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The South Bank Show: Abi Morgan, Sky Arts 1

Tom Birchenough Thursday, 05 June 2014

It’s been a decade since the television drama Sex Traffic brought writer Abi Morgan into the mainstream. It won an impressive collection of awards, and its tale of international prostitution networks, and their brutality, was as harsh and under-the-skin as they come.

I Wanna Marry 'Harry', ITV2

Adam Sweeting Thursday, 05 June 2014

Great idea. Round up a dozen 20-something American girls whose idea of a royal family is the Kardashians, whisk them off to a stately pile somewhere in the south of England, and put them in a beauty contest to see which one can take the fancy of a bloke who might just be Prince Harry.

Amber, BBC Four/ CSI: Vegas, C5

Veronica Lee Wednesday, 04 June 2014

When Amber (****) was shown earlier this year in Ireland, the crime series created by Rob Cawley and Paul Duane for state broadcaster RTE caused a kerfuffle as (giving nothing away) it didn't follow the usual narrative of teenager-goes-missing-police-miss-clues-and-family-implodes drama.

Comment

D-Day Sacrifice, National Geographic

Adam Sweeting Wednesday, 04 June 2014

With the 70th anniversary of D-Day following hard on the heels of the extensive World War One commemorations, battle fatigue is becoming a very real concern for TV-watchers.

A Very British Airline, BBC Two

Jasper Rees Monday, 02 June 2014

Once upon a time British Airways was our national carrier. It had a theme tune that made you want to go "aah"/croon along/flood your lugholes with liquid strychnine. You knew where you were with BA. Then along came the uppity Euro-oiks from Ryanair and EasyJet, companies that can’t locate a space bar on a keyboard let alone a landing strip anywhere near a city centre, and yet they filched all BA's cattle-class customers.

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Meet the Police Commissioner, Channel 4

Jasper Rees Thursday, 29 May 2014

The Big Society. Not to be confused with other Bigs: the Big Bang, Chill, Sleep, Easy, Lebowski, Fat Greek Wedding, Trouble in Little China etc. History records that David Cameron’s sizeable brainwave vaporised on impact with reality around the time of the last election. Its only visible remnant is the office of Police and Crime Commissioner. This is the new post that anyone – even former deputy PM John Prescott - can stand for without previous knowledge of policing.

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Burning Desire: The Seduction of Smoking, BBC Two

Adam Sweeting Thursday, 29 May 2014

When he's not investigating terrorism and the security services, Peter Taylor can usually be found probing into the tar-dripping innards of the tobacco industry. He's made a string of documentaries about it since the 1970s, as well as writing the book Smoke Ring: The Politics of Tobacco.

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Quirke, BBC One

Andy Plaice Sunday, 25 May 2014

They’re calling it Dublin noir and, on first showing, there’s something very stylish about the BBC’s new three-part drama starring Gabriel Byrne. Pubs and cigarette smoke and long, smouldering looks help the cause. There’s plenty of rain too, and a lot of grey and blue in John Alexander’s film, broken up by flashes of colour and arresting, unusual camera angles.

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From There to Here, BBC One

Adam Sweeting Friday, 23 May 2014

There's a bit of Gene Hunt revisited in Peter Bowker's new three-part drama. Philip Glenister returns to the Manchester stomping grounds he patrolled in Life on Mars, and he even drives an Audi (though it isn't Hunt's celebrated Quattro). But this time he's not a cop.

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The Quite Remarkable David Coleman, BBC One

Veronica Lee Thursday, 22 May 2014

It says something about your status in broadcasting when you inspire not only a Spitting Image puppet, but also have a Private Eye column named after you. Presenter, commentator, interviewer and quizmaster David Coleman, as the title says, really was quite remarkable, a broadcaster as well known as the sportsmen and women whose achievements he commented on for four decades, and celebrated for his distinctive style in front of a microphone.