SHETLAND | STORYVILLE: GORBACHEV. HEAVEN | HOW TO WITH JOHN WILSON

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

NEXT WEEK’S TV

Shetland – Wednesday, BBC One, 9pm

Time now for D.I. Jimmy Perez to bid adieu to TV’s most incident-packed Scottish archipelago. His final case, which began with a missing teenager and ended up with a radicalised local setting off bombs all over the principality, proved to be a decent send-off for the character. 

Perez will never be regarded as one of the greatest ever made-up crime-solvers - he was no Columbo, Fitz or Tennison – but his quiet, hangdog integrity and compassion were appealing traits. Douglas Henshall, a sensitive actor, was perfectly cast in the role. 

As you’d expect, the finale consists of a series of terse windswept confrontations and dramatic revelations. Plus the denouement is rather poignant.

Deepfake Porn: Could You Be Next? – Tuesday, BBC Three, 10pm

Deepfake technology is an increasingly sophisticated form of digital manipulation whereby images of people can be convincingly placed in an entirely different context. In this troubling documentary, presenter Jess Davies talks to three deepfake victims. 

These non-consenting women suffered severe trauma when they were made aware of graphic mocked-up pornographic footage of themselves online. Davies reveals that there is no official legislation to protect victims of this devastating crime in England and Wales. There is nothing they can do. 

She also encounters deepfake creators who, without any fear of legal action hanging over their heads, have no qualms about continuing with this abuse.

Storyville: Gorbachev. Heaven – Tuesday, BBC Four, 9pm

Originally released via iPlayer on 31^st August, purely by chance just a few hours after its subject’s death was announced, this intimate documentary about Mikhail Gorbachev is being swiftly repeated for obvious reasons. 

Filmed towards the end of his life, it shadows the frail former Soviet leader as he reflects upon his controversial legacy. Hailed by many in the west as a hero for his role in ending the Cold War – Gorbachev was the architect of Glasnost and Perestroika – he’s reviled by many in his homeland for destroying the Soviet Union. His policies had, to say the least, long-lasting consequences. 

The film doesn’t ask us to feel sorry for Gorbachev, but he cuts a rather sad and lonely figure.

The Great British Bake Off – Tuesday, Channel 4, 8pm

The latest series of this sugar-coated juggernaut begins, as it always must, with Cake Week. 

A fresh batch of contestants are tasked with producing 12 perfect mini cakes, a sumptuous sponge cake, and a mercifully scaled-down dessert facsimile of a home close to their hearts. Preview copies weren’t available, but this will obviously be business as usual. The Bake Off format takes care of itself, it needn’t ever change. 

The main event is accompanied on Friday at 8pm by The Great British Bake Off: An Extra Slice, in which host Jo Brand and various celebrity chums cast – oh yes – a sideways glance at the week’s events. We also check in with the first ejected contestant.

Nadiya’s Everyday Baking – Wednesday, BBC Two, 8:30pm

If you weren’t fully sated by Bake Off’s return, then here’s the delightful Nadiya Hussein with more kitchen tips. 

Her latest series is based around a simple mission statement: “baking for you, for me, and for the people we love.” Yes, it’s basically just your standard ‘busy parent’ cookery show - life hacks you can activate before that stressful school run! - but you’d really have to go out of your way to be pointlessly annoyed by it. 

Nigella’s programmes, which revolve around the same premise, are admittedly more compelling because she has such a bizarre presentation style. They’re inadvertently funny parodies of an upper middle-class fantasia. Hussein is far more down to earth and relatable.

My Grandparents’ War – Thursday, Channel 4, 9pm

A wartime-focused version of BBC One’s Who Do You Think You Are?, this returning series follows various celebs as they find out more about the roles their ancestors played during World War One and World War Two. 

The second series begins with Game of Thrones actor Kit Harington, whose grandfather served alongside James Bond creator Ian Fleming in Naval Intelligence. He was subsequently recruited by MI5 and MI6, and went on to commandeer one of the most notorious spying operations of the 20^th century. Another one of grandad Harington’s colleagues? Kim Philby. 

