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.

THE WALK‐IN | THIS ENGLAND | BLANKETY BLANK

This article was originally published in The Courier on 1st October 2022.

NEXT WEEK’S TV

The Walk‐In ‐ Monday, STV, 9pm

This intensely powerful factual drama confronts the horrifying resurgence of fascism in western society. 

Labour MP Jo Cox was murdered by a racist in 2016. One of the journalists who investigated that appalling tragedy was a former Neo‐Nazi turned anti-fascist campaigner. A brave man, he’s played by the great Stephen Graham. 

The Walk‐In is written by Jeff Pope, a television heavyweight rightly renowned for his outstanding catalogue of assiduously researched dramas steeped in sensitive subject matter. 

This, I assure you, is a searing piece of work. Fuelled by compassion, it seeks to understand the deep‐seated causes of bigotry and radicalisation. TV dramas such as this can make a difference. They matter.

24 Hours in A&E ‐ Monday, Channel 4, 9pm

The 29^th series of this hardy perennial returns to St George’s Hospital in south-west London, which is home to one of Britain’s busiest A&E departments. 

The first patient we encounter is Graham, who’s been involved in a high-speed motorcycle accident. Graham’s doctors fear that he may have suffered significant damage to his back and neck, so he’s sent off for an urgent CT scan. His worried wife, Kate, talks movingly of their relationship and the various unforeseen problems they’ve faced. 

And that’s the very essence of 24 Hours in A&E: unlike so many programme of its ilk, it never fails to remind us that these people are three-dimensional human beings with stories to tell.

Paxman: Putting Up with Parkinson’s ‐ Tuesday, STV, 9pm

Jeremy Paxman is a notoriously short‐tempered man. He doesn’t suffer anything gladly. Eighteen months ago he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s. And this is his response. 

He’s on typically frank form during a programme in which he converses with leading neurological researchers and some other people who have Parkinson’s, while challenging myths about his condition. 

He also attends an English National Ballet therapy dance class and learns how to play bowls. 

Paxman often comes across as a rather blunt and dislikeable person, but that’s his act I suppose. It’s all showbiz. In this context, however, speaking honestly as himself, his no-nonsense approach is tempered with some sensitive insight. 

It should, one hopes, provide a bit of comfort. 

This England ‐ Tuesday and Wednesday, Sky Atlantic, 9pm

An excoriating six‐part drama from that estimable writer/director Michael Winterbottom, This England traces the absolute chaos of Boris Johnson’s first year in office as Prime Minister. 

Preoccupied with getting Brexit done, whatever that actually means, Johnson’s government were utterly unprepared for COVID. That’s understandable, but This England gets its point across in no uncertain terms: for all his Churchillian bluster, Johnson was fatally ill‐equipped to take charge of a national crisis. 

Kenneth Branagh as Johnson pulls off a difficult feat: playing a man who deliberately presents himself as a caricature. He comes across as an irresponsible fool floundering with the consequences of a pyrrhic victory, while sinister Dominic Cummings pulls the strings.

Doc Martin ‐ Wednesday, STV, 9pm

As the final series of this comfort blanket continues, Louisa is understandably perturbed when her estranged father (that fine actor Kenneth Cranham) turns up out of the blue. 

Meanwhile, Doc Martin is still struggling with his blood phobia, so he seeks some counsel with Ruth (that other fine actor, Dame Eileen Atkins). 

The third storyline ‐ there are always three, that’s how these shows operate ‐ involves a squatter who refuses to be budged from a vintage caravan. 

I have no truck with kneejerk cynics who sneer at the likes of Doc Martin. There’s nothing wrong with basking in good‐natured entertainment. You mustn’t always avoid the middle of the road, as Bob Dylan probably once sang.

Taskmaster ‐ Thursday, Channel 4, 11:05pm

Self-effacing sidekick ‘Little’ Alex Horne ‐ the brains behind the entire Taskmaster enterprise, but don’t tell faux-domineering host Greg Davies that ‐ is in his element this week. 

