Back after the Bank Holiday, and with her spiel at the Edinburgh Festival fresh in everyone’s minds decrying the state of British television, Don’t Get Me Started (Tuesday, 7.15pm, Five) gives Selina Scott a wider audience for her views. Is TV really that bad? Probably, but from the former presenter of The Clothes Show, Ms Scott may be standing in a glass house on this one.
As a rebuke to Scott’s opinion piece, the concluding episode of Murphy’s Law (Tuesday 9pm, BBC1) shows that drama is not tired or samey. Yes, this is a cop show of sorts, but it’s brutal and dirty and gives Jimmy Nesbitt something meaty to get his teeth in to show he’s more than the Irish scamp with the twinkle in his eyes. This three-part story has done the business, and TV Today is certainly hoping for more from Colin Bateman’s undercover ‘tec.
You may have discovered this over the barren weekend, but BBC4’s British Spies season is bearing lots of fruit, including a repeat of the excellent Cambridge Spies (Tuesday 11pm, BBC4). Tonight, though, you can catch Timeshift: Spy Stories, which seeks to examine the rich history of fictional spying antics, and how these characters relate to the real world of espionage. Brilliant stuff.
One former fictional spy, ex-Spooks actor David Oyelowo stars in the challenging Shoot the Messenger (Wednesday 9pm, BBC2) as teacher Joseph Pascale, a teacher who acts for the best intentions to protect the black pupils under his care from a life of crime. But when he is sacked after being accused of assault by a pupil, he starts to descend into madness. This zips along with pace, the direction is clever and fluid, and poses some interesting questions on how a black person might perceive his own people.
And will wonders never cease? Somebody gave a former Hollyoaks actress some work! Jodi Albert headlines new Five comedy Respectable (Wednesday 10.30pm, Five) about a group of women working in a brothel… You never know, there might just be comedy gold in them there hills down Five way.
And after the terrible week its just had, Square Eyes feels duty bound to recommend the under threat Bad Girls (Thursday 9pm, ITV1). It’s still damn good entertainment, and with a storyline that centres round a Prison Idol competition while Pat is trying to hide the body she dumped in the spin dryer, you know there’s still life in this old warhorse yet. One more series, please!
Oh, and there’s mud wrestling in Emmerdale (Thursday 7pm, ITV1). And it’s Katie and Jo, getting down and dirty over Andy. Is there any chance this could be an hour-long episode up against EastEnders? Expect the usual ratings stories from the red tops come Friday morning.
And after C4 was crowned Channel of the Year at Edinburgh, the triumphant channel unveils its new signing and awards Charlotte Church her own chat show, imaginatively titled The Charlotte Church Show (Friday 10pm, C4). Will it be Parky all the way for the Welsh temptress, or will it all go a bit Davina? Nobody knows, and that’s the fun part! She can certainly talk for Wales, so no worries on that front, but has she got what it takes to go the distance?
If some Church worship doesn’t do it for you, The Sharon Osbourne Show (Tuesday-Friday 5pm, ITV1) might be more your cup of tea, and ITV might just have found the long-sought replacement for Paul O’Grady. Again, Mrs O likes to chat, and with a promise that Ozzy might pop in from time to time, this could have what it takes. But when Chico is turning up as a musical guest later in the week, perhaps not…
Please do a review on Neighbours,
The 5000th episode will be shown soon in the UK!