Young master Harington also uncovers a tragic romance. This, clearly, is not your standard family backstory. An eventful panoply of riches, no less.

LAST WEEK’S TV

How To with John Wilson – Sunday 4th September, BBC Two

This comic documentary series provides proof, if proof be needed, that irony and sincerity aren’t mutually exclusive. It’s an utterly charming confection in which the American filmmaker John Wilson provides gentle tutorials on how to get through life. 

Wilson is a sweet-natured nerd with a nice line in droll understatement. He wanders his homeland in pursuit of people and their stories. Some of Wilson's interviewees are rather unusual, but he never mocks them. He's genuinely interested in what they have to say.

Episode one, which initially presented itself as an amusing treatise on the art of small talk, ended up being an affecting study of anxiety, loneliness and grief. A very special little show with a generous spirit, I can’t recommend it enough.

TALENT + TWO DOORS DOWN + DOCTOR WHO

This article was originally published in The Courier on 4th December 2021.

NEXT WEEK’S TV

Talent – Tuesday, BBC Scotland, 10pm

This charming documentary peers behind the scenes of a Scottish talent agency run by one Sonia Scott Mackay. A documentarian’s dream, Sonia is colourful, tenacious and utterly dedicated to her eclectic roster of clients. 

The programme focuses on four of them: a paramedic and mother of four who has recently broken into acting; an all-rounder (he’s in a Steps tribute act among other things) who’s had a tough time of late; a charismatic chap with a chance of appearing as an extra in a major Hollywood film; and a young actor/model who has experienced prejudice due to her disabilities. 

They’re all lovely people. And while their stories are sometimes poignant, the overall tone is celebratory.

Two Doors Down – Monday, BBC Two, 10pm

Series five of this deservedly popular BBC Scotland sitcom only runs to a mere three episodes. But it’s always a pleasure spending time with these discomfited suburban neighbours. 

In episode one they gather for champagne and curry. While Christine (Elaine C. Smith) struggles with an upset stomach, Ian reveals that he was recently beaten up by some thugs; but that’s nothing compared to the consternation that ensues when his partner Gordon refrains from drinking alcohol. 

As always, writers Simon Carlyle and Gregor Sharp bless their exceptional cast with sharply observed material. Two Doors Down has earned its place on the sofa alongside great single-setting sitcoms such as The Royle Family and Friday Night Dinner.

The Cult of Conspiracy: QAnon – Tuesday, Channel 4, 9pm

The American far-right movement QAnon revolves around one of the most bizarre conspiracy theories of recent years. The details are too sordid to divulge in a family newspaper, but suffice to say these people are members of a deluded cult who believe that sinister forces were conspiring against Donald Trump during his time in office. As if he needed any help in torpedoing his presidency. 

This documentary from journalist Ben Zand spends time with some of QAnon’s most devout believers, in an attempt to understand them on a human level. What led them down this convoluted path of outlandish lies? Louis Theroux will presumably be narked that Zand arrived at this grimly fascinating subject before him.

Nadiya’s Fast Flavours – Thursday, BBC Two, 8:30pm

Nadiya Hussein’s latest culinary odyssey is all about experimenting with flavour in a relatively simple way. 

A sprightly wizard at play in her spacious pastel-coloured kitchen, this week she bakes a loaf of banana bread with salted caramel sauce and a sprinkling of thyme; sculpts some sky-scraping Bombay burgers; serves a platter of sweet and spicy chicken bites; and unveils her very own apple and dumpling pie. “The ultimate put your feet up pie,” she enthuses. Which is a rather pleasing arrangement of words, isn’t it? 

‘Perfect lifestyle’ programmes such as this can often be quite vexing, but Hussein keeps annoyance at bay with her natural sunny charm. She’s a nicely unpretentious host.