He oversees several tasks involving admin, ducks and flour. As always, his pedantic efficiency while dealing with such nonsense provides much of the humour. I appreciate that I’ve just described the appeal of Taskmaster in the driest possible terms, but Horne would presumably see the funny side of that. 

The whole point of the show is that none of it matters, but it wouldn’t work at all were it not treated with at least some degree of dedicated seriousness. And from thence the comedy arises. You’re welcome.

Jon Richardson: Take My Mother‐in‐Law ‐ Thursday, Channel 4, 12:15am

You’ve got to hand it to the professionally grumpy comedian Jon Richardson, the man has an unerring knack for coming up with vehicles for himself. His pitch meetings presumably involve him reading from a list of things he pretends to find vaguely annoying. 

His latest one, as you’ve presumably surmised, involves his mother‐in‐law. She’s about to retire, so Richardson has to pretend he’s intent on finding her a home in Spain ‐ otherwise she might move in with him and his wife! 

Yes, the premise is knowingly contrived, it’s a post‐modern take on mother‐in‐law gags. But it’s really just an excuse for yet another harmless/pointless TV road trip.

LAST WEEK’S TV

Blankety Blank ‐ Saturday 24th September, BBC One

We all know that Blankety Blank is nothing without Wogan or Dawson, both of whom elevated a daft quiz to knowingly dry‐witted heights, but Bradley Walsh does a decent job of keeping the flame alive. 

He’s an affable character who fundamentally ‘gets it’. A silly format, so let’s poke some fun at it. 

No, he can’t match Wogan’s subtly whimsical approach, nor Dawson’s hilarious decision to treat the whole thing as if it’s something he’s doing under major duress, but Walsh is a likeable pro. He knows how to keep things moving with a quip or two. 

That’s a talent, and I can’t deny the simple pleasures of watching a seasoned comic carrying out their duties proficiently.

Martin Compston’s Scottish Fling ‐ Friday 30th September, BBC Two

The latest leg of Compston’s amiable tour of our great nation took him, and co‐host Phil McHugh, to the Highlands. 

It’s an area of Scotland I have a particular affinity with, as I spent much of my childhood in Invergordon. So it was rather lovely seeing the ‘gordon (as no one calls it) represented on your actual primetime BBC television. 

Last week’s episode involved go‐karting, delectable vegan cuisine and an inspirational strongman story suffused with a positive mental health message. 

If you fancy a bit of respite, something to unwind with, then I thoroughly recommend catching up with this show on iPlayer. It’s a gentle pleasure, a spirit‐lifter.

MARTIN COMPSTON'S SCOTTISH FLING | DOC MARTIN | RIDLEY

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

NEXT WEEK’S TV

Martin Compston’s Scottish Fling – Thursday, BBC Scotland, 10pm and Friday, BBC Two, 9:30pm

The Line of Duty actor positively swells with national pride during this perfectly pleasant scenic travelogue. He reacquaints himself with Scotland in the company of his pal, the TV presenter Phil MacHugh. They’re an affable duo. 

The series begins on the West Coast, where Compston is from. In Dunoon they shoot the cheerfully innuendo-laden breeze (and play crazy golf) with RuPaul’s Drag Race UK winner Lawrence Chaney. 

Later on, they climb a hill with Zahrah Mahmood, who’s made a name for herself on Instagram as The Hillwalking Hijabi. Their view from the summit is stunning. “You know how a lot of people say the great outdoors are their church?” she smiles, “I feel like this is my mosque.”

Inside Central Station – Monday, BBC One, 8pm

The latest series of this observational doc about Glasgow’s Central Station heralds some major changes for staff and passengers alike. 

We follow engineers as they deal with one of the biggest renovations the Argyll line has ever seen. This project necessitates the temporary closure of Glasgow Central’s low level station, which serves over five million passengers every year. 

Despite all of this stress and upheaval, everyone appears to take it in their stride. There’s no point complaining about minor inconveniences, especially when they’ll ultimately lead to improvements. Wise words, I know. 

