MARYLAND + BRITAIN'S TOURETTE'S MYSTERY: SCARLETT MOFFATT INVESTIGATES + THE OUTLAWS

This article was originally published in The Courier on 16th July 2022.

NEXT WEEK’S TV

Maryland – Wednesday, BBC Two, 10:05pm

I urge you to watch this. Originally performed at London’s Royal Court in 2021, Lucy Kirkwood’s 30-minute play confronts the heinous everyday issue of violence against women. 

Mary and Mary (Zawe Ashton and Hayley Squires) meet for the first time at a police station in the dead of night. They’ve both been assaulted by men. We follow them over the course of a humiliating investigative process loosely overseen by an excruciatingly jocular and insensitive policeman (Daniel Mays).

A savage indictment of standard police procedure in cases such as these, Maryland is driven by fury and compassion. It does not flinch from the appalling injustice of a society in which women are forced to live in fear.

Long Lost Family Special: The Unknown Soldiers – Monday, STV, 9pm

Four years ago in Belgium, the remains of nine British soldiers were discovered in a trench on what was once a World War One battlefield. 

In this typically sensitive edition of ITV’s stalwart DNA search, hosts Nicky Campbell and Davina McCall team up with an official MOD unit colloquially known as the War Detectives. Their mission: to identify those long-lost fallen soldiers and formally lay them to rest. 

Campbell and McCall meet up with some of their descendants. Thanks to the dedicated efforts of the War Detectives, the time has now come for them to pay their final respects. As you would expect, the dénouement is very poignant. It’s a reunion of sorts, a moment of closure.

Super Surgeons: A Chance at Life – Monday, Channel 4, 10pm

Filmed over the space of a year at London’s esteemed Royal Marsden Hospital, this illuminating three-part series follows surgeons and patients as they grapple with reaching a difficult mutual decision: to operate or not? 

The Royal Marsden provides specialist cancer treatment. Some patients can be saved. Others, alas, cannot. 

The series begins with Jade, who has a cancerous tumour in her throat. The quite clearly brilliant surgeon, Professor Paleri, uses a surgical robot in an attempt to improve Jade’s chances of survival. Paleri has never attempted this procedure before. If he makes a mistake, Jade might never be able to speak or swallow again. 

Britain’s Tourette’s Mystery: Scarlett Moffatt Investigates – Tuesday, Channel 4, 10pm

Yes, I know: why is that woman from Gogglebox presenting a documentary about Tourette’s? Well, Moffatt is a nice, bright, empathetic person. If we must have celebs fronting serious documentaries, we may as well encourage the likes of Moffatt. She does a pretty good job here. 

In the last 18 months, there has been a marked increase in physical and verbal tics among children and teenagers; a mental health crisis magnified by lockdown. Some of these young people have formed support networks via social media, but that has presented its own set of problems. 

It’s a thoughtful, nuanced, inquisitive programme. Moffatt asks gently direct questions and actually listens. “I’ve got a newfound respect for Louis Theroux,” she smiles at one point.

Unvaccinated – Wednesday, BBC Two, 9pm

Medical experts are warning that we’re about to enter a fifth wave of the Covid-19 pandemic. Approximately five million adults in the UK still haven’t received a single dose of the vaccine. Why? 

In this documentary, Professor Hannah Fry brings seven unvaccinated people together under one roof. She wants to understand their reasons for refusing the vaccine. At the end of the experiment, the main point of which is to highlight the severe dangers of misinformation, some of Fry’s participants are forced to question their fears and beliefs. 

I haven’t seen the programme, it wasn’t available in time for my deadline, but Fry is always worth listening to.  

The Supervet: Noel Fitzpatrick – Thursday, Channel 4, 8pm

Let joy be unconfined, animal lovers, Professor F is back. A leading veterinary surgeon, his latest series kicks off (albeit gently) with a typical cavalcade of mildly perilous yet ultimately uplifting cases. 

This week’s patients include a large garrulous dog who may well require some hip replacement surgery, an adorably boisterous kitten with a suspected tibia injury, and a police dog afflicted with some painful stomach and spine issues. 

It’s easy to take shows such as this for granted. After all, they don’t amount to much in the grand scheme of things. But they’re put together with a certain amount of unassuming artistry. Without ever resorting to outright cynicism or chicanery, they sculpt heart-warming narratives you cannot resist.

First Dates – Thursday, Channel 4, 10pm

Another year, another series of this occasionally quite sweet and ultimately harmless dating show. You know the drill by now. Suave maître d’ Fred Sirieix and his affable factotums welcome another bunch of hopeful love seekers into their surveillance restaurant.

Your first daters this week include a self-proclaimed ‘typical Essex lad’ who subscribes to an extreme beauty regime. Spoiler: his body is entirely hairless like an Action Man. This smooth operator’s date likes what she sees, he ticks various boxes, but will she be able to accept his unorthodox line of work? 

We also meet an eccentric art gallery owner who moonlights as a gas fitter. Life’s rich pageant in all its glory.