And Just Like That… – Thursday, Sky Showcase, 9pm

All we really know about this sequel to Sex and the City is that Sarah Jessica Parker, Kristin Davis and Cynthia Nixon are reprising their roles. Kim Cattrall has declined to take part, for reasons she’s discreetly kept to herself. And they’re none of our business, frankly. 

She’ll be missed, but if these ten half-hour episodes somehow manages to recapture everything that was good about the show before it became a parody of itself, then the whole thing will be worth it. 

Revivals rarely work, but exceptions aren't unheard of. And surely it can’t be worse than the widely reviled Sex and the City 2? That’s not humanly possible. The series begins with a double-bill.

Grayson’s Art Club: An Exhibition for Britain – Friday, Channel 4, 8pm

Grayson Perry and his wife Philippa are an always welcome presence on our screens, they’re a united force for good. In this one-off instalment of their egalitarian series, the Perrys curate an exhibition displaying artworks created during lockdown. 

Earlier this year, they received more than 17,000 submissions from members of the public, as well as pieces created by professional artists and various celebrities (their guests include Boy George and Johnny Vegas). 

The exhibition opens in Bristol on 4^th December, hence why the programme is still being edited as I write these words on 28^th November, but I can pretty much guarantee that it will be worth your time. Grayson’s Art Club is a quietly life-affirming project.

Vienna Blood – Friday, BBC Two, 9pm

Set in early 1900s Vienna, this pulp melodrama unfolds at times like a fever dream. That’s a compliment of sorts. Matthew Beard stars as Dr Max Liebermann, a Sigmund Freud acolyte who assists the police with their inquiries. 

Series two begins with the death of an elderly Hungarian countess, who has seemingly drowned in her bath. The police assume that she took her own life. Naturally, there’s more to the case than that. The deceased was one of Liebermann’s patients, but he can’t betray her trust. At least not at first. 

Vienna Blood is written by Stephen Thompson, whose credits include Doctor Who and Sherlock, which might give you some idea of the slightly heightened tone.

LAST WEEK’S TV

Freddie Mercury: The Final Act – Saturday 27th November, BBC Two

Freddie Mercury has been the subject of numerous documentaries since his untimely death from AIDS in 1991, but this excellent 90-minute endeavour wasn’t just about His Majesty. 

A sensitive chronicle of Freddie’s tragic final years, the film also examined the widespread panic and ‘gay plague’ hysteria surrounding HIV. Like Sky’s recent series Positive, it served as a blunt reminder of the vile homophobia that was once served up every day during public discourse on this issue. 

A case in point: some appalling archive footage of MP David Blunkett describing Freddie’s lifestyle as “bizarre… and quite unacceptable.” This, remember, was only 30 years ago. No wonder Roger Taylor couldn’t hide his anger. 

Doctor Who – Sunday 28th November, BBC One

Fair play to divisive showrunner Chris Chibnall, this truncated serial is clearly the best thing he’s written for Doctor Who. Many flaws and all, it’s been quite enjoyable in a superficial way. 

So even if Sunday’s finale collapses in on itself (a very real possibility), the journey was diverting for the most part. The penultimate episode even featured a comic scene with jokes which actually landed.

And Jodie Whittaker, who’s been sadly ill-served during her tenure, has to her credit usually managed to rise above the material she’s been lumbered with. 

She’s been particularly good and ‘properly’ Doctorish during this almost valedictory run. It’s as if Chibnall has finally worked out how to write for her. Better late than never I suppose.

 

 

 

THE HERMIT OF TREIG + THE TOWER + DOCTOR WHO

This article was originally published in The Courier on 6th November 2021.

NEXT WEEK’S TV

The Hermit of Treig – Tuesday, BBC Scotland, 10pm

Ken Smith is one of the UK’s last remaining hermits. For over 40 years, he’s lived without electricity or a phone signal on the banks of a loch in the remote Scottish Highlands. Two years ago, he allowed filmmaker Lizzie MacKenzie to document his solitary lifestyle. The results are rather beautiful. 