Inside Central Station is a genial show, a modest little masterclass in how to compile a workplace documentary. It’s full of low-key character and charm.

24 Hours in A&E – Monday, Channel 4, 9pm

The 28^th series of 24 Hours in A&E was filmed at St George’s Hospital in London during the lockdown autumn of 2020. It begins with Sara, who’s been rushed to A&E after collapsing at work. The doctors are concerned that she may have a bleed on the brain. 

Meanwhile, teenager Flynn hits a car while riding his bike, and Jane – who visits A&E with a severe headache – reflects upon her childhood spent in Zambia and Lancashire. 

As always, it’s a reliably tender compendium of human interest stories. The formula never changes, because it doesn’t need to. Our innate empathy connects us with these people. It could be you, me, or any of our loved ones in those hospital beds.

First Dates Hotel – Tuesday, Channel 4, 9pm

Another year, another spin-off series in which maître d’ Fred Sirieix and his matchmaking squad usher yet another group of hopefuls into their exotic luxury love shack. 

Ex-military paramedic Gareth has pretty much given up on the hope of ever meeting anyone. Gareth, having applied to appear on First Dates, obviously wasn’t expecting the producers to match him up with a theoretically perfect partner. 

The twist in this particular story – First Dates doesn’t half love its twists – is that Gareth and his date, Carys, once chatted with each other on a dating app. But they never took things any further than that. 

We also meet a retired taxidermist embarking upon her first date in 39 years.

Doc Martin – Wednesday, STV, 9pm

Martin Clunes has been playing TV’s most beloved Cornwall-based grumpy medic on and off for eighteen years. And now it’s time for him to say farewell to the character. 

The final series begins with our hero in self-imposed retirement, a decision he’s clearly starting to regret. Your special guest star is Fay Ripley, who plays a woman struggling with a stressful divorce. 

Doc Martin lasted so long for several very good and straightforward reasons: well-written scripts, lovely scenery and likeable characters brought to life by a solid cast, a cast spearheaded by Clunes exuding his uniquely lugubrious charisma. 

A warm, droll comedy drama with popular appeal, it achieved everything it ever set out to do.

Katie Price: Trauma and Me – Thursday, Channel 4, 9pm

Last year, Katie Price experienced PTSD following a car accident. In this documentary, she talks about her ongoing mental health struggles. 

The programme wasn’t available in time for my deadline, but I’m flagging it up because Price is a very candid and thoughtful person. The documentaries she’s fronted in recent years have always been worthwhile. This one features contributions from Price’s parents, who express understandable concern about their daughter’s wellbeing. 

Price, as always, interviews and listens to people who are experiencing similar problems. They discuss the various triggers that can cause them to spiral, while highlighting the ways in which we can help ourselves and each other. 

I predict with some confidence that it will all be handled sensitively.

LAST WEEK’S TV

Ridley – Sunday 28th August, STV

I’m still not entirely convinced that this new crime drama starring Adrian Dunbar isn’t a masterfully deadpan post-modern parody of every cliché in the Sad Cop Bingo playbook. 

He plays former DI Alex Ridley, who recently lost his wife and daughter in an arson attack. Naturally, Ridley lives alone in a big expensive house on the banks of a picturesque lake while listening to mournful jazz records. 

His replacement on the force, a former protégé, entices the great Ridley out of retirement to help her solve some mystifying cases. Perhaps that will give him a new lease of life? 

I mean, really. Come on. Dunbar, a fine actor, deserves better than this. So do we. 

The Capture – Sunday 28th August and Monday 29th August, BBC One

It’s been three years since series one of this superior conspiracy thriller – its return was presumably delayed by the pandemic – hence why series two began with a very lengthy recap. That wasn’t necessary, as it revolves around a new case for counter terrorism agent Rachel Carey (Holliday Grainger). 

Newcomers to the show would have experienced no problems following the action; the opening scene clearly established that the villains of the piece are capable of corrupting CCTV footage using sophisticated deepfake technology. The framed victim in this case is an up-and-coming government minister with ties to China. 