LAST WEEK’S TV

My Life as a Rolling Stone – Saturday 11th July, BBC Two

It was Keith and Ronnie’s turn last week. A sympatico double bill. 

Ronnie’s episode was enjoyable. As always, he came across as a nice, talented chap who is understandably liked by everyone. But the Keith episode was borderline fascinating at times.

The overarching theme was outwardly expressed by Mick and Tom Waits, the latter being a friend who understands the dangers of succumbing to a contrived dissolute persona. 

Keith is an introverted music geek, a sensitive soul who invented ‘Rock Wildman Keith Richards’ as a way of avoiding reality. Drink and drugs helped to support that fantasy, until they didn’t. Keith didn’t exactly deny that. 

The main takeaway point was this, however: Keef is an incredibly gifted musician and songwriter.

The Outlaws – Sunday 12th July, BBC One

Farwell, then, Stephen Merchant’s The Outlaws. A splendid piece of entertainment. 

It was a heartfelt comedy thriller knowingly influenced by Scorsese, Breaking Bad, Billy Wilder and, of course, Merchant’s own warm, daft, parochial comic sensibilities. I’ll miss those characters. 

And I really can’t stress this enough (although I’m about to): the gulf in quality between Merchant’s solo output and that of his erstwhile collaborator is staggering. The heart and soul of The Office? That clearly all came from Merchant. 

The other chap was great as David Brent, an outstanding comic performance, but everything he’s done on his own has been facile, lazy and embarrassing. 

I look forward to seeing what Merchant does next.

STORYVILLE: ON THE MORNING YOU WAKE (TO THE END OF THE WORLD) + THE EXTRAORDINARY LIFE OF APRIL ASHLEY + PICTURES FROM IRAQ

This article was originally published in The Courier on 2nd July 2022.

NEXT WEEK’S TV

Storyville: On the Morning You Wake (to the End of the World) – Tuesday, BBC Four, 10pm

On 13th January 2018, the people of Hawaii awoke to a terrifying emergency alert: “Ballistic missile threat inbound to Hawaii. Seek immediate shelter. This is not a drill.” 

It turned out to be a false alarm, but for 38 minutes those poor people endured a waking nightmare. They were about to be annihilated in a nuclear attack. 

This haunting documentary, which is adapted from a Virtual Reality experience, unfolds in more or less real time. It captures a sense of mounting panic, as parents send tearful messages to loved ones while hiding their children in storm drains. 

Sensitively entwined with memories of Hiroshima, it’s an impassioned, clear-eyed plea for nuclear disarmament.

Queen of Trucks – Monday, BBC Three, 8pm

Shannan runs an HGV driver training firm in the West Midlands. “Our ambition is to shake up the trucking scene,” she declares during this upbeat documentary. 

Shannon is trying to gain her own HGV licence, which she feels will make her look more credible to the young learners who flock to her business. Dad Trevor, a veteran instructor, is showing her the ropes. 

A few years ago, Shannon’s mum passed away. Trevor had to step down as boss in order to become a full-time dad to his daughters. He’s immensely proud of what Shannon has achieved. 

The programme doesn’t add up to anything particularly special, but that’s fine. It’s a nice little glimpse into the lives of others.

24 Hours in Police Custody: The Murder of Rikki Neave – Monday and Tuesday, Channel 4, 9pm

In 1994, six-year-old Rikki Neave from Peterborough went to school one foggy November morning and never came back. His murder remained unsolved for 28 years. This special two-part edition of Channel 4’s venerable true crime series foregrounds the police unit who reopened the case. 

Rikki lived on a disadvantaged council estate. His aggressive mother wasn’t popular with the neighbours. The finger of blame instantly pointed towards her. 

I’m loath to go into any more detail, not least because it’s all too bleak for a column such as this. However, in typical 24 Hours in Police Custody style, this isn’t a prurient or exploitative endeavour. It reports the terribly sad facts without recourse to sensationalism.

The Extraordinary Life of April Ashley – Monday, Channel 4, 10pm

April Ashley, who died last year at the age of 86, was one of Britain’s most prominent transgender women. This documentary celebrates her trailblazing achievements. Preview copies weren't available at the time of writing, but it sounds absolutely fascinating. 

Ashley’s highly eventful life took her from the slums of wartime Liverpool to the star-studded heights of Knightsbridge society. She was a globetrotting model, dancer and restaurateur who was one of the first people in Britain to have gender reassignment surgery. She was eventually awarded an MBE for her services to transgender equality. A remarkable woman.

The programme is showing as part of Channel 4’s current season marking 50 years of Pride in the UK.

Pictures from Iraq – Tuesday, BBC Scotland, 10pm

Esteemed Scottish author, journalist and war photographer David Pratt has been covering the conflicts in Iraq for over three decades. In this illuminating documentary, he returns to Iraq – a country he loves – to give his personal perspective on the ongoing situation. 

