Television
Touchstone of humanity
Which character are you in Game of Thrones? For me it’s got to be the imp, Tyrion Lannister. As Ed…
Watching the clock
Whatever worries Kiefer Sutherland may have had about reprising the role of Jack Bauer in 24: Live Another Day (Sky1,…
Cheating history
I was so looking forward to Generation War (BBC2, Saturday) — a three-part drama series covering the second world war…
Tricks of the trade
Television executives must be longing to make a programme about estate agents that casts the agents in a good light.…
Female strength
God bless the BBC. And I’m not being entirely sarcastic here. There are some things the BBC does very well…
Women at war
Sunday nights. What are they for? Eggs. Tea. Toast. Nerves about the week ahead. Something comforting on TV. But comfort…
Bad timing
For me, by far the most surprising revelation in Martin Durkin’s documentary Nigel Farage: Who Are You? (Channel 4, Monday)…
Our island story
A young pretender raises an army to take the throne. Having recently learnt of his father’s beheading, the adolescent —…
Brothers under the skin
One of the stranger things about Eton is its near-total lack of class snobbery. Yes, all right, you still get…
Channel hopping
So BBC3 will be online-only from next autumn. If the Beeb had presented this news as the channel being the…
Winning formula
I’ve got this brilliant idea for a major new cop series. It’s called Chalk and Cheese and, though you won’t…
In pursuit of the Prince
What if Bonnie Prince Charlie, as he swept down from Scotland towards London to lay claim to the throne, hadn’t…
Blind ambition
Half-term again, so naturally all my TV viewing plans have gone out of the window. In some households — my…
Bonjour, Benelux!
So long, Scandinavia. Bonjour, Benelux! BBC4, your subtitle-friendly channel, has filled the hole left by Nordic-noir The Bridge with Belgian…
Untouchable evil
What a vile piece of work Colonel Gaddafi was. For some of you, perhaps, this will be a statement of…
The end of innocence
Why are we so fascinated by the first world war? As its 100th anniversary approaches, we’re already mired in arguments…
One for all
‘Pshaw!’ That was my first reaction to news of the BBC’s new ten-part Sunday night adaptation of The Three Musketeers.…
Losing the plot
You know the holiday season is over when, instead of being torn between The X Factor and Strictly Come Dancing…
Truths and fallacies
Immigration. Were you aware that this has become a bit of a problem these past ten years? I wasn’t, obviously,…
Staying alive
Sherlock’s not dead. A good thing, since on New Year’s Day BBC1 launched its third series of Sherlock, and it’d…
The lady vanishes
Lloyd Evans tries to get a handle on Birgette Hjort Sorensen
Yuletide joy
So I’m looking at the seasonal TV schedules trying to find something — anything — to watch. Britain and the…
Pensioner passion
Does love run out when life runs out? Or does it intensify, touching and changing all around it? Two series…
The people’s champion
Gary Bell is the rudest man in Britain. I have known the bastard for years and no one —move over,…
Who’s who
If I could go back in time, I’d watch Doctor Who from the very first episode. I wasn’t born in…