The Capture is a slick, smart confection that actually has something to say about real-world concerns surrounding data protection and surveillance.

LENNY HENRY'S CARIBBEAN BRITAIN + BACK IN TIME FOR BIRMINGHAM + ELLIE & NATASIA

This article was originally published in The Courier on 18th June 2022.

NEXT WEEK’S TV

Lenny Henry’s Caribbean Britain – Wednesday, BBC Two, 9pm

The British Caribbean community has enriched our collective culture in so many ways. In this comprehensive two-part series, Sir Len celebrates its myriad achievements. 

He also reflects upon the complex nature of integration: “Does it mean that we as Caribbean people have to sacrifice our culture? How much of my culture has Britain absorbed?” 

A fascinating piece of black history, it pays tribute to a wide variety of pioneering artists, writers, actors, musicians and broadcasters, all of whom played a significant role in representing their culture to a dominant and (to put it mildly) often hostile society. 

Told with warmth and humour, this insightful essay is a clarion call of joyful defiance in the face of systemic adversity.

Back in Time for Birmingham – Monday to Thursday, BBC Two, 8pm

As this long-running, time-travelling series returns, we’re introduced to the Sharma family from Birmingham, which is one of Britain’s most ethnically diverse cities.

They’re our conduit to finding out what life was like for South Asian families who settled in Britain from the 1950s onwards. As always, the experiment involves them living in an authentic period simulacrum. It highlights the ongoing struggles of immigrants trying to make a better life for themselves in a strange and unfamiliar land. 

Highlights include the family improvising delicious South Asian meals using dreary 1950s British ingredients, and a detour into the independent cinemas/community hubs which imported Indian films to a grateful audience. An enlightening programme, rich in research.

Style Fixers – Monday, BBC Scotland, 10pm

Alannah Carson and Jamie Grandison are make-up artists who source and style costumes for live drag shows. They’re also the hosts of this upcycled fashion makeover extravaganza, which is back for a second series. 

It’s a straightforward format: every week, two new clients approach our likeable duo, who each have £30 to spend in second-hand shops. Accessorising unfolds. 

One of their latest clients suffers from multiple chronic illnesses, which influences the way she dresses. Comfort is paramount, but she’d like to look more stylish at times. Carson and Grandison are on the case. They also provide some easy-to-learn budget fashion lessons. 

You don’t have to be a sewing or cosmetics whizz, it’s all very accessible.

The Whistleblowers: Inside the UN – Tuesday, BBC Two, 9pm

This sounds like an important piece of television. Preview copies weren’t available, but here’s a capsule synopsis: employees from several United Nations agencies go public with allegations of sexual abuse and corruption. 

The UN is, in theory at least, a bastion of integrity. An institution devoted to upholding human rights and promoting global peace. This programme promises to uphold the traumatic experiences of those who sought to challenge a hierarchal culture of silence. That principled stand had severe repercussions with regards to their private lives. 

I obviously can’t make any kind of judgement on a programme I haven’t seen, but I don’t think it’s unreasonable to assume that – at 90 minutes – we’re in for a thorough report.

Ellie & Natasia – Tuesday, BBC Three, 10pm

Here’s fun, a new sketch show written by and starring Ellie White and Natasia ‘Tash’ Demetriou. You may recognise the latter from Stath Lets Flats and What We Do In the Shadows. White plays Princess Beatrice in The Windsors. Put ‘em together and you get this commendably unpredictable confection, which revels in absurdity and (partially improvised?) silliness. 

Characters in episode one include a disconcerting dentist’s assistant, a smug wild swimmer, and two jegging-clad Prosecco mums providing some handy household tips for the benefit of no one. Best of all, though, is their utterly nonsensical daytime television spoof. Reader, I laughed. 

It doesn’t all work, but that’s sketch shows for you. The overall attitude papers over the weak spots.  