He examines the violent tribal divisions which have caused so much suffering over the years, while interviewing people such as a benign Iraqi general who describes the brutal ways in which ISIS continues to operate. Pratt also visits a training camp for female members of The Kurdish Freedom Party. 

Iraq is still politically unstable, but Pratt succeeds in making the point that it’s a beautiful country full of generous, resilient people. There is some hope amidst the darkness.

Ghislaine Maxwell: The Making of a Monster – Tuesday to Thursday, Channel 4, 10pm

This three-part series follows hot on the heels of BBC Two’s horribly riveting House of Maxwell (which is still available on iPlayer). It inevitably goes over some of the same ground, but it provides a more acute character study of Ghislaine Maxwell. 

Filtered through the memories of some of those who knew her well, a portrait emerges of a spoiled, entitled heiress with a total lack of empathy: a power-hungry, insecure narcissist who revelled in cruel power plays. But even those associates who didn’t particularly like her were shocked when she was exposed as a serial sex offender who trafficked underage girls. 

Ultimately, the series is a stark indictment of wealthy elites who believe themselves to be above the law.

George Clarke’s Remarkable Renovations – Wednesday, Channel 4, 9pm

Britain is full of abandoned buildings, which is a shameful state of affairs for reasons I needn’t elaborate upon. A recent relaxation in planning laws has apparently made it easier to convert these derelict spaces into private homes for wealthy people. So that’s nice. 

As this standard-issue lifestyle series returns, Channel 4’s softly-spoken Renovator in Chief and top Bernie Winters lookalike George Clarke visits a Sussex market town, where he meets a couple attempting to restore some ancient conjoined buildings which were once comprised of a slaughterhouse, a butchers, a pub and a blacksmiths. 

They want to build a spacious new home for themselves and their three teenaged daughters while respecting the integrity of the buildings.

LAST WEEK’S TV

The Outlaws – Sunday 26th June, BBC One

Series two of Stephen Merchant’s endearing comedy thriller has become cheerfully indebted to Breaking Bad. The overarching storyline now involves our mismatched gang of community service workers attempting to build a drug-dealing empire. 

Rani (the excellent Rhianne Barreto) is ostensibly the show’s own Walter White, albeit one who hopefully won’t follow his catastrophic trajectory. Meanwhile, Greg (Merchant) is its unlikely equivalent of Saul Goodman – a lawyer who can always be relied upon to swoop in and save his clients (and their collective criminal enterprise). 

Which isn’t to suggest that it’s derivative, just that it’s having fun with established tropes in a knowing way. Also, it’s a humane and rather nuanced show which never punches down at its dysfunctional characters.

Hungry for It – Tuesday 28th June, BBC Three

Hosted by the ubiquitous Stacey Dooley, this shamelessly formulaic cookery contest contains all the usual – yes – ingredients. The contestants are rookie cooks all looking to establish themselves within the food industry. 

When they’re not competing in the kitchen, they’re living together in a house for no other reason than to potentially cause some friction between them. The last one standing will be given the opportunity to work in some of the world’s finest restaurants. Meanwhile, they’re overseen by a pair of soundbite-spouting mentors. 

Whenever I watch programmes like this, I’m always reminded of Alan Partridge desperately trying to pitch a hackneyed project to the BBC: “People like them, let’s make some more of them.”

SHERWOOD + THE REAL DERRY: JAMIE-LEE O'DONNELL + THE OUTLAWS

This article was originally published in The Courier on 11th June 2022.

NEXT WEEK’S TV

Sherwood – Monday and Tuesday, BBC One, 9pm

This compelling six-part drama is a work of fiction inspired by two murders which took place in the Nottinghamshire mining village where its author, James Graham, grew up. 

It’s an intelligent, thoughtful piece, a carefully constructed whodunit fuelled by the long-lasting effects of Thatcherism and the miner’s strike on working-class communities. 

The outstanding cast includes David Morrissey as a senior police officer who is determined to win back the public’s trust, Alun Armstrong and Lesley Manville as happily married, doting grandparents, and Joanne Froggatt as a local Tory councillor who isn’t exactly in tune with the political outlook of her constituents. The series begins on her wedding day. 

You may find yourselves hooked from the get-go.

Tiny Lives – Monday, BBC One, 8:30pm

A tender document ensconced within the University Hospital Wishaw’s neonatal unit, Tiny Lives returns for more affecting stories about prematurely born babies. 

Alfie is just six hours old. His mum had an emergency caesarean after Alfie showed signs of distress in the womb. He’s in critical condition, a ventilator is keeping him alive. The hospital’s dedicated team are on constant standby, he’s in good hands. 

Alfie was born at the height of the pandemic, when the NHS were stretched to their absolute limits. The series pays tribute to their tireless efforts; decent people doing everything in their power to save lives on a daily basis. One particular nurse devotes her entire 12-hour shift to an infant placed in isolation.

The Savoy – Wednesday, STV, 9pm

The latest series of this observational hoopla reconvenes with London’s luxurious Savoy Hotel as it opens its doors post-pandemic. 

