravels a chain of events which lead her back to imprisoned murderer Tommy Lee Royce (James Norton). 

Happy Valley is so much more than a mere cop show, it resonates on a deeper level. It’s a major piece of work, a classic for the ages.

Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends – Hogmanay, BBC Two, 5:35pm

Stephen Sondheim, who passed away towards the end of 2021, was one of Broadway theatre’s greatest ever composers and lyricists. His hits include West Side Story, Sweeney Todd and Into the Woods. 

Earlier this year, West End impresario Cameron Mackintosh produced an all-star tribute to the great man, the proceeds of which went to the Stephen Sondheim Foundation, a recently formed initiative for young writers. 

Spectacularly staged by a team of renowned choreographers including Matthew Bourne, the show practically heaves with talent: Michael Ball, Helena Bonham Carter, Rob Brydon, Petula Clark, Judi Dench, Damian Lewis and many more all share the spotlight. 

This is fabulous showbiz incarnate, folks, a real end-of-year treat.

Jools’ Annual Hootenanny – Hogmanay, BBC Two, 11:30pm

Jools Holland’s New Year’s Eve bash was, for obvious reasons, a more stripped-down affair in 2020 and 2021, but it’s back in full studio-packed swing this year. 

His guests are Cat Burns, George Ezra, Andy Fairweather Low, Fine Young Cannibals, Gabrielle, Ruby Turner, 1970s British soul group The Real Thing, and Mercury Prize nominee Self Esteem. And at the stroke of midnight, raise a glass in the general direction of the Pipes & Drums of the 1^st Battalion Scot Guards. 

Jools’ Hootenanny is a comforting thing, it exists only to ease us gently into another year, a year in which we’ll hopefully benefit from at least some good fortune. Enjoy yourselves, it’s later than you think.

When Motown Came to Britain – New Year’s Day, BBC Two, 10pm

It’s easy to forget that the first-wave legends of Motown were initially regarded as cult artists in Britain. Sure, they had occasional hits, but the average UK pop fan was generally more familiar with beat group cover versions than the sainted R&B originals. 

This charming documentary digs deep into Motown’s first package tour of Britain in 1965, when a relatively small group of multi-racial soul obsessives preached the gospel on behalf of their heroes. 

Your contributors include Claudette Robinson from The Miracles, Otis Williams from The Temptations and Ready Steady Go! producer Vicki Wickham. It also serves as a tribute to selfless soul proselytiser Dave Godin, an unsung hero in the grand scheme of things.

Stonehouse – Monday to Wednesday, STV, 9pm

In November 1974, the prominent Labour MP John Stonehouse attempted to fake his own death. A real life Reginald Perrin, except Reggie was far more sympathetic than this utter clown. 

Stonehouse, which stars that gifted comic actor Matthew Macfadyen, is presented as a sly farce about a pathetic, philandering opportunist and serial liar who grasped at every opportunity to satiate his selfish needs. Remind you of anyone? 

Stonehouse eagerly worked for the Czech secret police, not out of any moral imperative with regards to far-left politics, but because they paid him handsomely (despite being a terrible spy). He ended up mired in debt, hence his desperate hoax. 

This unforgiving and grimly entertaining satire is all the man deserves.

2022: The Year from Space – Tuesday, Channel 4, 7:30pm

The immense tumult of 2022 is surveyed in this ambitious 90-minute documentary, which feeds upon all-seeing satellite footage. It captures numerous stories of joy and terror, life’s rich pageant in all its contrasting shades. 

So, while we’re treated to feel-good images of, for example, hitherto undiscovered penguin colonies, we’re also confronted with terrifying evidence of our climate change catastrophe. The war in Ukraine looms large throughout; there are scenes of terrible destruction. 

I haven’t seen the programme, it didn’t turn up in time for my deadline, but the synopsis I’m working from makes it sound like the sad musings of a remote non-interventionist deity trying to make sense of an experiment gone drastically wrong.

The Light in the Hall – Wednesday and Thursday, Channel 4, 9pm

Joanna Scanlan stars in this new six-part drama about the tormented mother of a teenage girl who was murdered 18 years ago. 

One day she receives some news that she’s been dreading: the killer (Iwan Rheon) is being released on parole. He confessed to his crime, but claims – apparently in all sincerity – to have no memory of where he left the victim’s body. She’s never been found. 

Meanwhile, a journalist (Alexandra Roach) and erstwhile family friend mulls over whether she can in all good conscience cover this traumatic story. 

A ruminative study of grief, redemption and journalistic ethics, The Light in the Hall is intriguing. It’s also, by pure coincidence, a tangential thematic companion piece to Happy Valley. 

