Ho Ho Ho! Merry Christmas! Comes earlier every year, doesn’t it? It’s been announced that ITV’s Victoria is getting a Christmas special in December 2017, but Poldark is the drama that’s bold enough to bring you Christmas in October, just like all the big shops do. No Christmas trees though, because as history buffs will … >
Eight episodes in, and Victoria still hasn’t invented the Victoria sponge. I suppose the queen has rather more pressing matters on her mind in this episode; namely, the tiny royal growing in her belly, and crackpots at every turn. Not even queens are safe from Those Dudes who simply have no sense for when it’s … >
We’re now getting to the last course, the final furlong – indeed, it’s time for desserts, as we knock out one more baker, clearing another space on the gingham altar in time for the quarter finals. The first task this week is to whip up a roulade in such a way, Mary suggests, that it … >
The adventure comes not a moment too soon this week, with the call to action from Lady Alex (Ophelia Lovibond) helping Hooten (Michael Landes) extricate himself from a sticky situation with a gang of Bolivian mobsters. Summoned to the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan by Penny McQuinn (Joanna Scanlan), the pair are soon on the trail … >
‘To Be Continued…’ That’s the caption that the fourth season of Ripper Street leaves us with. In a lesser show, such a brazen indicator that the story is still incomplete would feel frustrating, robbing the season of any satisfying finality. Thankfully, this season finale does more than enough to justify that ending caption. In fact, … >
It’s been one step forward, one step back for Fear the Walking Dead in Season 2. The second outing for the ‘companion show’ has been sporadically compelling, coming up with some fascinating ideas every now and then, but capitulating all too often to its tendency to opt for tired tropes, delivered at a sluggish pace. … >
The third episode of Red Dwarf’s latest season might be the best so far of the show’s Dave era. In ‘Give and Take’ an encounter with an unhinged, high-tech medi-bot leaves Lister without any kidneys. As Kryten is a mechanoid and Rimmer a hologram, the Cat is the only one capable of donating a kidney … >
The second run of BBC One’s army drama Our Girl ends with a genuinely satisfying mix of emotionally charged drama, suspense and action. “We’re so vulnerable, aren’t we?” This episode really plays on the contrast of good versus evil as its main theme, leading up to a tense but inevitable showdown between Georgie Lane (Michelle Keegan) and … >
Poor, poor Victoria. What an almighty hassle it must be, being such a subject of public scrutiny every time you feel a little barfy in the middle of a music performance – and indeed, the sense of tension and unease is captured beautifully in this episode’s opening scene. Turns out Vic and Bert made babies! … >
We’re going to start at the end this week, and with a warning: be careful what you wish for. A couple of weeks ago, in my Episode 3 review I said this: ‘This is twice in two weeks that we’ve thought someone dead only for them not to be. The next time someone appears to kick … >