Josh Taylor: Portrait of a Fighter – Tuesday, BBC Scotland, 10pm

Josh Taylor is currently the undisputed light-welterweight world champion. He’s widely regarded as one of the greatest living pound for pound boxers. This intimate documentary follows the champ as he prepares to defend his title. 

Brought up on a Prestonpans council estate, Taylor comes across as an unpretentious lad who is sincerely grateful for the sacrifices his parents made to support his boxing career. 

Famous fan Irvine Welsh provides some socio-political context, citing Taylor as a rare example of a working-class Scot who has managed to transcend the barriers placed in front of them from birth. 

Famous friend Martin Compston skirts around the ‘outspokenness’ that has landed Taylor in trouble. Hopefully he’s learned from his mistakes.

Our Lives: Sarah the Lumberjill – Friday, BBC One, 7:30pm

The latest in this series of half-hour documentaries is devoted to one Sarah Yeaman, who fells trees in the forests of Perthshire alongside her father, brother and wee dog, Biscuit. She’s part of the fourth generation of her family to choose this sometimes gruelling vocation, or “take up the saw” as she puts it. 

Narrated by Sarah herself, the programme grants insight into the everyday challenges of being a chainsaw-wielding artisan. Sarah is a single mum of two boys. Her busy working day starts at 7:30am. 

Dad Ralph is in poor health, he’s accepted that he’ll have to retire soon, but he’s quietly proud and delighted at the prospect of Sarah taking over the traditional family business.

LAST WEEK’S TV

Our Falklands War: A Frontline Story – Sunday 12th June, BBC Two

This exceptional documentary spotlighted ten British soldiers who fought on the frontline during the Falklands War, their stories told by the men themselves. Almost nothing of the land fighting was captured on film, hence why the film unfolded as an immersive oral history occasionally punctuated by contemporary news reports. 

Some of these haunted men hadn’t even told their families about what happened during those 25 days in 1982. Sitting down for the cameras hopefully gave them some closure. 

Their accounts were unflinchingly honest and mired in disturbing detail. The underlying theme was the psychological conflict of having to take another person’s life in the name of war, while knowing that you could yourself be killed at any moment.

Bodies of Evidence: The Butcher Surgeon – Sunday 12th June, STV

The latest edition of ITV’s august Exposure strand, which first broke the Savile scandal back in 2013, addressed the horrific case of Ian Paterson. He was once a highly regarded breast surgeon consultant who worked primarily within the private healthcare system.  “He was like God to me,” said one of his patients. 

Paterson – and I don’t know how else to describe him – turned out to be a messianic psychopath who operated on patients he’d knowingly misdiagnosed as suffering from cancer. It is thought that he disfigured thousands of people. 

His motives are unfathomable, but the main point of the programme was this: Paterson’s anguished victims deserve justice and compensation from an avaricious system that shirks from accountability.

THE WITCHFINDER + KATIE PRICE: WHAT HARVEY DID NEXT + OUR HOUSE

This article was originally published in The Courier on 5th March 2022.

NEXT WEEK’S TV

The Witchfinder – Tuesday, BBC Two, 10pm

This promising new sitcom is written and directed by Neil and Rob Gibbons, a sibling duo who, since 2010, have been responsible for some of the greatest ever Alan Partridge material. 

Set in mid-17^th century England against a tumultuous backdrop of civil war, plague and deranged religious zealotry, it stars Tim Key (aka Sidekick Simon) as a hapless witchfinder, Jessica Hynes as his long-suffering assistant, and Daisy May Cooper from This Country as a sardonic woman accused of witchery. 

Python and Blackadder are the obvious touchstones, and there’s no denying that Key’s character – a pompous fool who desperately craves recognition – is in the Partridge mould. But The Witchfinder is still funny on its own farcical terms.

Katie Price: What Harvey Did Next – Monday, BBC One, 9pm

Last year, as you may recall, Katie Price and her teenage son Harvey participated in a tender documentary about their personal circumstances. This is the follow-up. 