The owners are in dire straits, they have to recoup millions of pounds of lost revenue. So thank God for Gordon Ramsay, who barges in with ambitious plans for his very first seafood restaurant. 

Say what you like about Ramsay by all means, but that will at least create new job opportunities for some deserving chefs. Meanwhile, we’re treated to some heavy-hitter celebrity dining cameos from Christopher Biggins and Shirley Ballas. 

The whole thing is an unquestioning celebration of wealth. This preview was typed through gritted teeth, which is quite a physical feat if nothing else.

The Real Derry: Jamie-Lee O’Donnell – Thursday, Channel 4, 10pm

Timed to coincide with the 50^th anniversary of Bloody Sunday, this documentary follows the Derry Girls actor as she reflects upon life growing up during the last few years of The Troubles. 

O'Donnell is a devoted Derry girl who wants to find out more about the complex history of her community. 

I haven’t seen this programme, preview copies weren’t available, but I reckon I can probably vouch for it in good faith. O’Donnell speaks to young people growing up in Derry today, kids who by and large have no truck with sectarian prejudices. 

According to the press blurb, it will provide viewers with some hope for the future of Northern Ireland.  O’Donnell is a smart person, she’ll do this justice.

Devon and Cornwall – Friday, Channel 4, 8pm

John Nettles’ bombastic narration during this otherwise genteel series is one of the funniest things on television. It’s a delicious chunk of pure uncut ham. Wonderful. This week, Nettles wraps his rich rococo tones around another set of everyday Devon and Cornwall stories. 

We meet woodsman John and his daughter Betsy as they attempt to revive and maintain a lost tradition – sculpting stave baskets from ash. Meanwhile, two friends put their fairly ancient powerboat through its paces ahead of a big race, and a hotelier/fisherman sets out to sea to haul in his lobster pots. 

Devon and Cornwall is a perfectly pleasant programme, and I’m sorry if I’ve ruined it by drawing attention to Nettles’ Matt Berry-esque theatrics.

Brian Cox: Seven Days on Mars – Friday, BBC Two, 9pm

Is there life on Mars? I’m inherently suspicious of questions that even David Bowie couldn’t answer, but you can’t deny the basic pleasure of watching Professor Brian Cox (sort of) fulfilling a childhood dream during this programme. 

He spends an access-all-areas week in NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory as it continues its exploration of the surface of Mars. 

42 years ago, young master Cox wrote a letter to the JPL asking about their pioneering deep space missions. The reply he received set him on the path to becoming a physicist. 

Cox follows the JPL during one of their most ambitious projects to date: navigating Martian terrain via the first powered aircraft we have ever sent to another planet.

Avoidance – Friday, BBC One, 9:30pm

Romesh Ranganathan co-writes and stars in this likeable comedy drama about Jonathan, a newly separated man struggling to come to terms with his situation. He can’t accept it, hence that title. 

Jonathan is a nice guy, but his glib passivity is exasperating. No wonder his partner finally gave up on him. He’s never depicted as some sort of hapless victim, a romanticised sad-sack hero. This isn’t a simplistic vanity project a la Ricky Gervais’ After Life. It’s drily amusing and warm-hearted. The underlying pathos is kept in check, it never descends into sickly sentimentality. 

Also, Ranganathan, a stand-up by trade, is an entirely natural actor. Avoidance began last week; catch up with episode one on iPlayer.

LAST WEEK’S TV

The Outlaws – Sunday 5th June, BBC One

Series one of Stephen Merchant’s appealing comedy drama about a mismatched gang serving community service in Bristol was a deserved hit. And now it’s back. Episode one wasted no time at all, it jogged our memories and got on with the story. 

Merchant is a talented screenwriter with an obvious love of classic romantic comedies and thrillers. The Outlaws is basically a Scorsese film shot through the prism of Ealing Studios. The characters are sympathetic and rounded, they’re recognisable ‘types’ with flesh on their bones. 

It succeeds on its own sweet terms: a heartfelt character piece disguised as a crime drama. Merchant ensures that we care about the plight of these fictional constructs. It's a fine-tooled piece of entertainment.

Everything I Know About Love – Tuesday 7th June, BBC One

This isn’t a complaint, just an observation: in the last few years, TV execs have commissioned a notable surge of semiautobiographical coming-of-age dramas set in the fairly recent past. The ‘90s up until the early ‘10s to be exact. 

That's an inevitable development. The commissioners, many of them in their late thirties/forties, are drawn to stories which reflect their own formative experiences. So here’s the latest one, set way back in 2012. 

It follows a group of mid-twenties female friends who’ve just moved to hipster Camden. Don’t let that premise put you off, it’s not smug or annoying at all. It’s a sharp, funny, charming and self-aware meditation on youthful friendships and infatuations.

RULES OF THE GAME + THE TOURIST + FOUR LIVES

This article was originally published in The Courier on 8th January 2022. 