LAST WEEK’S TV

The Smeds and The Smoos – Christmas Day, BBC One

The latest animated Christmas missive from beloved children’s storytellers Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler was a lovely little rhyming parable about tolerance, kindness and the utter insanity of all forms of prejudice. 

Set on a far-off alien planet awkwardly cohabited by the red Smeds and the blue Smoos, it delivered its humane message in a sweet, funny and gently profound way. 

The Smeds and the Smoos disliked and mistrusted each other, despite not really knowing why. That was just the unquestioned way of their world. Thankfully, a star-crossed Romeo and Juliet-esque entanglement taught them all a valuable lesson, a lesson that children will hopefully absorb and put into practice throughout the rest of their lives.

Dogs in the Wild: Meet the Family – Wednesday December 28, BBC One

This irresistible series narrated by Chris Packham celebrates all 37 species of wild canid. Wolves, foxes, jackals and dogs, they all receive their due. It’s basically three hours of stunningly beautiful creatures going about their daily business. What more could you ask for at this forbidding time of year? 

It began in Tibet, before jetting off to the Sahara and South America. Somewhere, where e’er he may be, David Attenborough nodded approvingly. His legacy is in safe hands. The BBC, for as long as it’s allowed to exist, will continue to make great programmes of this nature. No pun intended. 

Happy New Year, fellow TV enthusiasts. Give your canid a hug from me.

THE BOY, THE MOLE, THE FOX AND THE HORSE | DETECTORISTS | MAYFLIES

This article was originally published in The Courier on 24th December 2022.

THIS WEEK’S TV

The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and the Horse – Christmas Eve, BBC One, 4:55pm

This is beautiful. An animated adaptation of the children’s book by Charles Mackesy, it follows a lonely little boy who befriends a kindly mole in the snowy British countryside. They’re kindred spirits. “I think everyone feels a bit lost sometimes,” mutters the mole, “I know I do.” 

They meet a tethered fox, who would normally devour the mole under different circumstances, and a majestic white horse. “Life is difficult,” says the horse to his newfound friends, “but you are loved.” 

Mackesy’s treatise on loneliness and anxiety is told with poetic child-friendly sensitivity. It’s preceded on BBC Two at 3:55pm by Charlie Mackesy: The Boy, The Mole, The Fox, The Horse, and Me, a charming profile of the author/illustrator.

A Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story – Christmas Day, BBC Four, 7pm

Mark Gatiss, that ghost of Christmas ever-present, is the brains behind this filmed stage adaptation of the Dickens classic. 

It’s a fine production. You know the story inside out, but Gatiss and co deliver their own little twists and tweaks. An immortal text, it will always be retold by people who understand its innate power. Gatiss was born to retell it. One gets the impression that he’s been working towards this moment throughout his entire life and career. 

If you have children in the house on Christmas Day, children who know nothing of Scrooge and his various iterations, then I daresay they’ll be bewitched. Sure, it’s no The Muppet Christmas Carol, but nothing is (apart from The Muppet Christmas Carol).

Ghosts – Christmas Day, BBC One, 7:25pm

I’m surprised it’s taken this long for Ghosts to take its rightful place in our Christmas Day schedules, as it quite obviously belongs there. A family-friendly sweet-treat. Still, here it finally is, so let’s all sing Hosanna (if you like). 

The ghosts decide to show their eternal thanks to Alison and Mike by performing a panto. As always, a few hiccups aside, the extended family band together. It all turns out fine in the end. 

The appeal of Ghosts lies in its seemingly effortless ability to fuse silliness, irony and earned emotion. Prepare yourselves, this year, for a certain ghost being reminded of their last Christmas as a corporeal entity. The pathos isn’t overcooked, it’s lovely.

Call the Midwife – Christmas Day, BBC One, 7:55pm

At the risk of sounding like a comforting ‘80s BBC continuity announcer, Christmas just wouldn’t be Christmas without a visit to Poplar. 

1967 is almost at an end. The Summer of Love passed them by, they’re still recovering from a tragic train crash. But life goes on. The midwives swiftly move into a new maternity ward; there are babies, mothers, fathers and families in need. 

I’ve said this before, but it bears repeating: you can always tell when someone who’s never actually watched Call the Midwife dismisses it as sentimental fluff. Blandness personified. Nah, it fuses that fluff with a certain amount of grit and a whole heap of empathy. Some good things are deservedly successful.

Doc Martin – Christmas Day, STV, 9:05pm

The end is nigh for this fondly regarded comedy-drama starring Martin Clunes as a lovably taciturn country medic. 