Harvey has a complex variety of rare medical and behavioural conditions, which can make life difficult for him. The programme follows Harvey as he embarks upon a major rite of passage: leaving home for college, where he’ll stay for the next three years. Katie and Harvey are understandably anxious, but the brilliant support staff – a credit to their profession – ensure that this transition runs as smoothly as possible. 

It’s a touching portrait of a young man with learning difficulties gradually gaining independence, while a doting mother deals with her own mental health.

Our House – Monday to Thursday, STV, 9pm

Martin Compston and Tuppence Middleton star in this psychological thriller about a divorced couple who make a fragile living arrangement for the sake of their children. And then, of course, it all goes horribly wrong. 

Based on a critically acclaimed bestseller by Louise Candlish, Our House is blighted by stilted dialogue and a faulty narrative structure. The flashbacks are supposed to invite intrigue, but the overall effect is enervating. I only had access to episode one, so for all I know it might reveal tremendous hidden depths by the end. But I doubt it. 

It’s just another instalment in ITV’s never-ending cavalcade of generic kitchen island thrillers. Compston and Middleton do their best, but the material is beyond salvation

Stacey Dooley: Inside the Convent – Monday, BBC One, 10:35pm

Dooley isn’t religious, but for the purposes of her latest investigative report she’s decided to reconsider her belief system while spending ten days in a small convent with some delightful Anglican nuns. 

They observe three key vows: poverty, obedience and celibacy. It’s a strictly-scheduled and repetitive existence, but they all seem happy enough. And it’s not as if they aren’t aware of the sacrifice they’ve made. Some of them admit to having wavered at times, but their faith in God is unstinting. 

Dooley, as always, strikes up a natural rapport with her interviewees. She returns, gently and without judgement, to a central question: how can you have devout faith in a world so beleaguered with cruelty and injustice?

Interior Design Masters with Alan Carr – Wednesday, BBC One, 9pm

A textbook piece of competitive lifestyle television, this returning series pits ten aspiring interior designers against each other. Each week they have to magically transform various commercial spaces while impressing a formidable panel of design gurus including Michelle Ogundehin and Lawrence Llewelyn Bowen. 

The grand prize is a locked-contract with a luxury Cornwall hotel. Meanwhile, host Alan Carr picks up an easy paycheque. 

“I would class myself as a creative genius” boasts a designer who looks like Alan Rickman auditioning for a spaniel-only remake of Easy Rider. The contestants all say things like that, but we know how TV works in this post-Big Brother/Apprentice age. The producers cajole them into sounding as silly as possible.

Michael Mosley: Who Made Britain Fat? – Wednesday, Channel 4, 9pm

As you’ve no doubt surmised from the baldly descriptive title, Britain’s obesity problem is the subject of this new two-part series hosted by genial medical expert Michael Mosley. 

I haven’t seen the programme, previews weren’t available, but it sounds like a rather searching critique of successive governmental failures to effectively tackle the issue, no matter how many supposedly helpful policies they launch. 

Mosley, an unassuming man with a quietly authoritative grasp of well-researched facts, puts forward his own theories with regards to how the crisis can be solved without adding further harm to an already sorely tested NHS. He’s always worth listening to.  In episode one, Mosley’s interviewees include celebrity chef and patently sincere child health campaigner Jamie Oliver.

Grantchester – Friday, STV, 9pm

This ecclesiastical detective drama obviously hasn’t been the same since original star James Norton (TV critic cliché alert) hung up his dog collar, but it’s still a fairly enjoyable clue-sniffing distraction. It whiles away an hour in an entirely inoffensive way. Last of the Summer Crime, if you will. All Murders Great and Small. 

The latest series begins with the discovery of a corpse in the grounds of a struggling ancestral estate. But never mind that, it looks like our intrepid vicar hero could be smitten with a mysterious woman he meets in one of those new-fangled late 1950s jazz clubs. Meanwhile, Geordie (the ever-reliable Robson Green) tries to get back together with his estranged wife.

