In December 2010, back when the What We've Been Watching column was in its toddling infancy, I wrote a word or two about the pilot episode of Dirk Gently, BBC Four's adaptation of the Douglas Adams detective series of the same name. The verdict was a tentative thumbs-up back then -- but how's the … [Read more...]
Goodbye Hustle, welcome back Upstairs Downstairs: What We’ve Been Watching
Downton Abbey or no Downton Abbey, BBC One is still the go-to channel when you're on the look out for classy, good-looking primetime dramas. And in the past week, a couple of the most entertaining have graced our screens, as we waved goodbye to the long-con kings of Hustle, and welcomed back the … [Read more...]
Noel Fielding’s Luxury Comedy and Mad Dogs 2: What We’ve Been Watching
Like many, it took me a while to get into The Mighty Boosh, but now I'm one of those people that gets into tetchy arguments while defending it against charges of gross hipsterism. So as a committed fan, I was fascinated to see what Noel Fielding's solo project, Channel 4's Luxury Comedy, would be … [Read more...]
Earthflight, Great Expectations and the Horrible Histories Prom: What We’ve Been Watching
These last couple of weeks have been a real treat, telly-wise. Nick has already taken us through the first episode of Sherlock 2.0 (here), so let's now celebrate a few other gems: BBC One's latest flagship nature programme, Earthflight, the excellent adaptation of Dickens's Great Expectations, and … [Read more...]
Bleak Old Shop of Stuff, Outnumbered and Downton Abbey: What We’ve Been Watching
It's Boxing Day, and that means we're just about halfway through the Radio Times double issue - a good time, then, to take a look back over What We've Been Watching during this first Christmas week... … [Read more...]
Black Mirror and a reality TV catch up: What We’ve Been Watching
So, a pretty and beloved princess has been kidnapped and the only way she'll be returned safely to her royal home is if the Prime Minister has sex with a pig live on television. As premises for a Sunday evening drama go, it's safe to say this is one of the more audacious of 2011. Downton it ain't... … [Read more...]
Frozen Planet and Fast Show Faster – What We’ve Been Watching
Any regular readers of What We've Been Watching will know that I love few things more than a great nature programme, and you don't get much greater than one led by the unimprovable David Attenborough. … [Read more...]
Sky’s new comedy Spy and Strictly Come Dancing: What We’ve Been Watching
I've been burnt many times before, so when a new comedy comes along that looks promising, I've learned not to get too excited. Perhaps it was that trepidation, then, that ultimately enhanced my enjoyment of a new sitcom featuring Green Wing alumnus Darren Boyd and a My Family-free Robert Lindsay... … [Read more...]
Would I Lie To You, Show + Tell and Mock The Week… What We’ve Been Watching
It's not cool to like panel shows, and as a supporter of creative, doesn't-always-work-on-TV comedy, I know I'm meant to complain about the combative, macho atmosphere generated by the likes of Mock The Week. But sometimes, having funny people sitting around being funny is... well, just really … [Read more...]
The return of Downton Abbey: What We’ve Been Watching
The last time we spent time at Downton Abbey, the residents were reeling at the news that war had broken out - an announcement that rather put their squabbles over who would inherit the estate into perspective. For the second series we meet them all two years on, and with most of the men of the … [Read more...]
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