A warning for all those planning their TV viewing this week — criminally, there is no Life on Mars this week. Apparently Reading and Manchester United, having failed to sort out which is the better team, are subjecting us to an FA Cup replay on Tuesday night. LoM returns next week.
The Retreat, BBC2 Monday 9pm
A sequel of sorts to The Monastery. This time round, six people from all walks of life undergo four weeks at an Islamic retreat in Spain. It provides a fascinating insight into the basic religious tenets of Islam, and show that the impression of the religion that recent extremists’ actions have given the world are not necessarily representative of the faith as a whole.
Instinct, ITV1 Monday/Tuesday 9pm
Another week, another two-part crime drama from ITV. Anthony Flanagan, formerly a policeman in Shameless and a murderer in Cracker, jumps back onto the right side of the law this time to play DCI Thomas Flynn. The title comes from Flynn’s intuitive leaps in the course of the investigation — which make the drama play out a little differently to others in the genre, but for me make it a less satisfying plot to follow. Still, I thought Robbie Coltrane’s psychologist, Fitz, was a contrived device in his first Cracker outing, so what do I know?
Celebration, More4 Monday 9pm
Now that he’s retired from playwriting, Celebration will probably now go down in history as Harold Pinter’s last play. This television adaptation pulls in a number of Pinter stalwarts — Michael Gambon, Penelope Wilton, Janie Dee. I can’t help feeling this piece probably works better in its original theatre location, but it’s a tremendous piece of television nonetheless. A Pinter documentary follows — find out more in Liz’s news piece from a few weeks ago.
Shameless, Channel 4 Tuesday 10pm
A feature-length episode, written by series creator Paul Abbott, brings this patchy series of Chatsworth Estate life to a close. I have to admit I’ve found it increasingly easy to turn off Shameless this series — the increasingly prevalent Maguire family being a major cause, and the loss of Dean Lennox Kelly and Maxine Peake being another. Which leads us to…
Confessions of a Diary Secretary, ITV1 Wednesday 9pm
…Maxine Peake, playing the role of secretary Tracey Temple against John Henshaw’s John Prescott. Like More4’s A Very Social Secretary about David Blunkett, this brings out the inherent comedy of the real-life situation without tipping over into all-out farce. The difference here is that, unlike the Blunkett piece’s flights of fancy, a lot of what is portrayed has Temple’s published diaries to back them up.
Grand Designs, Channel 4 Wednesday 9pm
Basically, this is pornography for the homes enthusiast — but at the top end of the scale: the Mapplethorpe to Colin and Justin’s Razzle. Kevin McCloud fronts an extra-long episode that follows a couple as they buy a medieval Yorkshire castle, and face trouble upon trouble in their attempts to turn it into a habitable, exciting home. Possibly the most riveting television of the week.
Kitchen, Five Wednesday/Thursday 9pm
My worry for this, another of Five’s rare original drama commissions, is that it’ll get lost amongst the strong fare on the other terrestrial channels. Which would be a shame, as Eddie Izzard’s turn as a superchef on a downward spiral deserves a wider audience than it will probably get.
Time Team Special: Pugin - The God of Gothic, Channel 4 Thursday 9pm
Augustus Pugin is perhaps best knnown for his Gothic interior design for the Houses of Parliament, but his own house in Ramsgate, which he built and designed, is possibly his greatest work. Amazingly, until the Landmark trust stepped in in 2004, the house was falling derelict and at risk of being destroyed. This special programme, looking at the now-restored architectural masterpiece, should be fascinating — but why is it a Time Team special? It’s unnecessary branding on a documentary which doesn’t really need it.
Reichenbach Falls, BBC Four Thursday 9pm
This Edinburgh detective thriller, featuring a cynical, alcholic policeman and many literary references, is based on an Ian Rankin short story. Just don’t mention the “R” word, okay? Jim Buchan is obviously nothing like Rebus. Actually, this is a superb thriller in its own right, regardless of its origins, and twists aplenty should keep everyone on their toes.