In this final episode, our lugubrious antihero closes down the village grotto when he begins to suspect that ‘Santa’ might be spreading a contagion. Cue much consternation and gnashing of teeth. This being Doc Martin, of course, everything comes up roses. We wouldn’t have it any other way. 

At 8:30pm on Thursday, fans can also enjoy ITV’s Farewell Doc Martin, a retrospective celebrating the whole merry shebang.

Detectorists – Boxing Day, BBC Two, 9pm

Writer/director Mackenzie Crook’s Detectorists is one of the best British sitcoms of recent years. It ended perfectly in 2017, but now it’s back for one final episode. 

Preview copies weren’t available, but I trust Crook to deliver the goods. He wouldn’t unearth this cherished gemstone, this self-evident labour of love, if he didn’t feel it deserved to see the light of day.

The Danebury Metal Detecting Club is in dire straits. Property developers are sniffing around its soil. Disaster beckons until Lance (Toby Jones) secures permission to search ten acres of undetected land. 

Can he reverse the fortunes of the DMDC? Is that expedition worth the effort if it irreversibly threatens his friendship with Andy (Crook)?

Mayflies – Tuesday and Wednesday, BBC Scotland, 10pm/Wednesday and Thursday, BBC One, 9pm

A two-part adaptation of Andrew O’Hagan’s acclaimed novel, this for me is one of the obvious festive TV highlights. 

The synopsis doesn’t sound very Christmassy, I know: Jimmy (Martin Compston) is a successful Ayrshire-born author based in London.  One day, out of the blue, Tully (Tony Curran), his best friend since adolescence, calls him back home. Tully has terminal cancer and refuses treatment.  He wants to go out his way. 

Tully asks Jimmy to help him put his final affairs in order. First step: Tully marries his girlfriend (Ashley Jensen). 

Mayflies is being shown at this time of year because it’s a touching, witty, warm and authentic meditation on enduring friendship and love. It reminds us of what’s important.

MY OLD SCHOOL | INSIDE NO. 9 | TWO DOORS DOWN

This article was originally published in The Courier on 17th December 2022.

NEXT WEEK’S TV

My Old School ‐ Friday, BBC Scotland, 9pm

In 1994, a Canadian by the name of Brandon Lee enrolled as a fifth-year student at Bearsden Academy. A year later, he was exposed as former student Brian MacKinnon, a Scotsman in his early thirties. 

This idiosyncratic documentary unpicks a saga that’s bizarre, funny, sad and unsettling in roughly equal measure. 

It’s directed by MacKinnon’s former classmate Jono McLeod, who secured an interview with the notorious imposter. However, MacKinnon declined to appear on camera, so his voice is uncannily lip-synced by actor Alan Cumming. That adds another peculiar layer to proceedings. 

A complex character, to say the least, MacKinnon comes across as a deluded narcissist who appears to be blind to the ethical transgressions of his subterfuge. You can never go back.

Lionesses: Champions of Europe ‐ Thursday, BBC One, 12:10am

You don’t have to be a football fan to agree that one of the very few uplifting moments of 2022 was when England triumphed at the European Women's Football Championship tournament. This documentary relives that victory through the eyes of key players such as team captain Leah Williamson and incumbent I’m a Celebrity… winner Jill Scott. 

This was a major breakthrough moment for women’s football, and female athletes in general. That squad actually inspired people, they briefly took our minds off the awful state of affairs in our benighted country, and you can absolutely guarantee that young athletes from all around Britain will follow in their pioneering stead. 

Clichés be damned, they’re heroes.

Inside No. 9 ‐ Thursday, BBC Two, 9pm

Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith return for another festive edition of their estimable anthology series. 

It’s Christmas Eve, and a pompous doctor played by Pemberton is settling down for a night of contemplation and solitude in a village church. His reverie is abruptly interrupted by a couple played by Shearsmith and former Coronation Street actor Shobna Gulati, who have also booked an overnight stay courtesy of the eccentric church warden (Simon Callow giving it, quite wonderfully, some full-on Simon Callow). 

It may be no match for their unforgettable ‘70s TV pastiche The Devil of Christmas, which is one of my favourite No. 9’s, but it’s still a fun little ghost story involving ancient holy relics and charcoal rubbings.

The Cleaner ‐ Friday, BBC One, 9pm

Tonight’s festive triple-bill of sitcoms on BBC One begins with Greg Davies back in disgruntled action as crime scene cleaner Wicky. 

It’s Christmas Day, and he’s looking forward to winning a raffle. The prize? A horse. Inevitably, Wicky’s equine hopes and dreams are thwarted by the sudden demands of his tiresome vocation. He’s called to yet another blood-spattered crime scene, this time in an ice cream parlour. 

