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Save Me, Sky Atlantic review - it's grim down south

Adam Sweeting Thursday, 01 March 2018

Workrate of the Week award goes to Lennie James, who not only stars in this new six-part drama but wrote and executive-produced it as well. James (who starred in the first series of Line of Duty, and has hit it big in The Walking Dead) plays the central character Nelly Rowe, a wily chancer living on a Deptford council estate who suddenly finds his chequered past catching up with him.

Marcella, Series 2, ITV review - more twisted tales of detection

Adam Sweeting Tuesday, 27 February 2018

Marcella’s writer Hans Rosenfeldt was the creator of Scandi classic TV drama The Bridge, the one that made detectives with emotional disorders the flavour du jour, but you do have to wonder what kind of police force would continue to employ DS Marcella Backland (Anna Friel).

Working with Weinstein, Channel 4 review - portrait of a predator

Saskia Baron Wednesday, 21 February 2018

While this well-crafted documentary chose to open with footage of the stars and glitz of the American awards ceremonies, the focus of Working with Weinstein (Channel 4) was almost entirely on Harvey Weinstein’s involvement over more than 30 years in...

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Mum, BBC Two, series 2 review - Lesley Manville is a discreet delight

Jasper Rees Wednesday, 21 February 2018

This week brings a tale of two comedies. Both half-hour sitcoms are about widowed mothers with grown-up sons still at home. Each woman has an unattached admirer. Both shows star fine comic actresses who learned much of their craft in the films of Mike Leigh. And the new series started two days apart. On BBC One was Hold the Sunset.

Hold the Sunset, BBC One, review - this is an ex-sitcom

Jasper Rees Monday, 19 February 2018

You need to be of a certain vintage to have any memory of the traditional suburban family sitcom. Like the Raleigh Chopper and the Betamax video, like amateur athletics and glamrock and key parties, it is an extinct cultural artefact. What did for it? The internet, mainly, and the kids not watching scheduled telly any more, and maybe the rise of stand-up.

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Troy: Fall of a City, BBC One review - soapification of the Trojan War

Adam Sweeting Sunday, 18 February 2018

The plan to bring drama back to Saturday nights on BBC One enjoyed mixed success with Hard Sun, but now threatens to slide over a cliff with this trip back to the Homeric era. In the era of Game of Thrones and now Britannia, you can see why somebody fancied having a go at the swords-sandals-and-sorcery of the Trojan War. The question is, how?

Trauma, ITV, review - surgically imprecise revenge drama

Jasper Rees Thursday, 15 February 2018

When you’re hot, you’re hot.

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Collateral, BBC Two review - a lecture or a drama?

Adam Sweeting Thursday, 15 February 2018

It says something about the state of television that sooner or later every actor has to play a cop or a spy.

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McMafia, Series finale, BBC One review - the last bite is the cruellest

Tom Birchenough Monday, 12 February 2018

McMafia has taught us to recognise one thing – you might call it the “Norton stride”. As the charismatic Alex Godman, James Norton has been advancing, confidently at screen centre, towards one challenge after another, and they have been coming (mildly put) from all sorts of unexpected quarters. He’s dealt with everything by pressing onwards, ignoring advice from all and sundry.