It’s an intimate, meditative film in which MacKenzie gently encourages Smith to explain why he chose to live in almost total isolation. It was, initially at least, a way for him to process some of the grief and trauma he experienced as a young man. 

But Smith, despite being frustrated by his failing health, seems genuinely happy with how things have turned out. This is his life. No regrets.

The Tournament – Monday to Friday, BBC One, 2:15pm

This new Alex Scott-hosted daytime gameshow doesn’t boast any particular angle or gimmick as such. It’s a no-frills general knowledge quiz in which contestants answer exceedingly simple questions such as: “The Scottish city of Dundee stands at the mouth of which river?” And did Oasis once release an album called “Certainly Feasible”? 

It's not a challenging show, it’s a harmlessly generic piece of afternoon filler. And the head-to-head rounds are amusing, as the affable contestants have clearly been instructed to stare at each other with the utmost burning intensity. No mean feat when you’re fielding questions about Homes Under the Hammer. 

Villages By the Sea – Monday, BBC Two, 7pm

Archaeologist Ben Robinson is an enthusiastic, wide-eyed giraffe of a man, and here he is, in this scenic new series, to deliver some engaging history lessons about Britain’s coastal villages. 

His first port of call is Bamburgh in Northumberland, which is situated just a few miles south of the Scottish border. Overlooked by an impressive hilltop castle, Bamburgh is also home to a seventh century Christian burial ground: as Robinson reveals, we can learn a lot about the diet and lifestyle of ancient Britons by examining the state of their teeth. 

He also peers into an ancient well and explains how, many moons ago, this humble little village established a prototypical version of the welfare state.

The Tower – Monday to Wednesday, STV, 9pm

ITV’s never-ending slew of crime dramas continues with this three-part series, which begins with a teenage girl and a policeman falling to their deaths from the top of a residential tower block. So far, so gloomy, but this is an obvious cut above your standard ITV cop show fare; it has slightly more grit and depth than the likes of The Long Call. 

The excellent Gemma Whelan delivers a sensitive, understated performance as the DSI tasked with solving this mystery, the details of which are gradually revealed via flashback. NB: I only had access to episode one, so apologies in advance if it all falls apart.

Grand Tours of Scotland’s Rivers – Wednesday, BBC One, 7:30pm

Paul ‘Not Paul Merton’ Murton and his familiar wide-brimmed hat – Crocodile Dunoon? – have returned for another wander around the watery veins of Scotland. This week’s destination is the River Garry in Perthshire. 

Our genial guide never shies away from some of the darker tributaries of Scottish history; Garry and its surroundings are beautiful, but this episode serves as a reminder that many of the picturesque environments we all enjoy today were once scarred by weirdness, horror and violence. Something to think about during your next family picnic. 

But Murton keeps it light for the most part. That’s his M.O. He’s the 21^st century Tom Weir, and I can think of no higher praise than that.

Nadiya’s Fast Flavours – Thursday, BBC Two, 8:30pm

The effervescent Nadiya Hussein hosts this new home cooking show, which, as the title suggests, is primarily concerned with the ways in which a dash of extra flavour can improve your everyday meals. Feel free to experiment, people! Her macaroni and cheese recipe – which is seasoned with beefy yeast and Worcestershire sauce – looks delicious. 

Yes, this is just another aspirational lifestyle series in which a solvent expert dispenses advice from their vast, perfect, sunlit kitchen; but Hussein is such a likeable presence, her programmes never come across as bizarre and vaguely unsettling upper middle-class fantasies a la Nigella Lawson’s almost Lynchian transmissions from a parallel universe.

The Trial of Louise Woodward – Thursday, STV, 9pm

24 years ago, British au pair Louise Woodward was convicted of the involuntary manslaughter of Matthew Eappen, an eight-month-old infant in her care. Woodward, who was 19 at the time, became the subject of intense media scrutiny. The details of her court case were shared both here and in America, where the crime took place. 

