Family Day for the Prisoners' Wives

Family Day has arrived, but we’re quite a way from playing happy families in this week’s edition of Prisoners’ Wives. 

Whilst an awkward truce has been reached between Francesca and Paul, Gemma continues to dig deep, finding the inner strength to continue to hide her betrayal from husband, Steve - though just how successfully remains to be seen. I still can’t quite get my head around Robin Hood as a bad-guy gangster .... it’s one thing to move against stereotype, but I’ve sadly found this casting rather off-putting.

But once again, the highest accolade for this week has to go to the stories of Harriet and Lou, united in the loss of their sons. These especially powerful and moving storylines have, in my opinion, been the undoubted highlight of the series. Whilst Lou is finally reunited with Mason after an emotional plea to social services, unbeknownst to Harriet, her heartfelt gesture only serves to push her own son back into the depths of loneliness and despair, a tragic case of one step forward, two steps back, after his touching excitement at showing her all that he had achieved. 

With next week’s installment bringing the series to a close, it remains to be seen just which, if any, of these families will find their deserved happy ending. From the risk of Gemma’s statement to Lou’s own impending sentence, the jury is most definitely out on how this one will go...

Upstairs Downstairs - The London Perspective

From flirtations to resignations .... it’s all go in Upstairs Downstairs this week, both above and below stairs. Following last week’s slightly chaotic series opener, as we struggled to remember all the various storylines, more than a year later and with very little recap, this week’s episode was definitely back on form. 

 ©BBC 2012

With Lady Persie back in town, it’s only a matter of time before Sir Hallam comes to regret that trip to Berlin, but, at present, all seems well between Hallam and Lady Agnes ... a sweet scene on the roundabout, but we’ve all heard those spoilers about the show’s newest arrival from the States ... 

Meanwhile, an uneasy truce is declared for Doctor Blanche and Mr Amanjit, re-focusing their efforts on a far more worthy cause than Lady Holland’s journals - keep an eye out for Lotte, the young girl taken in by the Hollands at the end of series 1 (again, just a little recap would have been nice!).

Elsewhere, the chemistry of Mr. Pritchard and Mrs. Thackeray may not be that of Hudson and Mrs. Bridges, but I’m loving the banter all the same ... even if it is testing my knowledge of pre-decimal currency!

From its focus on the political events of the day, to the chaotic comings-and-goings both upstairs and downstairs, this series has successfully captured the spirit and character of the original. Far from simply a doopelganger of Downton Abbey, think of this as the London viewpoint, in contrast to the more sedate lifestyle of a grand estate. 

CBBC finds post-watershed slot in new BBC 3 comedy

From romantic comedy, Gavin & Stacey, to cult favourite, Being Human, BBC 3 has evolved into a great breeding ground for new comedy, many moving on to the larger channels and a mainstream audience .... after last night's opening episode, however, I'm not convinced that new teen-comedy, Pramface, is destined to go down as one of the greats ...


Whilst the channel's commissioning website sets the captive audience at 16-34 year-olds, I suspect this latest offering, following the aftermath of a teenage house party (the clue is in the title!) will struggle to find an audience much beyond the younger end of the student population, particularly given the young cast and characters. Whilst clearly post-watershed, the series can't help feeling distinctly more CBBC than BBC 3 ....


Like so many of its predecessors, I'm sure the show is likely to find its cult audience .... but I don't see a move to the mainstream anytime soon .... 

Bring On The Costumes ...

The final episode of 1950s drama series, Call The Midwife, found a greater audience than ever the runaway success of Downton Abbey. With Upstairs Downstairs having just returned for a second series, this is set to be the decade of the 20th Century costume drama, for both the BBC and ITV, with a second series of Call The Midwife due next year, and now it has been announced that old favourite, Foyle's War, is also set to make a welcome return to our screens in 2013, having been cancelled by ITV back in 2007. 

After a multitude of mid-week hospital and forensic series, great though they were, it seems Sunday nights have returned to the mainstream, with the two channels already forming a battleground for ratings  - though I’m not sure a weekend edition of Coronation Street was quite the offering from viewers were hoping for, as can be seen from the BBC’s ratings joy ..

Roll on a wealth of long-over due new Sunday night classics .... though I for one am rather enjoying the ITV3 re-runs of Monarch Of The Glen and Born & Bred. 

All aboard for another term at Waterloo Road ...

Last night saw the return to our screens of the prime-time 'Grange Hill', Waterloo Road .... though for a series which has rather cleverly turned itself into a returning series more or less in line with the actual school terms, this one seems to have started rather late! A good episode, starting up a variety of different story arcs for the series  - but whilst Grantley is predictably up to his usual money-making tricks, I can't help but doubt the feasibility of some of the routes these characters have taken ... 

©BBC 2012

After the cliff-hanger of the last series as Linda took her obsession over head-teacher, Michael, to a whole new level, the fall out was this week resolved with a surprisingly effective who-dunnit, relying on it taking at least half the episode for us to remember that it was in fact Linda, herself, who had been behind-the-wheel. Spare a thought for the long-suffering Mr. Chalk, once again finding himself innocently stuck in the middle ...


This term's running theme appears to be the introduction of gang culture to the school - quite where this has escalated from since the members appear to be long-term pupils is once again unexplained ...  although, could this be the start of the mysterious plot that will lead to the school packing up and heading north for Scotland? Quite how this is going to plan out, given that we're led to believe the new series will maintain both current staff and pupils, I'm intrigued to find out! 


