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 75th 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.