This documentary, which wasn’t available at the time of writing, boasts access to key figures associated with the case. It examines each stage of Woodward’s trial while taking in the aftermath. I’m cautiously recommending this programme, as one hopes – for the sake of all of those directly concerned – that it’s a sensitive and responsible account of a terrible tragedy. 

LAST WEEK’S TV

Doctor Who – Sunday 31st October, BBC1

The most you can ever expect from a Chris Chibnall-penned episode of Doctor Who is that it’s surprisingly decent, and that’s the lofty bar we hit last week when the series returned. 

Chibnall’s trademark clunky dialogue aside, it was an enjoyable, intriguing, occasionally suspenseful and frenetically scene-setting opener in which fan favourites the Weeping Angels and the Sontarans returned alongside this year’s Big Bad: a marauding entity that’s threatening to devour the universe. 

Meanwhile, new companion John Bishop made a fairly promising impression, even though his character is basically little more than a patronisingly-sketched salt-of-the-earth Scouse stereotype. Otherwise, not bad at all; actual fun ensued. Fingers crossed, eh?

Showtrial – Sunday 31st October, BBC One

Like The Tower, this new crime drama proudly presents itself as Actually Being About Something. The abiding theme here is class inequality in Britain today. 

When a young working-class woman went missing after a posh student ball, the police apprehended the daughter of a powerful property developer. An instantly objectionable symbol of arrogant entitlement – the Bullingdon mentality incarnate – she is, of course, putting up a cold front to disguise some private trauma. 

Showtrial isn’t subtle, nor is it especially compelling, but it’s occasionally quite cynical and witty. Well-acted too: all rare commodities in dramas of this nature. Whether it follows through on its vague promise and ambition, well (if you will) the jury’s out.

 

RED PENGUINS: MURDER, MONEY AND ICE HOCKEY + THE VICAR OF DIBLEY IN LOCKDOWN + SMALL AXE

This article was originally published in The Courier on 5th December 2020.

NEXT WEEK’S TV

Red Penguins: Murder, Money and Ice Hockey – Monday, BBC Four, 10pm

When the Soviet Union fell in the early 1990s, Russia struggled to deal with the sudden reality of becoming a free market economy. A playful Storyville documentary with a sinister underbelly, Red Penguins presents the bizarre saga of a short-lived American investment in Russia’s national ice hockey team as a symbol of rampant capitalism at its ugliest and most chaotic. The star of the show is one Steven Warshaw, a charismatic oddball who was tasked with marketing the team to a brave new world. His ideas included hiring strippers as cheerleaders and enlisting actual bears to serve free beer to fans. And then Disney got involved. The Russian Mafia moved in. There were fights, death threats, bedlam all around.

The Vicar of Dibley in Lockdown – Monday, BBC One, 8:50pm

I never had any time for The Vicar of Dibley. I’m all for Dawn French and I will defend, if pushed, some of Richard Curtis’ solo work, but Dibley was always white noise; the bland comedy equivalent of a Mail on Sunday advert for commemorative Diana tea towels. And now it’s back via three interminable ten-minute shorts in which Reverend Geraldine delivers awkward online sermons to the people of Dibley during the first national lockdown. In episode one she conducts a Zoom chat with some annoying children and entertains a pointless cameo from Hugo (James Fleet). None of the jokes land, it’s embarrassing, like a hastily cobbled-together DVD extra (remember them?) with ideas above its station.

Nadiya’s American Adventures – Thursday, BBC One, 8pm

Nadiya Hussein has always been fascinated by America, which is home to more immigrants than anywhere else on Earth. In episode one of this heartening culinary travelogue, she arrives in Louisiana to immerse herself in a banquet of sizzling soul food. A combination of African, Caribbean and European cuisine, soul food is a potent symbol of cultural identity and diversity. In New Orleans, Hussein – a charming, funny, empathetic guide - meets an optimistic Lower Ninth Ward grocery store owner who provides succour to his Katrina-scarred community, and a Mardi Gras bandleader devoted to helping local kids. She also dabbles in Cajun cooking. Hussein doesn’t ignore the hardship, the rank injustice, but this is ultimately a celebration of tradition and endurance.

