JOANNA LUMLEY'S GREAT CITIES OF THE WORLD + HOLDING + THE IPCRESS FILE

This article was originally published in The Courier on 12th March 2022. 

NEXT WEEK’S TV

Joanna Lumley’s Great Cities of the World – Thursday, STV, 9pm

Lumley’s latest travelogue stops off at three of the world’s most dazzling capitals: Paris, Rome and Berlin. 

A fluent Francophile, Lumley makes a strong case for Paris being the global epicentre of romance, elegance, intellectual discourse and artistic freedom of expression. That sounds like a terribly clichéd overview, I know. Paris isn’t some sort of faultless utopia. But Lumley’s essay is persuasive. 

While spending time with various dancers, bohemians, fashionistas, migrants, booksellers and feminist activists ‐ plus a woman who appears to be comfortable in her polygamous relationship ‐ she solidifies her deserved reputation as one of our best celebrity tour guides. Charming, funny and engaged, she’s entirely at home with whoever she meets.   

Holding – Monday, STV, 9pm

An adaptation of Graham Norton’s debut novel, Holding is a comedy drama set in a somnambulant West Cork village. 

The protagonist is an ageing police sergeant and thoroughly nice man (Conleth Hill from Game of Thrones on charmingly low‐key form) tasked with protecting a community where nothing ever happens. And then some human remains are found in someone’s back garden. He’s almost quite delighted by this development, as it allows him to do some proper police work at last. 

The humour in Holding ‐ which is directed by the great Kathy Burke ‐ is subtle and dry; a gentle comedy with a bleak undercurrent. Most of the characters are essentially lost and unhappy. It’s definitely not your standard ITV fare.

Fame in the Family – Monday to Friday, Channel 4, 5:30pm

Here’s fun. Well, possibly ‐ preview copies weren’t available. Quite an intriguing premise, though, hence why I’m cautiously bringing it to your attention. 

It’s a new series in which celebrities play a DNA guessing game with members of the public they’ve never met before. One of the guests ‐ the whole thing is set up as a chatty dinner party ‐ is related to the famous host, but none of the participants know that for sure until various clues are tied together. 

The producers have presumably done their homework, so there’s no need to steel yourself for awkward moments. This week’s celebs include Craig Revel Horwood, Shaun Ryder and Rustie Lee. Yep, I’ll be watching too.

Lightning – Monday to Thursday, BBC Two, 6:30pm

This no‐frills teatime quiz show is an undemanding time‐passer; something to watch with your spaghetti hoops while shouting out the answers. It fulfils its simple brief with aplomb. 

Your genial host is comedian Zoe Lyons, who keeps things moving like all the best quizmasters. The general knowledge questions flow thick and fast. Banter is kept to a bare minimum. The producers of Lightning know that we’ve tuned in for the quiz, we don’t need to hear about the life and unamusing times of Brian from Didsbury. 

It’s catnip for trivia fans and grammar hounds (the quick‐fire spelling round is borderline stressful), a harmlessly addictive treat. William G. Stewart, where e’er he may be, would doubtless approve.

Canal Boat Diaries – Monday, BBC Four, 7:30pm

The very definition of comfort viewing, this series follows softly‐spoken wanderer Robbie Cumming as he putters around on his faithful yet fallible old narrowboat. This time he’s navigating his way through the north of England during a heatwave. 

As always, various minor problems arise along the way, but for the most part it’s a serene cruise flanked by beautiful vistas. Canal Boat Diaries is an intimate endeavour in which Cumming is pretty much the only person who appears on screen. He’s pleasant company; a humble free spirit living some sort of dream. 

If, for obvious reasons, you’re feeling quite anxious at the moment, then this will hopefully provide a brief window of respite. A valuable public service.

Kate & Koji – Wednesday, STV, 9pm

I enjoyed series one of this traditional studio‐based sitcom about the friendship between a seafront café owner (Brenda Blethyn) and an African asylum seeker, so I was looking forward to its return. Unfortunately, it appears to have run its course. 

I didn’t laugh once during the first episode; it feels considerably more strained and workmanlike than before. Jimmy Akingbola, who originally played Koji, has been replaced by Okorie Chukwu. While fine, Chukwu lacks his predecessor’s deadpan comic timing. Perhaps he’ll settle into the role, but the main problem is the script by Andy Hamilton and Guy Jenkin, a usually reliable duo who have settled into autopilot here. 