LAST WEEK’S TV

Peaky Blinders – Sunday 27th February, BBC One

And so, the end is near. As the final series of this stylised Shakespearean gangster tragedy got underway, the untimely passing of the great Helen McCrory was tastefully handled within the first ten minutes. Writer Stephen Knight killed her character off, the dreadful deed unseen for obvious reasons, but she’s not forgotten. Her vital role in this saga endures. 

The huge mainstream success of Peaky Blinders has been rather heartening. It is, after all, a fairly offbeat piece of work. But its unique qualities – that combination of hallucinatory psychodrama, vivid characters, a compelling storyline and a thickly clotted bloodstream of mordant wit – struck a clanging chord with viewers. It will be missed. But for now let’s enjoy its last hurrah.

Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy – Sunday February 27, BBC Two

The actor Stanely Tucci is elegant charm personified. A dry-witted fellow with a passion for life. So no wonder this new series is an enjoyable confection. What’s not to like about a culinary travelogue in which a charismatic guide celebrates the sights, sounds, tastes and smells of various Italian cities? Superior comfort viewing. 

In episode one, Tucci visited Naples and the Amalfi Coast. It wasn’t an entirely cosy endeavour – Tucci explored the often troubled history of these regions – but his M.O. is basically this: Italy is a wonderful country, it has contributed so much to our cultural palette, and wouldn’t you just love to eat a slice of pizza while admiring some art? Well yes, Stanley, I would. 

THE CLEANER + THE SCOTTS + A HOUSE THROUGH TIME

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

NEXT WEEK’S TV

The Cleaner ‐ Friday, BBC One, 9:30pm

Greg Davies stars in this new sitcom about a crime scene cleaner with no emotional investment in the carnage he’s tasked with scrubbing. But then he meets a blood‐spattered murderer played by Helena Bonham Carter, who fascinates him strangely. 

Adapted by Davies from a critically acclaimed German series called Der Tatortreiniger, this ‐ as if you hadn’t already guessed ‐ is a black comedy farce. And it’s ideally suited to Davies’ disgruntled, bewildered, buffoonish middle‐aged man persona. 

Episode one is a tad self‐conscious in its efforts to establish an offbeat ‘anything goes’ tone, but it’s still quite entertaining. Davies is a naturally funny farceur and the premise is intriguing. There could be something here. 

The Scotts ‐ Monday, BBC One, 10:35pm

Written by and starring Iain Connell and Robert Florence of Burnistoun renown, this likeable sitcom charts the internecine dysfunction of an extended Scottish family and their best pals. 

Brothers Vincent and Henry are relatively normal, at least when compared to the absurdist characters Connell and Florence created for their sketch show. The Scotts is set in the real world or thereabouts. 

But don’t worry (if indeed you were), this isn’t an embarrassing bid for ‘mature artistic growth’ from the Burnistoun boys. It’s still very silly and acerbic, although it does have a bit of heart underneath all the ‘slaggings’ and cheerful crudity. 

Episode one revolves around failed attempts at familial bonding. You might relate to some of its anguish.

Wonders of Scotland with David Hayman ‐ Tuesday, STV, 7:30pm

The Scottish actor David Hayman was born and bred in Glasgow, but his roaming heart lies in the Highlands. This series is just another celebrity‐fronted travelogue, of course it is, but it’s elevated somewhat by Hayman’s seasoned gifts as an orator. His presentation style is borderline poetic and the man’s genuine passion for the project is never in doubt. 

Sure, Tam Weir did all of this years ago; that woolly‐hatted, dram‐thirsty bard was the Alan Whicker of Scotland’s highlands and islands. But Hayman is a worthy successor. His warm bath of a programme also illustrates how television has changed. Everyone Weir met looked terrified. Hayman’s interviewees are only too happy to banter on camera.

A House Through Time ‐ Tuesday, BBC Two, 9pm

The latest series of this expansive British history lesson is based in a three‐storey Victorian house in the suburbs of Leeds. As always, host David Olusoga examines the lives of those who have resided there over the years to compile a fascinating sociohistorical document. 