The Cleaner is based on a German series, but it’s so perfectly suited to Davies’ daft, lugubrious comic persona and his trademark penchant for absurdly escalating farce, you’d be forgiven for assuming that he devised the whole thing for himself.

Motherland ‐ Friday, BBC One, 9:30pm

It’s hardly surprising that Motherland, a big critical darling for BBC Two in the last few years, has finally crossed over to BBC One. That, I suspect, is where it’ll stay from now on. 

The premise, in case you’re unaware: a group of middle-class London mums deal with every maddening thing their lifestyle entails. Yes, I know, that sounds unbearably smug and bland, but Motherland practically goes out of its way to avoid trite sentiment. This is a dry-witted endeavour, borne of honest semiautobiographical experience. Your estimable writers include Sharon Horgan and Holly Walsh. 

Simmering Christmas chaos ensues this week, in a full house hosted by the understandably tired and cynical protagonist, Julia (Anna Maxwell Martin).

Two Doors Down ‐ Friday, BBC One, 10pm

A radical break from the usual format, this delightful Christmas special is set, not within the suburban neighbours’ homes, but in a cosy Glasgow coffee shop. 

Beth, Eric and Christine are doing their Christmas shopping, so decide to take a load off their feet. Most of the regular cast turn up too. 

Two Doors Down doesn’t usually lean into pathos, it’s not that sort of show, but it’s beautifully handled here. We all know that Christine (the great Elaine C. Smith) is lonely, that’s been a more or less unspoken theme throughout the series. Well, you may find that you have something in your eye as the closing credits roll. 

As always, the writing and performances ring abundantly true.

A Ghost Story for Christmas: Count Magnus ‐ Friday, BBC Two, 10pm

Mark Gatiss is steeped in horror fiction. He’s a devotee, an aficionado. So why are his Christmas adaptations of M.R. James’ ghost stories always so underwhelming? 

The sad truth is that Gatiss, for all his evident enthusiasm, doesn’t know how to direct a properly spooky yarn. Unlike the classic BBC adaptations he grew up on, they’re fatally lacking in pace and atmosphere. They don’t unnerve at all. 

I take no pleasure in saying this, as I like Gatiss, but his best work can be found elsewhere. 

This one stars that fine actor Jason Watkins as an overly inquisitive British aristocrat and self-styled scholar who becomes obsessed with the long dead founder of a Swedish dynasty. It amounts to very little.

LAST WEEK’S TV

The Savoy at Christmas ‐ Monday 12th December, STV

Cost of living crisis? What cost of living crisis?! Last week, our friends at ITV took the temperature of the nation and decided that what we really need is this: a jocular account of filthy rich people enjoying Christmas at one of planet Earth’s most luxurious hotels. 

“We’re installing the world’s first immersive champagne forest!” gushed ‘experiential architect’, Meredith. “Crazy!” Those decorations, which no one will really take any notice of, cost a quarter of a million pounds. 

The staff of the Savoy seem perfectly pleasant, they’re just trying to make a living like the rest of us. There you go, I somehow managed to end this review on a positive note. It is Christmas after all.

A Countryside Winter ‐ Friday 16th December, BBC One

A little fireside bundle of inoffensive nothingness, this series could easily be mistaken for a parody of cosy BBC programming: everything is fine, please don’t be alarmed. 

In episode one, Chris Packham expressed his fascination with frost. Packham is a fine and knowledgeable broadcaster, a safe pair of mittens, so of course I went along with his bijou essay. When Packham speaks, I listen. That man could start a benign woodland cult if the thought ever crossed his mind. 

Meanwhile, that nice Mary Berry rustled up a tasty-looking potato and lentil jumble. 

I daresay some other things happened during this half hour programme, but after about fifteen minutes I sank into a sort of fugue state.

 

JOE LYCETT vs DAVID BECKHAM: A GOT YOUR BACK CHRISTMAS SPECIAL | VIENNA BLOOD | STACEY SOLOMON'S CRAFTY CHRISTMAS

This article was originally published in The Courier on 10th December 2022. 

NEXT WEEK’S TV

Joe Lycett vs David Beckham: A Got Your Back Christmas Special – Thursday, Channel 4, 9pm

The comedian Joe Lycett is rightly renowned for his politically motivated stunts, all of which are dedicated to highlighting social injustice to varying degrees, but he made more headlines than ever before with his recent ultimatum to that supposed ambassador for LGBTQ+ rights, David Beckham. 

The superstar footballer accepted a multimillion pound sponsorship deal with the Qatar World Cup. Homosexuality is illegal in Qatar. Lycett promised to donate £10,000 to LGBTQ+ charities if Beckham pulled out of the deal. If not? He’d shred the money. 

