Crime thriller Traces will be shown on BBC 1 early in 2021 (ie 4 Jan – 10 Jan). It promises an engaging story line set in Dundee Traces is based on an original idea by best-selling crime writer Val McDermid (Wire In The Blood), written by Amelia Bullmore (Scott & Bailey, This Life) and set in … >
Jack Dee and Claire Skinner will lead the cast of Power Monkeys, a new scripted comedy that will be made and aired in one day. Andy Hamilton and Guy Jenkin (Outnumbered, Drop the Dead Donkey) return to Channel 4 following the success of their 2015 election comedy Ballot Monkeys. Power Monkeys will lampoon the fictional communications and social media ‘experts’ on both … >
Scott and Bailey returns to ITV this April for a three-part special featuring a single crime. Suranne Jones and Lesley Sharp return to the roles of super cool Janet Scott and her hotheaded partner Rachel Bailey. > Buy the complete Season 1-4 box set on Amazon. With D.C.I. Gill Murray in retirement, ever-ambitious Rachel (Suranne … >
Happy Valley is one of the best television programmes ever made. We always knew that following up the first season of Sally Wainwright’s impeccable series was going to be a tall order, but over the last six weeks we have been pushed through a gamut of emotions that has equalled anything the first year could … >
Sarah Lancashire (Last Tango In Halifax) returns as police sergeant Catherine Cawood in the new season of BBC One’s Happy Valley. As Season 2 opens, we join Catherine, the altruistic and forthright police sergeant who is back heading up her team of dedicated police officers in The Calder Valley in West Yorkshire. Tommy Lee Royce … >
Poor Darryl isn’t so poor after all! Yet again, Sally Wainwright’s immaculately written series has pulled out another stonker of an episode. When looking back over an episode to review it we realise just how much is crammed in, yet in such an effortless ‘nothing is really happening’ kind of way. So let’s start with … >
“Nothing is illegal. That’s just a word people use to control other people.” We’re convinced that Tommy Lee Royce may be one of the best television villains ever created. The first season showed us his brutally sadistic side and this year, castrated in a prison cell, his only tools are manipulative words and his Scottish … >
This week’s episode opened a fortnight on from the events of last week, with Catherine sat opposite a therapist being asked to recap what had led to her being in the session. We could happily watch an entire episode of just Sarah Lancashire’s character being dissected in an attempt to better understand her (what a … >
Well, that’s a shame – Vicky didn’t last long… It’s the day of two matriarchal funerals: the passing of Ann’s much-loved mother and colleague of Clare who was battling cancer during her daughter’s kidnap last season contrasts cleverly with Tommy Lee Royce’s murdered mummy. Whilst the Gallaghers have a full and joyous turnout, Royce only … >
Wow. What have we just witnessed? For the next six weeks we’ll be reviewing the sophomore season of BBC One’s least accurately titled drama, Happy Valley. We’re going to assume that you’ve already seen it (the first season was on top of many people’s list of top telly back in 2014), but if you haven’t … >