Episode 2 of Dickensian is also the second Boxing Day instalment of EastEnders writer Tony Jordan’s new 20-part period drama. But while you’re probably polishing off the first of many, many meals involving increasingly obscure scraps of turkey meat, the good people inside your TV are celebrating Christmas Day. ‘God bless us, every one’ is … >
Bravo, Mr. Fellowes—you got it all right! The episode opens on an idyllic summer afternoon. Henry Talbot is struggling to find his place at Downton. Charlie’s death has put him off racing. Lady Edith announces her decision to live a spinster’s life in London with Marigold. Lady Mary orchestrates a surprise meeting between a remorseful … >
Picking things up after the more heartbreaking and downbeat end to its fourth season, Call the Midwife returns to BBC One for its annual Christmas special. Like last year’s festive instalment, and many other episodes of the show, it juggles a significant number of storylines. There are probably about five separately identifiable intersecting strands to the episode’s plot, … >
Gallifrey may be back, but the last thing The Doctor would want is to be at home for the holidays. So where is he? The planet is Mendorax Dellora. The year is 5343. The Christmas ad on TV is probably an elderly Ice Warrior sitting on the moon of Phobos as a younger member of … >
In the final instalment of ITV’s three-part thriller, the tension and excitement is really ramped up as Murdoch is forced to escape police custody and pair up with Jules one final time in order to find his kidnapped daughter, Lucy. “Murdoch’s not a criminal. He’s done what he’s done under duress.” Life on Mars star … >
Dr Jekyll meets Ms Hyde this week in a tantalising run-up to next weekend’s double-bill finale. After a run of more original monsters-of-the-week drawn from mostly British legend (e.g. the Black Shuck and Spring-Heeled Jack), I was a bit dismayed, upon seeing the tease at the end of last week’s episode, that the series was … >
Marley was dead, to begin with. Oh wait, no he’s not. What the Dickens?! He’s standing right there, on the steps of his and Ebenezer Scrooge’s money-lending business. Contrary to what you may have read in A Christmas Carol, Jacob Marley is very much alive here, and being played by Peter Firth (Spooks) wearing a … >
Jonathan Ross hosts an hour-long celebration of Downton Abbey that culminates in Julie Walters’ presentation of a BAFTA Special Award to the show that has become a world-wide phenomenon. The prevailing sentiment of every cast member interviewed is surprise at the show’s unprecedented success and profound gratitude to have been part of it. Respect for … >
Although this fourth run of Luther is criminally short, no one could accuse writer Neil Cross of stinting on content. Last week’s first episode was a mind-boggling rush of introductions, deaths, departures and returns that saw DCI John Luther’s perennial love interest Alice Morgan murdered off-screen, new arrival Theo Bloom blown up on-screen and the … >
If there’s one thing sassmaster archaeologist River Song likes, it’s being married, apparently. This isn’t a spoiler, because this year’s charming Doctor Who Christmas caper is titled ‘The Husbands of River Song’. You can extrapolate from this that at least one will be present or alluded to in the episode: the Doctor is one, obviously, … >