A shame, as we need more good, trad sitcoms on TV.

Comic Relief 2022 – Friday, BBC One, 7pm

Sir Lenworth of Henworth hosts this year’s charity telethon, a role he’s essayed ever since those glorious late ‘80s broadcasts when the whole shebang felt like an actual event: an anarchic and often ramshackle party in which relatively young comedians hijacked stuffy old BBC One to raise (loadsa) money for worthy causes. 

But for the last 30 years it’s been indistinguishable from Children in Need, a slick and entirely well‐intentioned extravaganza that just turns up then disappears. Still, at least it continues to raise money. That, after all, is the most important thing. I just wish they’d put more effort in when it comes to the actual comedy side of things. 

Some people are never happy, are they?

LAST WEEK’S TV

Killing Eve – Saturday 5th March, BBC One

Yes, it’s still going. Series one of this campy pulp thriller was great, but it’s been pointlessly treading water ever since. The saga didn’t need to continue beyond that original run. Here’s the final lap, if anyone still cares. 

As always, episode one moved at a clip. Some of the set‐pieces were amusing in a superficial way. Killing Eve was superficial from the start, and there’s nothing wrong with that when the story and characters are engaging. But what’s the point of a serial that just drags on an on, long after it's served its purpose? 

Still, Jodie Comer’s performance as Villanelle is one for the ages, what a fine actor she is. I’m glad she’s moving on.

The Ipcress File – Sunday 6th March, STV

When writer John Hodge (Shallow Grave; Trainspotting) decided to pitch a new adaptation of Len Deighton’s classic Cold War thriller, he obviously had no idea that it would resonate with our current global situation. 

A TV show preoccupied with the imminent threat of nuclear war isn’t exactly what we need right now, but I can’t deny the effectiveness of The Ipcress File as a piece of entertainment. 

Directed at numerous canted angles by James Watkins, it’s rather witty, zippy and stylish. Michael Caine will always be the definitive Harry Palmer, but baby‐faced Joe Cole acquits himself admirably as the dry‐witted, working‐class spy. Give me roguish Palmer over suave imperialist Bond any day.

HELP + ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL + THE NORTH WATER

This article was originally published in The Courier on 11th September 2021. 

NEXT WEEK’S TV

Help – Thursday, Channel 4, 9pm

Jodie Comer and Stephen Graham star in this devastating drama about a Liverpool care home struggling to cope during the first few months of the pandemic. 

Written by Jack Thorne (This is England; The Virtues) it’s a compassionate paean to the beleaguered fortitude of professional carers and an unflinching indictment of, in Thorne’s choice words, “the indifference and incompetence of our government.” 

It tells the story of a kindly care home nurse (Comer) who befriends a middle-aged man (Graham) with early-onset Alzheimer’s. 

Comer and Graham are both outstanding, while Thorne succeeds in making his vital, angry point: care homes were effectively abandoned during the pandemic, leaving staff to look after their vulnerable residents without adequate funding or resources.

Alma’s Not Normal – Monday, BBC Two, 10pm

A semi-autobiographical sitcom written by and starring comedian Sophie Willan, Alma’s Not Normal is a frank study of mental illness, alienation and addiction. But, you know, with a light-hearted slant. 

Alma is a single, unemployed working-class woman in her thirties who dreams of becoming an actor. So far that prize has eluded her. Alma’s mother (the excellent Siobhan Finneran) is a heroin addict and occasional arsonist; this is not a conventional family, but they get by in their way. 

Alma is a likeable underdog, and Willan deserves plaudits for her willingness to explore difficult issues in a refreshingly matter-of-fact manner. And despite the sombre subject matter, there’s an underlying sweetness to it all.

Spice Girls: How Girl Power Changed Britain – Tuesday, Channel 4, 9pm

Ah, the 1990s. What a time to be alive. This new series promises to tell the story of how a manufactured UK girl group became a global phenomenon. Preview copies weren’t available at the time of writing, but I’m recommending it anyway as it could potentially be an interesting piece of social history shot through the prism of popular culture. Apologies if it isn’t. 

We’re promised some rare archive footage and new interviews, presumably with the Spice Girls themselves. Naturally, it begins with their formation in 1994 and goes on to ask whether their ‘girl power’ stance was more than a mere marketing gimmick: did it actually have some lasting influence on contemporary feminism? Hopefully we’ll find out.

