It is 1984, and the murder of 15 year old schoolgirl Lynda Mann is all over the Leicestershire news. Her parents are making painfully heartfelt pleas for anybody with information to come forward. The police are convinced the murderer is local to the area – and that he will strike again. Their fears are confirmed … >
There’s a party going on. The kind of function where the adults are dysfunctional beside a sad little barbeque and the kids get their game on in the front room. Della is keen that the family get out there and socialise because, as she notes, lying on top of someone doesn’t count as socialising – … >
If the healthy, 6 million+ ratings are any indication, many on sofa-patrol on a Sunday night want a piece of Poldark. And if the tweets from BBC One’s #AskAidan event last Sunday are any indication, many also want a piece of the eponymous hero when he has his shirt off. Can’t blame you. I’m basically … >
If you find yourself struggling for breath after watching the first episode of Thunderbirds Are Go, ITV’s new take on Gerry Anderson’s seminal TV masterpiece, then it’s understandable. If anything, it’s the sort of TV show that should come with health warnings at the beginning. Not because it’s bad. Far from it even! Thunderbirds Are … >
After a somewhat frustrating wait, this week’s episode finally delivered some of the drama and tension that previous instalments have only hinted at, and yet three dimensional characterisation and a sense of consequence were still vexingly absent. The episode opened with Freeman contemplating his new life in the pay of the Governor. His fellow convicts … >
People complain about telly not being nearly as good as it used to be. Annoyingly, those sort of people are exactly the type who probably aren’t taking a chance on this anthology programme in the style of Tales of the Unexpected and Comedy Playhouse, which is not only as good as telly used to be, … >
There’s a heatwave going on, and cousin Cathy is coming over to visit. Della doesn’t have the good china to dig out, but the guest does get to have a can of fizzy coke, a privilege not awarded to the rest of the family. Cathy is immediately funny and interesting (‘She’s had experience of life … >
This week’s installment of Danny Brocklehurst’s Ordinary Lies lets another former Rover’s barmaid show off her acting chops. Sally Lindsay is delicious as Kathy, the busy-body of the motoring world with a secret double life. On the surface Kathy is the dog loving, cardigan wearing, listening at the door with a glass, type of receptionist. … >
Six episodes in to Critical, and we’re getting used to the format of Sky’s new medical drama. A patient arrives, probably with breathing difficulties; there’s a period of jargon-led assessment; via a detour to the CT department we move to theatre; and ultimately the patient will be opened up, at which point cue graphic detail … >
It’s odd, the boxes we put people in. Joe Pasquale is generally thought of as a squeaky-voiced light entertainment performer, Todd Carty is often considered a depressed barrow boy (or an overly cheerful school kid, depending on your age), and Monty Python is regarded as the summit of all sketch shows. It’s this last that’s … >