NEXT WEEK’S TV

Rules of the Game  – Tuesday and Wednesday, BBC One, 9pm

Maxine Peake stars in this timely new thriller about a workplace environment dominated by awful, sleazy alpha males. 

She plays Sam, the manager of a successful family-run business. Sam initially comes across as cynical and assured, but it gradually transpires that she’s just as vulnerable as every other female employee. 

An intimidating culture of secrecy has formed around this toxic fiefdom, but that begins to unravel when an awkwardly sincere yet highly capable HR director starts asking too many difficult questions. 

Writer Ruth Fowler lasers in on the ways in which powerful men can exploit their position to abuse women, especially when they think they’ll never be held to account. The results are necessarily uncomfortable. 

Art on the BBC – Monday, BBC Four, 9pm

The latest episode of this delve into the BBC archives focuses on the life and work of Vincent Van Gogh. 

The de facto definition of the supremely gifted yet tortured artist, Van Gogh is an enduring source of fascination, hence why he’s inspired numerous BBC documentaries and dramas over the years. Art historian Kate Bryan highlights some of the more notable examples. 

It’s an effective way of separating fact from fiction – has any artist been mythologised and misrepresented more than poor old Vincent? - while also serving as a celebration of British television and the way in which it’s helped to democratise so-called high culture. 

Your archival guides include Sister Wendy Beckett, David Hockney and Simon Schama. 

Couples Therapy – Monday, BBC Two, 10pm

At first glance, this new series from US network Showtime feels like a mockumentary. But no, apparently it’s real. 

It follows clinical psychologist/psychoanalyst Dr Orna Guralnik as she deals with various New York-based couples in need of relationship counselling. 

They’re disconcertingly earnest in that uniquely American way; everyone looks and sounds like an actor. We’ve finally reached a stage in human evolution where some people are so hopelessly attuned to the rhythms and cadences of scripted dialogue, they can no longer communicate in a convincingly spontaneous manner. 

But once you get used to that disconcerting novelty, all you’re left with is a bunch of navel-gazers yammering on about their personal problems. It’s simultaneously boring and bizarre.

Party Island: Summer in Zante – Monday, Channel 4, 10pm

There was once a time, not so long ago, when the entire point of shows such as this was to sneer at the booze-addled youth of Britain as they make fools of themselves abroad. 

But this one takes a more sympathetic view; I’d even go so far as saying that it recognises the gnawing pathos of carefree kids labouring under the illusion that they’ll be friends forever. 

Set on the Greek island of Zante, it follows a gang of inoffensively bantering lads and some similarly bantz-tastic influencer girls hawking deluxe burgers on Instagram. 

They’re just a bunch of nice-enough kids having fun before the crushing weight of adulthood destroys their hopes and dreams forever. Good luck to ‘em.

The Adventure Show – Thursday, BBC Scotland, 8pm

This week, intrepid journalist and broadcaster Amy Irons scales a sheer sea cliff on the slippery southern edge of the Orkney mainland. As waves crash dramatically below her, she remains resolute in her daunting endeavour. 

Irons also makes the encouraging point that, even if adrenalized adventuring isn’t for you (or me), there are a multitude of delights to savour in Orkney. It’s a rugged wonderland full of lighthouses, caves, puffins, seals, affordable hostels, picturesque bicycle routes and glorious sunsets. 

We also meet a marine scientist devoted to the welfare of stranded dolphins. Now in its seventeenth series, The Adventure Show is a stalwart source of rural Scottish comfort. Maybe it really is a wonderful world after all. Happy 2022, everyone.

Iain Robertson Rambles – Thursday, BBC Scotland, 8:30pm

In which the affable River City actor continues his epic yomp along the Southern Upland Way.

 A reminder that you’re never more than three feet away from a celebrity filming a scenic walk, this immersive series cleaves to a winningly familiar formula: armed with a 360-degree camera, our tireless rambler provides an informal and ruminative assessment of their surroundings while exploring a little bit of local history. 

Robertson is a natural guide, his passion for the healing powers of rambling is palpable. “Just keep trudging on,” he advises metaphorically, “one foot in front of the other, and the next thing you know that thing that was miles and miles away on the horizon, all of a sudden it’s within your grasp.”

Well, let's hope so. 

Andy Warhol’s America – Thursday, BBC Two, 9pm

The inherent violence and chaos of American culture explodes to the forefront in chapter two of this vivid essay. 

Warhol presented himself in public as a blank canvas, but it’s clear from his work that he was engaged with the turbulent world around him: proof that irony and compassion aren’t mutually exclusive. 

Nevertheless, he wasn’t exactly a people person. This episode confirms what I’ve always felt: being part of Warhol’s Factory clique must’ve been pretty damn miserable. Living your life behind an affected facade of glib amphetamine cool isn’t healthy. No wonder there were so many casualties. 

Like all Warhol documentaries, this one is populated by silly people saying silly things. We’d feel short-changed if it didn’t.

