This is a really difficult piece to write for TV Today, and I don’t really know where to begin. We pride ourselves in these hallowed corridors that we watch the best TV, slicing through the bluster, spin and episodes of Tittybangbang to bring you the truth behind the telly.
But now I feel I’ve let you down. I had a moment last night that caused me to question everything I know to be true, to doubt my ability to judge between a Life on Mars and a one-off adventure drama for ITV starring Nigel Harman.
Yes, ladies and gentleman, I have something to tell you…
My name is Mark Wright, and I liked The Palace.
Well, I did! Of course, this new eight part ITV “drama” is tosh of the highest grade, and that’s what made it so good. The thing that confused me is that I can’t tell if anybody connected to the production was taking it remotely seriously or if they thought they were making something really important…
I loved all the delicious Machiavellian characters creeping around the corridors of the palace, ready to stab anybody in the back and disappear with a twirl of moustache and swish of cloak. All the performances seemed to hinge on how good the royal family’s private staff were with eye movement and minty looks across rooms. Strangely, this was typified by David Harewood, off of The Vice, who usually provides straight down the line turns of top quality. Here he was positively arch.
The Royals themselves are clearly the most obvious aspect of The Palace, ultimately coming off as very, very dull. I can’t even remember the King’s name. Obviously I’m not tarring Jane Asher with the same brush – she’s possibly the best thing in this. Who can resist a camp Queen Mother who appears in every scene holding a gin and tonic?
As this series goes on (and god forbid it gets a second series, I don’t think even I could take that), the most interesting stuff is going to come from below stairs in the servants quarters (where it seems they play strip poker on a nightly basis. I mean, really…). Obviously, I’m using the word “interesting” here in the loosest sense.
But there’s something utterly irresistible about The Palace. It does have a good cast – Roy Marsden, the fantastic Zoe Telford, Lorcan Cranitch and even a turn from Harriet Walter (who I’m assuming needs to pay for some new double glazing or something).
Most pertinently, this is as far from Heartbeat as it’s possible to get. Are we now seeing the first glimmerings of ITV’s much-talked about repositioning with a younger, sexier audience? It seems that way, and it’s easy to pinpoint the Venn diagram crossover of shared audience between this and Moving Wallpaper/Echo Beach. Will it work? Michael Grade is no doubt on his knees and praying to the share price as we speak. But take heart Mr G, you are indeed offering us something different with these new shows, and that has to be applauded. It’s not high art, but then, it’s not ITV’s job to offer us that.
Unfortunately this has also led to ITV.com offering up yet another bizarre classification for a drama - this time we have “Contemporary”, which is smacking of a certain desperation to look edgy and on trend.
But The Palace – it’s obvious, crass, camp, ludicrous and just a little bit rubbish. I loved it!
You're not the only one Mark - I enjoyed it as well. I bet some of the real-life palace staff are having a good laugh at it.
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