Snackmasters – Thursday, Channel 4, 8pm

I’m ever so slightly fond of this knowingly trivial series in which Fred Sirieix presides over a bunch of Michelin-starred chefs tasked with cracking the sacred ingredient codes of cheap, popular everyday snacks. In this episode, they have to manufacture some Quavers: “the snack equivalent of Brigitte Bardot” according to Fred, who has presumably never munched upon a Quaver in his life. The central gag, obviously, is that classy French Fred looks down on our unhealthy British obsession with salty potato snacks, while the ludicrously competitive chefs are overqualified and out of their depth. But it never feels sneering, the whole thing is delivered with a cheery wink. It’s a deep-fried bucket of nothing, it means no harm.

New Elizabethans with Andrew Marr – Thursday, BBC Two, 9pm

Chapter two of Marr’s social history essay is slightly more coherent than his rambling opening salvo. He continues to highlight some of the notable public figures who have, for better or ill, helped to shape British society since the Queen ascended the throne in 1952. This week’s heroes and villains include David Attenborough, Tony Benn, Bob Geldof, Colin ‘Mad Mitch’ Mitchell, Louis Mountbatten and Eric Clapton’s idol Enoch Powell, but the most diverting segments are devoted to the lesser known likes of Mediterranean cuisine proselytizer Elizabeth David, the game-changing strike leader Jayaben Desai, and the heroically dedicated Greenham Common protestor Helen John. Power to (some of) the people. Marr, as always, presents with his usual mix of gravitas and impishness.

The Sound of TV with Neil Brand – Friday, BBC Four, 9pm

As this delightful series continues, Brand examines some of television’s most memorable jingles, idents, beds and stings. He meets Roger Greenaway, co-author of I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing, that pseudo-hippie anthem designed to shift gallons of Coke (and which will now be forever associated with Mad Men). He also talks to Linda November, who has sang over 2,000 jingles during her highly successful yet more or less invisible career. Brand’s overarching point is that this music, no matter how banal it may seem, isn’t just thrown together without any thought. Deceptive simplicity is key to its psychological effect on viewers/consumers. That 1980s Shake n’ Vac ad may be rather daft, but you remember it fondly don’t you?

LAST WEEK’S TV

Michael McIntyre’s The Wheel – Saturday 28th November, BBC One 

Is BBC One trying to start a Saturday night gameshow turf war? If so, I’m backing Danny Dyer’s weirdly mesmerising The Wall over this lacklustre confection. Dyer’s permanently hungover disinterest is so much more appealing than McIntyre’s hyperactive jollity. The premise: seven celebrities are seated on the outer rim of an oversized roulette wheel guaranteed to trigger motion sickness. They claim to be experts in a particular field, but the contestants seated in the centre of the wheel are at the mercy of its randomness. Joey Essex, for example, won’t be much help in answering a question about World War II. The best gameshows are often the simplest, but The Wheel is far too repetitive. Round and round it spins into oblivion. 

Small Axe – Sunday 29th November, BBC One

Steve McQueen’s latest film told the true story of Leroy Logan (John Boyega), a young black man who joined the police in the 1980s, believing that he could challenge institutionally racist attitudes from within. Logan eventually became the first chair of the National Black Police Association, but McQueen focused on his horrific early days in the force. It highlighted how terribly alone he felt. Logan endured racist abuse from white colleagues and suspicion from within his own community. Yet despite his anger and frustration, he never gave up hope. Featuring excellent performances from Boyega and Steve Touissant as Logan’s proud, conflicted father, this episode confirmed what I’ve said from the beginning: show Small Axe in schools, embed it within the curriculum.