This documentary follows Lycett as he makes a considered stand against bigotry and hypocrisy. His actions raised awareness of a vital human rights issue and angered/confounded all the right people. Mission accomplished.

The Disappearance of April Jones – Monday to Wednesday, Channel 4, 9pm

Ten years ago, five-year-old April Jones went missing from outside her home in a quiet Welsh market town. 

This three-part series chronicles Britain’s largest ever police search. It was made with the cooperation of April’s family, alongside their local community and constabulary, so please rest assured: this isn’t a prurient true-crime enterprise told from afar. It’s handled with care. 

Episode one focuses on the day April disappeared. The subsequent news coverage encouraged people from all over the UK to assist the police in their enquiries. 

It gradually transpired that this horrific crime was perpetrated, not by a random stranger, but by someone who lived in the town. The shock and despair is palpable.

Undercover: Sexual Harassment – The Truth – Monday, Channel 4, 10pm

In this documentary, reporter Ellie Flynn poses undercover as a drunk young woman separated from her friends during a fun night out in the centre of town. Her goal: to expose the heinous reality of sexual harassment against women in Britain today. 

Flynn also poses online as her eighteen-year-old self, to illustrate the torrent of graphic messages and images that women receive from predatory men. She eventually confronts them. Why are they doing this? Why do they think it’s acceptable? 

The programme also features candid testimonies from women whose lives have been utterly devastated by sexual harassment and abuse. Preview copies weren’t available, but this sounds like an important, urgent and disturbing piece of work.

Vienna Blood – Wednesday, BBC Two, 9pm

Adapted from the popular novels by clinical psychologist Frank Tarris, Vienna Blood is a fairly solid thriller set in early 20^th Century Vienna. Now in its third series, you may have caught it before. 

The latest batch of adventures begins with Freud apostle Max (Matthew Beard) and senior Detective Oskar (Jürgen Maurer) investigating the murder of a young seamstress. They end up mired in an unfamiliar world of luxury and glamour, beneath which – wouldn’t you know it? – lurks a seedy subculture of exploitation, violence and corruption. 

Beard and Maurer make for a watchable addition to TV’s never-ending pantheon of clue-sniffing duos. Their odd couple chemistry is quite pleasing, and the psychological sub-current adds a certain frisson.

Children of the Taliban – Wednesday, Channel 4, 11:05pm

Shoukria and Arezo are young girls growing up in Taliban-ruled Kabul. They both lost their fathers during the war in Afghanistan. They’re illustrative of the hundreds of thousands of Afghan children who have to work to support their families under a brutal totalitarian regime. 

This documentary examines their plight. It also introduces us to Abdullah and Ehsanullah, who are the sons of high-ranking Taliban members. They live in different worlds, and yet these boys and girls have certain things in common. 

Channel 4 receives a lot of stick, and quite right too, but I cannot fault its commitment to documentaries of this particular nature. It’s not all Naked Attraction, y’know. It does produce some work of actual value.

Stacey Solomon’s Crafty Christmas – Thursday, BBC One, 8pm

All good people agree that Stacey Solomon is a splendid human being. Why, she’s the nation’s sweetheart™. 

In this typically cheery spin-off from her regular Sort Your Life Out gig, Stacey and her hapless, harmless husband Joe Swash share various ingenious homemade ways of brightening up your festive season without having to spend much money. Their kids gets involved too. 

They upcycle some knackered old Christmas decorations, bake an inexpensive cake, and rustle up some personalised crackers. Stacey also transforms a neighbouring barn into a glittering Christmas party destination. 

I’m loath to recommend lifestyle programmes during these direly straitened times, but Stacey has her heart in exactly the right place: make no mistake, she’s the anti-Kirstie Allsopp.

Celebrity Gogglebox 2022 – Friday, Channel 4, 9pm

When Gogglebox first wriggled its way onto our screens in 2013, I instinctively took against it. People watching television and passing critical comment? That’s my job! Who the ever-loving heck do these people think they are?! 

Reader, I’m a fool. A judgemental kneejerk snob. I’ve grown fond of this format over the years, it’s a comforting presence. A fun distraction. So while I’m no devotee, I do enjoy catching up with it from time to time. 

This special edition compiles some of the highlights from 2022’s celebrity spin-off. Our sofa-bound guests include Bill Bailey, Joanna Lumley, Oti Mabuse, Fred Siriex, the aforementioned Stacey Solomon, and that bumbling Madchester comedy duo Shaun Ryder and Bez.