LAST WEEK’S TV

The Tourist – New Year’s Day and Sunday 2nd January, BBC One

Blatantly inspired by Hitchcock, Fargo and Steven Spielberg’s Duel, this entertaining pulp comedy thriller stars Jamie Dornan as an Irish tourist driving solo through the Australian Outback. 

When a menacing tanker truck forces him to crash, he wakes up in hospital with no memory of who he is. All he knows is that someone is trying to kill him. But why? 

Written by the sometimes needlessly prolific Harry and Jack Williams of The Missing and Baptiste renown, The Tourist milks its simple premise with a palpable buzz of enjoyably freewheeling self-indulgence.

Four Lives – Monday 3rd January to Wednesday 5th January, BBC One 

In 2014 and 2015, serial killer Stephen Port murdered four young gay men whom he met via dating and hook-up apps. This respectful and deeply angering dramatisation focused on the victims and their loved ones. 

Written and produced by seasoned true-crime artisans Jeff Pope and Neil McKay, Four Lives was essentially a sensitive study of grief; a theme embodied by the excellent Sheridan Smith as the mother of Anthony Walgate, one of Port’s victims. 

But it was also an absolutely damning indictment of the incompetent police investigation, which was depressingly ill-informed by crass and institutionaly prejudiced attitudes about gay people. This entire endeavour was driven by compassion and despair.

Port was played by Stephen Merchant in his first dramatic role. It was a surprisingly effective performance; an understated and unsettling distillation of the banality of evil.

A truly important piece of television. I urge you to watch it. 

 

 

THE HUNT FOR BIBLE JOHN + LINDISFARNE'S GEORDIE GENIUS: THE ALAN HULL STORY + SCOTLAND'S BEST DOG

This article was originally published in The Courier on 20th November 2021.

NEXT WEEK’S TV

The Hunt for Bible John – Monday, BBC Scotland, 9pm

The notorious serial killer known as Bible John murdered at least three women in late '60s Glasgow. To this day his identity remains a mystery. 

It’s a horrifying case, but this two-part series doesn’t wallow in the grisly details. On the contrary, it’s a sensitive and responsible piece of work; a serious endeavour that places the murders in vivid sociohistorical context. 

It unfolds in a dismal post-war environment blighted by extreme poverty and violence, where working-class kids lived for the freedom of dancing at the weekend. Busy dancehalls such as the Barrowlands were where Bible John found his victims. 

The series also provides fascinating insight into the working methods of '60s crime reporters and the terminology they used. 

The Princes and the Press – Monday, BBC Two, 9pm

Princes William and Harry have, to say the least, weathered a difficult relationship with the media. Whatever your opinion of the Royal family, I think most reasonable people agree – on an instinctively empathetic level – that they’ve been treated unfairly at times.

In this two-part series, the BBC’s Media Editor Amol Rajan apparently highlights some of the illegal activities used by certain portions of the press during their ongoing race to present exclusives. I haven’t seen the programme, it wasn’t available at the time of writing, but I’m flagging it up because it sounds quite interesting. Apologies if it isn't.

Along for the Ride with David O’Doherty – Monday, Channel 4, 10pm

The whimsical Irish comedian David O’Doherty is a keen cyclist. This new – if you will – vehicle follows him as he enjoys a series of scenic bicycle rides with various celebrity chums. 

His first guest is comedian Richard Ayoade, a naturally funny man with, as it turns out, surprisingly sturdy thighs. He and O’Doherty cycle through an area of rural Sussex while shooting the gentle breeze. Occasionally they park their bikes to visit tearooms or toast marshmallows around the fire. You get the pretty picture. 

It’s blatantly indebted to the likes of Jerry Seinfeld’s Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee and Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing, but that’s fine. It’s a genial time-passer.

The Outlaws ‐ Monday, BBC One, 10:35pm

In the penultimate episode of this enjoyable comedy-drama, troubled influencer Lady Gabby (Eleanor Tomlinson) takes lawyer Greg (writer/director Stephen Merchant) to meet her formidable aristocratic father, who’s played by very special guest star Richard E. Grant on reliably frost-veined form. 

Meanwhile, we learn a little bit more about endearingly desperate and officious community service supervisor Diana (Jessica Gunning, an excellent yet underrated comic actor). 

It’s a pleasure spending time with these characters, all of whom are fundamentally lost and looking for acceptance. Merchant clearly likes them, he’s not in the business of belittling his creations. 

You can currently watch all six episodes on iPlayer. And it’ll be back next year for another series. See, sometimes good things can happen.

Dolly: The Sheep That Changed the World – Tuesday, BBC Scotland, 10pm

In 1997, scientists in Scotland created the first ever clone of an adult animal. This major breakthrough made headline news around the world and sparked an often incendiary debate.

Told via contributions from the pioneering lab-dwellers themselves, this documentary traces their process while investigating the aftermath. The genetically-engineered birth of Dolly proved controversial; critics rang alarm bells about its potentially terrifying repercussions. 