The very first resident was a progressive lawyer who devoted his career to protecting poor and vulnerable people. Among his successors were a ruthless factory owner, a traumatised soldier and a widowed war bride. 

Olusoga is an astute and rigorous historian. Although practiced in the art of sculpting richly detailed, colourful essays, he has no interest in sensationalism. A House Through Time is a humane endeavour; its yellowed chapters are thoughtful and revealing.

Death on the Common: My Mother’s Murder ‐ Tuesday, Channel 4, 10pm

When Alex Hanscombe was just two‐years‐old, he witnessed the murder of his mother, Rachel Nickell. Everyone who’s ever read about that awful case has wondered about the fate and wellbeing of Alex. Now, for the first time in public, he discusses what he’s been through. 

Preview copies weren’t available at the time of writing, but one assumes that Alex’s involvement in this programme speaks for itself. The synopsis suggests that it’s a sensitively‐handled endeavour. I hope so anyway, for the family’s sake. 

Alex and his father, Andre, reflect upon their lives in the everlasting wake of Rachel’s murder, while meeting up with some of the police officers and child psychiatrists who dealt with Alex at that time.

Our Lives: For Peat’s Sake ‐ Wednesday, BBC One, 7:30pm

A documentary with that punning title was always going to be made one day, but I’m glad this one stole the honour. It’s a charming excursion to the Isle of Lewis, in which the 80‐year‐old peat digger Domhnull Iain ‐ a delightful gent who could make the four‐minute‐warning sound like a source of comfort ‐ guides us through his daily activities. 

We also meet Margaret, who left her old life behind to accompany the reluctantly retirement‐bound Domhnull on this stunningly remote and tranquil terrain, plus a local radio DJ/farmer who provides the perfect country and western soundtrack. 

Like most of the epistles from this series, it’s a little window of calm.

Grenfell: The Untold Story ‐ Wednesday, Channel 4, 10pm

The Grenfell Tower fire was an appalling tragedy, a stark, shameful symbol of social inequality and neglect. This documentary honours its legacy via previously unseen footage collated by Grenfell’s artist in residence, Constantine Gras. 

Just a few years prior to the disaster, Gras embarked upon a project of vital importance. He chronicled the struggles of deeply concerned residents, all of whom were locked in an exasperating battle with the local authorities. The building was clearly unsafe, it was in dire need of refurbishment; but nothing was done. 72 people died when Grenfell Tower caught fire. 

The programme features contributions from some of those who survived. Their voices must be heard. This must never be forgotten.

LAST WEEK’S TV

Parkinson at 50 ‐ Saturday 28th August, BBC One

I’ve always had mixed feelings about Parky. He’s facilitated some memorable TV moments. He was, at his best, an undeniably skillful interviewer: ask a straightforward question, shut up and listen. Be he’s also an indefatigable curmudgeon. 

In this retrospective, which celebrated the 50^th anniversary of his chat show, he did ‐ to be fair ‐ admit that he sometimes came across as pompous. But he couldn’t quite bring himself to fully apologise for that excruciatingly sexist interview with Helen Mirren. It was considered dodgy at the time, Mike, the new‐fangled ‘woke’ police aren’t retroactively censoring you.

Anyway. His star‐spangled oeuvre was often brilliant. A greater legacy than I’ll ever have.

Vigil ‐ Sunday 29th August and Monday 30th August, BBC One

This new thriller is an unbidden gift from the producers of Line of Duty, so you know what to expect on a surface level: twists, conspiracies, and a high‐profile actor being killed off in episode one (TV’s Martin Compston in this case). But these tricks have grown tired. Vigil is a slog. 

Suranne Jones stars as a Glasgow‐based cop tasked with investigating the mysterious death of a Trident submarine crew member. She has just three days to crack this claustrophobic case.

For all its faults, Line of Duty was an audacious drama that tackled Big Themes in a vaguely subversive way. It was fun, exciting; silly in most of the right ways. This is a wholly uninvolving potboiler: Das Bore. Down periscope.