With the return of Waking the Dead this week we had a two-parter that transformed the usual impenetrable veil of plot into a rock hard enamel shell of insanity. That’s part of the fun with Waking the Dead, up to a point, but this week’s was a hard stretch, even for this hardened fan.
What does remain intact, thankfully, is the always-engaging performance from Trevor Eve. DS Peter Boyd is unpredictable, he shouts randomly for no readily apparent reason, treats his team abominably and is frequently on the verge of being sacked by his superiors. But, and this is according to a very detailed research program created by myself (i.e. I asked the missus), he’s quite sexy.
I hadn’t really thought about the talented Mr Eve quite like that, but I can, in that blokey way we have, see where she’s coming from. He’s nicely turned out, has a neatly trimmed beard, and probably runs a few times a week. I can’t imagine anybody finding him foxy back in the late 70s, when a battered suit, dodgy tache and bad haircut gave Eve a sort of down at heel lack of sexiness in smash-hit Shoestring. Is that what we call growing into your looks?
But have I been missing the obvious all these years? This week also sees the return of Judge John Deed, with Martin Shaw, another refugee from 70s style and fashion. When driving around in a Capri, he wasn’t called the “bionic gollywog” for nothing. Again, ladies of my association tell me quite reliably that, even more so today, he’s a bit hot.
My sister-in-law is mad for CSI’s Gil Grissom and Horatio Caine. A colleague is transfixed by Neighbours legend Karl Kennedy (aka Alan Fletcher, practically Oz’s answer to The Hoff). The list goes on – Patrick Stewart, Robert Powell (looks great in a smock), Ken Stott, Bill Nighy, Nathaniel Parker, the scenery chewing power of Spooks’ Peter Firth… It’s probably no coincidence that for many years, the two most popular actors on ITV were John Thaw and David Jason.
Should our drama producers be looking to our distinguished elder statesman actors to occupy the big star vehicles? A few years ago, I interviewed one Russell T Davies on the publicity trail for the much-maligned Bob and Rose, back when Doctor Who wasn’t even a glint in Jane Tranter’s canny eye. Knowing even then Davies’s penchant for a certain Time Lord based series, I ventured the question that, should he ever be in a position to produce Doctor Who, who would he cast. An enthusiastic response came up with the name George Irving, at that time playing Holby City’s original ball busting consultant, Anton Meyer. He pointed out the success of ITV’s big senior stars, and said the Beeb would be mad if it didn’t sign Irving up to his own vehicle.
Of course, the reality of what happened when Doctor Who came back is well known. Irving’s name was thrown about as a hypothetical, and long before the reality of a punishing nine-month schedule that mostly involved the lead actor running for much of that time. One only wonders what state Bill Nighy would be in had they gone down that route.
But, drama producers pay heed! Distinguished is sexy, and don’t forget that!