LAST WEEK’S TV

Trailblazers: A Rocky Mountain Road Trip – Monday 5th December, BBC Two

In the penultimate episode of this travelogue, Emily Atack, Melanie Brown and Ruby Wax continued to trek in the footsteps of Victorian explorer Isabella Bird. 

No one will ever mistake Trailblazers for a particularly in-depth enterprise, but that’s not the fault of the evidently sincere presenters. Within the standardised TV restrictions placed upon it, the series does manage to educate and entertain. 

One gets the impression, however, that lead guide Wax in particular would’ve made a different programme if left to her own devices. 

Still, she managed to cut through the light-hearted exterior to express some thoughtful critiques of the American Dream, and the sequence devoted to the appalling discrimination endured by generations of Native Americans was sensitively handled.

Agatha Christie: Lucy Worsley on the Mystery Queen – Friday 9th December, BBC Two

Worsley concluded her latest essay in typically engaging and ruminative style. 

I take issue (yes, actual issue) with those who blithely criticise Worsley for her alleged failings: she’s a whimsical populist, bleat the naysayers, she looks like she’s having far too much fun. History is a serious business. 

Well, anyone who’s ever bothered to watch her best work, and this series was a fine example, will be aware that her wry sense of humour operates in tandem with a rigorous devotion to subverting received wisdom. She’s irreverent, sincere, insightful and persuasive.

I AM RUTH | THE SECRET WORLD OF CHRISTMAS CHOCOLATE | I'M AN ALCOHOLIC: INSIDE RECOVERY

This article was originally published in The Courier on 3rd December 2022.

NEXT WEEK’S TV

I Am Ruth – Thursday, Channel 4, 9pm

The latest instalment of this acclaimed female-led anthology series is an incredibly moving meditation on the teenage mental health crisis.  

As with every I Am… film, the story was co-devised by writer/director Dominic Savage and his lead actor, who in this case is Kate Winslet. 

She plays a single mum who’s desperately concerned about her teenage daughter, Freya (Winslet’s real-life daughter Mia Threapleton). Freya is in the throes of clinical depression, an illness exacerbated by her destructive engagement with social media. 

If you have personal experience of the issues raised in the film, then please tread carefully as it may prove distressing. I can, however, assure you that it’s presented with the utmost care and sensitivity.

My Dead Body – Monday, Channel 4, 10pm

Six years ago, a young woman by the name of Toni Crews was diagnosed with a rare form of tear gland cancer. Her infected eye had to be surgically removed. Toni chronicled her treatment via social media, her courage, humour and honesty inspiring a huge online community. 

When she discovered that her cancer was terminal, Toni was determined to continue raising awareness of the disease. A remarkable decision ensued: Toni not only agreed to donate her body to medical science, she also gave consent for it to be on public display – the first dissection of its kind in nearly 200 years. 

Told in Toni’s own words, this touching documentary explains why she chose that option. It’s a fitting tribute.

The Secret World of Christmas Chocolate – Tuesday, Channel 4, 9pm

This fascinating series, which focuses on the often hilarious rivalries between some of Britain’s biggest consumer brands, is an absolute delight. 

It features candid contributions from major industry players, most of whom seem to agree that fighting bitter turf wars over crisps and whatnot is an inherently silly and trivial pursuit. Which isn’t to say that they didn’t take their jobs seriously, as you’ll see in this typically entertaining account of the decades-long battle for Christmas market dominance waged by Quality Street, Roses, Ferrere Roche and Mars. 

They all have to strike a tricky balancing act between comforting tradition, while offering something their rivals can’t compete with. But woe betide the visionary who strays too far outside the box.

I’m an Alcoholic: Inside Recovery – Wednesday, BBC Two, 9pm

2022 marks the 75^th anniversary of Alcoholics Anonymous in the UK. This thought-provoking documentary examines the devoutly religious foundations of the organisation, and asks – without judgement – what those tenets mean in today’s more secular society. 

The beating heart of the programme, however, is its sensitive focus on an AA group, where members talk openly on camera about how going through this process has changed their lives for the better. Their anonymity is, of course, protected. Deep Fake technology is used to disguise them beyond all recognition. 

The stories contained herein are often very sad and raw, but they also provide some hope for anyone affected by alcoholism. It’s a valuable piece of work.

Cops in Crisis: Dispatches – Wednesday, Channel 4, 10pm

Public trust in Britain’s police forces is at an all-time low. The daily news headlines are crammed with allegations of serious misconduct and a toxic inside culture. Many of those within the forces bemoan an increasing lack of resources with which to tackle heightened demands. But that’s of zero comfort to the victims of crime. 