Needless to say, the boffins weren’t mad scientists hell-bent on creating a master race. Their work was geared towards helping people with genetic disorders such as cystic fibrosis and Parkinson’s. 

My only criticism of this otherwise revealing programme is its chortling treatment of animal rights activists, which comes across as cheap and unnecessary. 

Paul O’Grady: For the Love of Dogs – Wednesday, Channel 4, 8pm

One gets the impression that O’Grady – officially TV’s kindest human – would gladly host this long-running series exclusively for the rest of his professional life. No wonder, it’s a dream gig. 

During this week’s visit to Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, O’Grady meets a Shih Tzu puppy called Daisy who is in urgent need of delicate liver surgery. The other stars of the show are Marley and Maisy, an unusually timid pair of tiny Chihuahuas who are going through the gradual process of being socialised, and the lovably large and boisterous Lizzie; in many ways the ultimate dog. 

As always, there’s no need to worry: nothing bad ever happens in O’Grady’s canine wonderland. Happy tail-wagging endings abound.

Lindisfarne’s Geordie Genius: The Alan Hull Story – Friday, BBC Four, 9pm

We’ve all heard of 1970s folk-rockers Lindisfarne, but what do we know of the man who shaped their earthy, lyrical sound? Alan Hull died in 1995 at the tragically young age of 50. This illuminating documentary gives him his due. 

Hull comes across as quick-witted, charismatic and exceptionally talented; a working-class poet with dedicated socialist principles. Fellow Geordie Sting describes him as “our Bob Dylan”, which is apt enough, but he strikes me as more of a Tyneside Ray Davies. 

The programme doesn’t shy away from the fact that he was a mercurial heavy-drinker, but he was clearly an endearing character. I guarantee that this labour of love will encourage you to dig deeper into his work.

LAST WEEK’S TV

The Lakes with Simon Reeve – Sunday 14th November, BBC Two

Reeve’s latest series takes place in and around The Lake District, England’s largest national park. As a presenter, this seasoned traveller is defined by his concern for people and their surroundings. He’s a wise and considerate soul. 

In episode one he highlighted various environmental and social issues, the underlying theme being the sustainability of life for those people who live and work there all year 'round; his dig at wealthy visitors and second homeowners wasn’t belaboured, it fed naturally into his overall point about preserving traditional ways of life while welcoming progress to a certain practical extent. 

Reeve knows how to get his compassionate political points across within the confines of an ostensibly cosy BBC travelogue. A neat trick.

Scotland’s Best Dog – Thursday 18th November, BBC Scotland

Proud owner of the greatest title in television history, this delightful new series is simplicity incarnate. It’s a low-stakes competition in which dogs are encouraged to complete a series of benign challenges. They aren’t placed under any pressure at all, nor are their adoring human cohabiters. 

The series, which is filmed in a Perthshire park, is basically the anti-Crufts. It has nothing to do with pedigree, grooming or deportment; there’s no show dog elitism here, folks. These are pooches for the many, not for the few. 

It also contains some handy advice on how to maintain their health and happiness. What’s not to like? It’s a splendid piece of relatively cheap and irresistibly cheerful family entertainment.

MIRIAM & ALAN: LOST IN SCOTLAND + WORZEL GUMMIDGE + DOCTOR WHO

This article was originally published in The Courier on 13th November 2021.

NEXT WEEK’S TV

Miriam & Alan: Lost in Scotland – Tuesday, Channel 4, 9:15pm

This new series involves Miriam Margolyes - whose father was Glaswegian - and Alan Cumming driving around Scotland in a campervan. Sounds like fun? Well yes, for the most part it is, but episode one features a saddening sequence in which Cumming revisits his childhood home in rural Tayside. 

His father was an abusive tyrant; watching his otherwise sunny demeanour fade as the awful memories come flooding back feels like a private moment we perhaps shouldn’t be intruding upon. But I understand why Cumming felt the need to share it. Their encounter with old pal Bill Paterson in the beautiful village of Fordyce is also rather bittersweet. 

There are some amusing moments too, though, I assure you.

Dispatches: Did Brexit Work for Business? – Monday, Channel 4, 8:30pm

The latest epistle from Channel 4’s long-running current affairs strand examines Brexit’s impact so far on the fortunes of British businesses. Reporter Harry Wallop strikes an irritatingly arch tone, as if it’s all a big joke, but if you can ignore that – good luck - the programme makes a sobering stats-heavy point. 

It’s based on an exclusive survey and some independent analysis (which factored in the effects of the pandemic). 635 small and medium-sized businesses were polled. Nearly half of them declared that they’re now doing significantly less overseas trade than before. Some of them have stopped trading with the EU entirely. 

They’re wandering through a bureaucratic minefield, an import/export shambles. Who would’ve thought?

The Outlaws – Monday, BBC One, 11:20pm

Worlds continue to collide in the fourth episode of Stephen Merchant’s good-natured comedy drama. This week, the community service gang’s accidentally appropriated drug loot needs to be discreetly laundered, and hapless lawyer Greg (Merchant) is the very man for the job. 