Undisputed: The Life and Times of Ken Buchanan – Tuesday, BBC Scotland, 10pm

The former undisputed lightweight world champion Ken Buchanan is widely regarded as one of the greatest British boxers. Feted for his unremitting left-handed jab, the Edinburgh-born pugilist was a single-minded hurricane of energy, skill and willpower. This vivid profile pays tribute to him. 

Now 76, Buchanan recently developed dementia, but he has no trouble remembering the details of his early life and career – an amazing journey that took him to sweltering Puerto Rico, Franco-era Spain, Madison Square Garden and out on the dancefloor with Princess Anne. 

But like so many top athletes, he struggled to cope with life in retirement. Yet despite the problems he’s faced, the champ remains sanguine. His legacy is assured.

The Man Putin Couldn’t Kill – Wednesday, Channel 4, 10pm

In August of last year, Russia’s charismatic opposition leader Alexei Navalny was rushed to hospital after being poisoned with a Novichok nerve agent. He survived the attack and continues to campaign against his all-powerful political rival Vladmir Putin. A risky endeavour.

This documentary – which was still being edited at the time of writing – sounds intriguing, as it purports to uncover a particularly murky case of international espionage. Not only that, it apparently features one of Navalny’s would-be assassins confessing to his victim. 

The programme also addresses the issue of why Navalny poses such a threat to Putin. Just what does his ongoing struggle mean for the future of Russia and the world at large?

All Creatures Great and Small – Thursday, Channel 5, 9pm

The TV sleeper hit of 2020, this adaptation of the memoirs of Yorkshire vet James Herriot was a source of comfort during lockdown: unchallenging escapism incarnate. 

Which isn’t a back-handed compliment; just like the much-loved BBC adaptation starring Christopher Timothy, the all-new All Creatures Great and Small is an irresistibly charming confection that fulfils its brief with élan. It’s well-written, adroitly performed and looks lovely. 

Series two begins with James returning to Yorkshire after a brief sojourn back home in Glasgow. Will he be able to rekindle his romance with Helen? Fans of the books and original TV series already know the answer, but that doesn’t impede our enjoyment. Its continuing success is assured.

The Cleaner – Friday, BBC One, 9:30pm

The second episode of this enjoyable sitcom about a hapless crime scene cleaner is effectivly a two-hander between Greg Davies, who writes and stars, and special guest turn David Mitchell. He plays a highly-strung author whose grandmother has died in a bizarre fireside accident. 

And that’s really all there is plot-wise: it’s primarily an excuse for Davies and Mitchell to do their respective things to reliably amusing effect. 

It doesn’t build upon the premise established in last week’s opener, although it would appear that Helena Bonham Carter returns in a later episode. The Cleaner isn’t typical Friday night on BBC One sitcom fare, being spiritually more suited to BBC Two, but that’s part of its mildly subversive appeal.

LAST WEEK’S TV

After 9/11: Scotland’s Story – Tuesday 7th September, BBC Scotland

This commendable documentary examined the long-term repercussions of 9/11 on the people of Scotland. It featured testimonies from members of Scotland’s Muslim community, some of whom were physically attacked in the wake of 9/11: a sharp rise in overt displays of racism and Islamophobia is one of the many heinous consequences of that atrocity. 

Other contributors included the organiser of a vast anti-war demonstration in Glasgow - just one of many such events that were ignored by Tony Blair – and the mother of a Scottish soldier who was killed in Iraq. But the programme ended on a cautiously hopeful note, with the Muslim contributors suggesting that attitudes towards race in Scotland have improved in recent years.

The North Water – Friday September 10, BBC Two

Colin Farrell and Stephen Graham (that man again) star in this promising new drama about a 19^th century whaling expedition to the Arctic. 

Farrell plays a violent alcoholic drifter – an imposing greasy bear of a man – while Graham, looking like a squashed Barry Gibb, is the ship’s furtive captain. Also on board is an ex-army surgeon (Graham's This is England co-star Jack O’Connell) with a shady past. 

A co-production between the BBC and American network AMC (home of Breaking Bad and Mad Men), The North Water so far appears to be a satisfyingly grim journey into Hell. Mired in wretched grime and murk, it’s a laudanum-laced nightmare spiked with piquant dialogue and solid performances. Gruesome fun.