As someone who grew up watching John Thaw playing the enigmatic Morse, it was always odd to me that ITV decided on a prequel series for his long-serving detective. Yes, you might get an established audience of those who are still mourning the loss of Thaw on our screens, but it was definitely a gamble. … >
It’s okay everyone, it’s a bluff. A good bluff. And a relief, because it felt plausible for something that stupid to happen. The opening gambit of ‘Musketeers Don’t Die Easily’ – that Athos has drunkenly shot D’Artagnan for sleeping with a woman who turned out to be his presumed-dead ex-wife (that old chestnut) – is … >
The one year anniversary of the Churchill Estate fire was always going to be an episode that was packed with drama: revelations being made, secrets being exposed and people dealing with the consequences. However, in what is easily the best episode of The Smoke yet, even I was unprepared for how affecting it would be. … >
Carol Vorderman and Clare Balding battle it out to host the new BBC show Britain’s Tastiest Village as the W1A team realise they may have made slight error when Twitter raises its head. The ramifications from last week’s episode kick us off as the new BBC Head of Values Ian Fletcher, played by Downton Abbey’s … >
Silk took a melodramatic turn when Martha represented former flame Sean McBride, who was on trial for murder. Whether last week’s events left a bitter taste in Martha’s mouth was completely ignored, and she continued to let her heart rule her head. Silk is a TV drama of course, a very entertaining one at that, … >
As the doors to Selfridges close until the show returns next year, the final instalment of Mr Selfridge’s second series had a lot of boxes to tick, tying up loose plot threads but keeping us wanting more. Sherlock star Amanda Abbington as Miss Mardle has been stellar this series, and it’s lovely to see her … >
After last week’s trudge, this week’s Musketeers confidently gets into its stride with the plot thickening along the way. The King is flirting with Charlotte Mellendorf, while her father (reimagined here as a Hanoverian Bobby Ball) talks politics and useful marriage alliances with the Cardinal. Meanwhile the Queen is away bathing in the countryside in … >
It’s a real compliment to those involved in The Smoke that we care as much about these characters and still have so much to learn about them. Lucy Kirkwood, who penned this episode with Daragh Carville (Cherry Bomb) has clearly enjoyed the slow reveal to everyone’s story. Episode 5 manages a fine juggling act, as … >
Series 2 of Line of Duty didn’t just come to a satisfying conclusion, it drew a big line in the sand and dared the rest of TV drama to cross it. Quite right too: good TV should leave a mark, just as it should also leave us speechless. And what is there to say about … >
Tom Hollander and Olivia Colman are back for a third (and possibly final) series of the award-winning Rev, but how does a new addition to their family affect the show? Thankfully, not a jot. In fact, the BBC Two sitcom about a London East End Reverend has only grown with the birth of Adam and … >