This leads to an amusing scene in which he has to pretend he’s familiar with the Twilight saga (it all makes sense in context). 

The Outlaws is occasionally quite contrived, but it’s also sweet, funny and sincere. The characters are engaging, the storyline is solid, and I admire the assured way in which it balances comedy and drama without any whiplash shifts in tone. Ricky Gervais could learn a lot from his erstwhile comedy partner. But he won't.

DIY SOS: The Big Build Children in Need Special – Tuesday, BBC One, 9pm

A Hull-based charity funded by Children in Need, the St Michael’s Youth Project provides social opportunities for thousands of local kids. An admirable endeavour. Its latest expansion plan involves a countryside campsite and adventure playground; so who better than the DIY SOS team to bring that dream to fruition? 

Regular host Nick Knowles was too busy with other work commitments to take part in this very special episode, but emergency guest presenter Rhod Gilbert is an amiable temp. 

A particularly compassionate and politically-pointed episode, it conveys an important message about poverty. No one should be starving in Britain today; a shameful state of affairs. It is, would you believe, a quietly forthright plea for change.

Between the Covers – Wednesday, BBC Two, 7:30pm

An informal weekly book club, Between the Covers is a pleasant distraction. Hosted by the ever-so-likeable Sara Cox – an entirely natural broadcaster who, one suspects, is just as they appear to be on screen – it polls the opinions of various fiction-steeped celebs. 

This week’s line-up: comic actor John Thomson, cheerfully sentient toffee apple and Saturday Kitchen booze expert Olly Smith, plus two excellent comedians, Fern Brady and Lou Sanders. 

Books under review include new releases The Bookshop by Penelope Fitzgerald and The Coward by Jared McGinnis. Brady also recommends one of her favourites, Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit by Jeanette Winterson, while Smith waxes lyrical about the novelisation of Ghostbusters.

Children in Need 2021 – Friday, BBC One, 7pm

Highlights of this year’s telethon include: a special teddy bear-based instalment of The Repair Shop; BBC News and sport journalists playing a round or two of I Can See Your Voice; Team GB and Paralympics GB competing in a school sports day; and CBBC presenters Sam and Mark taking on Danny Dyer's wonderfully ludicrous gameshow, The Wall. 

Dyer will hopefully pause proceedings to blearily demand some viewer donations: “Give the kiddies some readies, you muppets!” 

Your hosts for the evening are Ade Adepitan, Mel Giedroyc, Graham Norton, Chris Ramsey and Alex Scott. A charitable celeb-based edition of University Challenge unfolds on BBC Two at 10pm, and the benign ghost of Terry Wogan haunts proceedings throughout.

Griff’s Great New Zealand Adventure – Friday, STV, 8pm

The very definition of avuncular, Griff Rhys Jones is one of the imperial doyens of celebrity travelogues. Yes, it’s an overstocked market, but Griff is particularly good at This Sort of Thing. He’s funny, charming and inquisitive. 

In episode one of his latest odyssey, he surfs down some sand dunes, checks into New Zealand’s oldest hotel, bakes a haphazard kiwi pavlova, and marvels at some striking contemporary art dotted throughout a verdant private farm populated by giraffes. 

He also learns about some traditional Maori customs and, err, sings God Save the Queen with a sensational indigenous choir. That’s a slightly awkward moment, but clearly well-intentioned. It’s a culturally sensitive and respectful programme; a nice vicarious vacation.

LAST WEEK’S TV

Worzel Gummidge – Saturday 6th November, BBC One

What a magical piece of television this is. Writer/director/star Mackenzie Crook’s fresh adaptation of the Worzel Gummidge saga has, since 2019, become a yearly treat: a bucolic, summery balm during our deep winter depression. 

The latest episode featured Crook’s old Detectorists cohort Toby Jones in multiple roles, if only to prove that you literally can’t have enough of Toby Jones. That other indispensable character actor, Paul Kaye, also burned brightly (sorry) as an affable if somewhat petulant Guy Fawkes effigy. 

This is bona fide family entertainment: it’s warm, witty, slightly unsettling in its whimsically folk horrific way, and entirely bereft of cynicism. Crook's Gummidge is an ugly/beautiful triumph. Look out for two more episodes over Christmas. 

Doctor Who – Sunday 7th November, BBC One

Episode two of Chris Chibnall’s (more or less) final lap was a pleasingly straightforward affair. Time has gone haywire, hence why the Sontarans are involved in the Crimean War, but Chibnall didn’t get too bogged down in whatever his overarching plan is. 

He delivered a traditional adventure yarn in which Jodie Whittaker’s Doctor was actually allowed to show some gumption and moral fibre for once; Chibnall, inexplicably, usually writes the 13^th Doctor as a bemused passenger in her own show. 

I have little faith in his ability to tie this serial together in a satisfying way, but that hopefully doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things. Russell T. Davies will be back soon enough. So far, so fun.