It’s difficult to know why this new serving of Porridge was ever cooked up. The idea of a wisecracking Cockney criminal detained in a 21st century prison with a twitching Scottish disciplinarian warder keeping an eye on him sounds like a rejected sketch from a piss poor comedy series (like, say, The Kevin Bishop Show): … >
Casualty is 30. It’s a truly impressive achievement whichever way you look at it and of course the show decided to celebrate this milestone in the sort of style you could only expect from the world’s longest running medical-drama. Originally devised by Jeremy Brock and Paul Unwin in 1986, Casualty has evolved significantly over the … >
In 1956, one of the most popular shows in the UK made the jump from radio to television and cemented the situation comedy as one of the small screen’s most enduring genres. Hancock’s Half Hour wasn’t the earliest British sitcom, but it was the first to flourish. From the beginning, writers Ray Galton and Alan … >
It’s not easy to make a new TV crime drama stand out from the crowd. BBC One’s new four-part drama One of Us, from the creators of the channel’s 2014 hit The Missing, unfortunately suffers from being a bit like Broadchurch (the effect of a murder being as important as the crime itself) crossed with Shetland (a bleak stormy … >
Across its first 13 episodes, Fear the Walking Dead has continuously struggled to figure out just what kind of show it wants to be, and what aspects of the vast Walking Dead universe it wishes to explore in greater depth. The conclusion to Season 2A saw the show settle on something of an answer by … >
‘Karma’s been restored,’ says contestant Jane at one point, and it’s difficult to disagree. This week, The Great British Bake Off returns, and an exhausted nation falls hungrily on their screens, clutching their iPlayers to their chests, whispering to themselves ‘we’re alright, aren’t we? It’s all going to be alright.’ In savvy recognition of exactly … >
With this four-disc set, Big Finish brings to a close a sequence of stories beginning with the 2012 release The Adventure of the Perfidious Mariner. Over 13 discs (a single release and three box sets), writer Jonathan Barnes has woven a tale grand in concept yet readily accessible. Newcomers to Big Finish’s Sherlock Holmes range needs only … >
In this final episode of the season, Steph hires out the hall at the Maythorpe so that she can host a Ladies Only exotic lingerie party. However, the event becomes a night to remember for all kinds of different reasons, to each of the girls. “Don’t waste your life with someone you don’t love. You’re … >
Dawn and Russell’s wedding provides the backdrop for all the drama of the penultimate Brief Encounters episode. Having a lot of boxes to tick as we hurtle towards next week’s finale, we get high drama, comedy and even a few tears as many of the girls face up to their issues. “She’s worth fighting for, you … >
Fans of Stephen King or even Scooby-Doo will know there is something chilling about seaside resorts out of season. With that in mind, Gwen Copper (Eve Myles) sets out for Talmouth, a seaside town nobody has heard from in days. Is it aliens or something worse? Gwen steps off the train to find out. Guy … >