In this new Dispatches report, we hear from frontline police officers who have recently quit, their belief in the job at hand having been tested to breaking point. They just could not continue in good faith. 

The programme also hears from people who have been profoundly let down by the police. That failure has had a devastating impact on their lives.

Christmas at Blenheim Palace – Thursday, Channel 4, 8pm

I have no idea if Winston Churchill ever went all-out at Christmas, I’d like to imagine that he donned a Santa hat at least, but these days his birthplace of Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire doesn’t hold back when it comes to celebrating the festive season. 

It transforms itself into a sprawling winter wonderland for the benefit of a yearly intake of around 250,000 awestruck visitors. 

This cheerful programme provides unprecedented behind-the-scenes access to a vast and rather stressful operation in which the palace stages family-friendly highlights such as a retelling of Hans Christian Andersen’s much-loved fairy tale The Snow Queen, with each opulent state room representing a different part of the story.

Unreported World – Friday, Channel 4, 7:30pm

This week, Channel 4’s stalwart investigative series reveals that toad venom is being sold in Mexico as a possible cure for mental illness and drug addiction. Inevitably, concerns have been raised about the safety and long-term psychological effects of this unregulated psychedelic drug. 

Reporter Guillermo Galdos hooks up with a controversial doctor who swears by his treatment. He also claims that his drug, which is extracted from a toad found only in Mexico and the southern United States, is now more valuable than gold on the black market. But could there be something in it? 

Galdos meets a psychiatrist whose clinical trials, using a synthetic version, have apparently caused an 80% remission of chronic depression in his patients.

LAST WEEK’S TV

Simon Schama’s History of Now – Sunday 27th November, BBC Two

The estimable historian’s latest project is an atypically personal series in which he draws upon first-hand experience to support his central thesis: “In times of crisis, it’s not always politicians, but artists, musicians and writers who rouse us from indifference.” 

Schama, who was born on the night of the Dresden bombing, is part of a generation who were determined to rebuild the world in the name of truth and democracy. 

He met with the descendants of literary titans such as George Orwell and Boris Pasternak, who spoke of the sacrifices their ancestors made to bring their message to the masses. He also encountered defiant punk musicians who have been imprisoned for their beliefs. 

A sobering yet inspiring lesson.

Planet Sex with Cara Delevingne – Thursday 1st December, BBC Three

Model and actor Cara Delevingne began her exploratory new series by confronting some of the big questions surrounding female sexuality. Why, for instance, do so many women still feel uncomfortable about enjoying sexual satisfaction, whether with a partner or alone? 

For obvious reasons, I can’t really divulge the specific details of Delevingne’s essay, but it was a frank and empathetic study of feelings that no one, in an ideal world, should ever feel embarrassed about. But this is the world we live in, where women are still being discouraged from talking about what they actually want. 

Delevingne, who identifies as bisexual and pansexual, is an engaging guide; she’s irreverent yet plainly sincere. Those modes aren’t mutually exclusive.

AGATHA CHRISTIE: LUCY WORSLEY ON THE MYSTERY QUEEN | LOUIS THEROUX INTERVIEWS... | TOKYO VICE

This article was originally published in The Courier on 19th November 2022. 

NEXT WEEK’S TV

Agatha Christie: Lucy Worsley on the Mystery Queen – Friday, BBC Two, 9pm

Historian Lucy Worsley has enjoyed a lifelong fascination with Agatha Christie. In this typically persuasive new series, she seeks to explain how Christie, a rather enigmatic figure, became the most successful novelist of all time. 

In order to achieve that goal, she examines how the many societal changes Christie witnessed during her lifetime directly affected her work. This line of investigation naturally feeds into Worsley’s other stated aim: “to show you that she was a pioneering, radical writer and woman.” 

Like all historians worth their salt, Worsley is commendably obsessed with busting myths and received wisdom. Her detailed portrait of Christie is revealing; you actually get a sense of what she might’ve been like as a person. Mission accomplished.

Between the Covers – Tuesday, BBC Two, 7pm

Sara Cox’s book club guests this week are actor Paterson Joseph, BBC newsreader Sophie Raworth, and the comedians Jenny Éclair and Al Murray. 

One of the classic novels under review is The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by the late, great Douglas Adams. Paterson Joseph’s passion for that magnificent work of art is just so delightful to behold. A man after my own heart. 

Also, to the surprise of absolutely no one, World War II buff Al Murray’s favourite novel is Catch-22 by Joseph Heller. Quite right too, it’s a masterpiece. 

Also, please steel yourselves for a wild revelation: Sophie Raworth was once so bored with a book, she chucked it off the side of a boat.

Louis Theroux Interviews… – Tuesday, BBC Two, 9pm

The comedian, broadcaster and author Katherine Ryan is the latest subject of this series of one-on-one interviews. 

Alas, preview copies of the episode weren’t available in time for my deadline, but if you’ve enjoyed this series so far, you’ll know why I’m flagging it up. 

Ryan is a smart, funny person. The same goes for Theroux. So it should be interesting. 

I get the impression that Theroux, who’s spent the last 20 years mired in deeply distressing subject matter, is trying to remind viewers that he was once renowned as an exemplary interviewer of celebrities. 

He has, perhaps, gone as far as could with ‘serious frown’ Theroux mode. There’s more room for light and shade in this format.

Miriam and Alan: Lost in Scotland and Beyond – Tuesday, Channel 4, 9pm

In the penultimate episode of their latest travelogue, celebrity pals Miriam Margolyes and Alan Cumming find themselves at chummy loggerheads on the subject of recreational drug use. This mild conflict takes place in a Santa Barbara ‘drugs den’. 

Their next destination is Palm Springs, which is home to many ageing members of the LGBTQ+ community. Miriam and Alan enjoy a bit of drag bingo and join a gay knitting group.

Their final port of call is Los Angeles, where Miriam takes Alan to meet a young relative she’s never in her life encountered before. 

Suffused with irreverence and total sincerity, these impish adventures are expertly designed to warm your cockles. Cut to: Margolyes raising a knowing Carry On eyebrow.

Tokyo Vice – Tuesday, BBC One, 9:10pm and 10:50pm

This jittery neo-noir thriller is based on the bestselling memoir by American journalist and crime writer Jake Adelstein, who has spent most of his career in Japan. 

The story begins in 1999, when the fresh-faced Adelstein was hired as a crime reporter by one of Japan’s largest newspapers. He was the first non-Japanese person to be employed by them. His first assignment involves a fatal stabbing. This leads him towards a brave – some might say foolhardy - investigation of the notorious Yakuza syndicate. 

As the danger escalates, Adelstein discovers that his main ally is a senior detective from the organised crime division. He’s played by the always compelling Ken Watanabe. The series begins with a double-bill.

You Won’t Believe This – Tuesday, Channel 4, 10pm

A Would I Lie to You? rip-off starring everyday people, this new series involves groups of strangers spinning tall tales, only one of which happens to be true. 

They’re grilled by “an elite squad of police interrogators” while hidden observers search for clues behind a two-way mirror. If they correctly identify the truth-teller, they win £5,000. If they choose the wrong person, that disingenuous suspect pockets the money instead. 

The first group of suspects claim to have opted out of civilisation in a variety of unusual ways. Did one of them really live as an alpine goat? 

The second group have allegedly experienced the worst date ever. Sample claim: “We were caught up in an art heist.”

Unreported World – Friday, Channel 4, 7:30pm

Welcome to Gaza’s clandestine arts scene, where young Palestinians try to express themselves in the face of an Israeli blockade and fierce Hamas censorship. 

In this investigative report, journalist Jonathan Miller emphasises that simple social and creative endeavours, things we take for granted in the western world, are a source of tremendous risk in Palestine. 

His interviewees include a young female singer and actor who has been forced underground. Why? Because women over the age of 14 aren’t permitted to perform in public. 

Miller also meets a Palestinian man who is determined to renovate an old derelict cinema, so that his fellow Gazans can learn from, and enjoy, suppressed works of art. 

LAST WEEK’S TV

The People’s Piazza: A History of Covent Garden – Sunday 13th November, BBC Two

If you’ve ever visited London as a tourist, you’ve probably spent some time in Covent Garden. In this standalone documentary, that perceptive historian David Olusoga traced its centuries-spanning saga. 

Olusoga focused on this small piazza to achieve his usual goal: while examining individual case studies, all of them based within a particular locale, he presented a penetrating essay driven by a deep, empathetic understanding of what can be learned from historical injustices. 

It was also quite funny and colourful at times. He’s very good at this.

The Scotts – Wednesday 16th November, BBC One

Written by and starring Iain Connell and Robert Florence of Burnistoun renown, this likeable sitcom returned for a second series last week. If you haven’t seen it before, then imagine Modern Family set in a Glasgow suburb. A fairly apt description, if I do say so myself. 

The plot of episode one centred upon the imminent arrival of a baby to the extended family fold. A standard sitcom trope, but as always Connell and Florence fleshed it out with some healthy cynicism and understated warmth. They actually like the characters they’ve created, and it’s clearly based on shared experience. 

Best line, delivered by the family matriarch: “I lived through Bible John, Thatcher and a pandemic, I don’t dae jokes.”