Elsewhere, we learn that Lauren has taken up modeling, a storyline strikingly familiar (will Janeece provide some friendly advice?!) However, whilst Janeece's misadventure was only a matter of time, for Lauren this strikes me as slightly more of out of the blue ... Meanwhile poor Tom is once again in for a rough ride as son, Josh, has discovered drugs - again, slightly out of character! After more than his fair share of trouble, lets hope Finn won't desert his best mate for new girlfriend, Trudi ... tune in next week to find out, if only to try and keep up with the playground gossip!

Prisoners' Wives: Lou's story

Another edition of Prisoners' Wives, this time focusing on the experience of Lou as she struggles to provide for her young son, Mason .... and in my opinion, by far the best of the series so far.


An incredibly hard-hitting, but moving portrayal of a young mother desperately wanting a better life for her son, but caught in a web of criminal activity seemingly impossible to escape from. Whilst I started the series questioning why she had got involved in that world in the first place, I defy anyone not to be moved by Lou's lonely desperation only to be the inevitable prey of the police on her return ... cue a particularly sinister shot of the main dealer hiding in the shadows, watching on as Lou is driven away.

©BBC 2012

Whilst Harriet's attempts at child-minding brought a hilarious touch to what was a rather darker episode this week, the impact of all this on poor Mason was particularly well explored, bringing yet another angle to the series - from realising the truth of his dad's 'workplace' to finding himself alone and afraid, placed in emergency foster care, this episode was as much about the experiences of the prisoner's son as his girlfriend. 


Elsewhere, Gemma continues with her confession to the police - although is it just me, or does that detective appear incredibly mysterious? Could Steve have been set up after all? Meanwhile, Francesca and the kids settle into their new life, whilst Paul is desperate to hold his family together - a far cry from the seemingly inseparable couple of episode one! I might have at long last thrown in the towel when it comes to the depressing existence of Albert Square - but this is certainly filling the gap when it comes to plot twists and melodrama. 

The Bleak Old Shop Of Stuff ....

Alongside the BAFTA winning serials, the enduring worlds of soap operas, and those cheesy family favourites we can’t quite live without, there will also be the odd addition of the just plain bizarre.

But when it comes to BBC 2’s new period offering, The Bleak Old Shop Of Stuff .... I’m not sure bizarre does it justice .... think Carry On for television - or an evening version of old children’s favourite, ZZAP! (remember Yellow Daisy and her balloon?)

A synopsis could be tricky .... I was never entirely sure what was going on ... but despite my increasing reservations as I grew increasingly confused, I couldn’t help but enjoy myself. The jokes are so blatant in their satire that you really don’t need to understand what on earth was going on in this bizarre world around them ...

Intrigued? If you’ve a spare half an hour, I’d recommend a watch on iPlayer - it’ll certainly be the most random thing you watch this week. 

The Con Is Off

Another era has come to end, as on Friday night the gang from Eddie’s bar finally went their separate ways, but not without imparting a few final words of wisdom ....

There really isn’t much that I can say without giving away too many elements of this incredible finale ... As Mickey concludes ... most of us must have thought that one day it would end like this ...

So if you’re somehow yet to see it ... an easy way to look away now - iPlayer ... now!

©BBC 2012

...

For the rest of us - what a masterclass in how to go out on a high ... and with a definite bang!

...

For starters - a great final con, and a teasing opening that really did keep me on the edge of my seat until right to the very end - “Are they really going to finish it like this?!?!” I love that the end of the series was indeed the end of the team and the end of their story - not just another con before they walk off into the sunset to adventures that we’ll never get to see ...

So, after building the suspense still further, the con gets underway ... and a twist that I really didn’t see coming. Having watched the show since the first series, this mysterious dark-haired associate looked strangely familiar ... an old mark perhaps? a fellow grifter? But whilst I didn’t immediately recognise Stacey, I rather enjoyed being stuck in the dark with Sean as the rest of the gang sat in shock. Lesson 1 - a great way to bring back an old lead, leaving space for more attentive viewers to share in the team’s surprise, whilst those of us out of the loop were not left to feel excluded from some sort of in-joke or gossip ...

A quick reference to good old Danny Blue and I was satisfied ... at least they had referenced the character and brought his story up to date. After all, they were hardly going to have been able to talk Marc Warren into finding time to return. I also particularly enjoyed the sweet little interlude between Emma and Mickey - after the will-they-won’t-they of last season, there had been very little reference; but no fear, another thread tied, another box ticked ...

The con continues - complete with what appears to be a rather strange interlude over swimming costumes ... and did Ash really need to measure them all? Surely they already had plenty of outfits ..... or at least this is how it appeared to me .... eight series of mysteries and twists ... will I never learn?! 

Soon enough we’re back on the rooftop ... can things really be about to play out how they appeared at the start? The bullets fire, the team fall, the cash flies ... but we’ve five minutes left, a mark who has won ... and is it just me, or did that blood look just that little bit too convincing ... 

Enter Danny Blue, returned after all! The final box ticked.. the perfect finale!

As a final farewell ... a few parting words of wisdom from the team (give me this over Rip-Off Britain any day!) ... and as the curtain fades, even the magic of television is revealed as the cast head from the bar one final time ... or could it have been just a set all along?

A romantic classic for valentines. In vain they have struggled ... but nothing will ever quite match it

One advantage to my long-overdue sort out of the DVDs has been to remind me of several old favourites I haven't seen for some time ... and with valentines on the horizon, what better choice but that enduring love story set against the majestic views of Pemberley ...


Recent years have seen a vast range of Austen adaptations on both the big and small screens .... but will any ever quite beat that gem of 1995 and Colin Firth's wet shirt ... ? Much as I am fond of Downton Abbey, a blatant attempt to recreate this in Dan Steven's Edward Ferrars (BBC 2008) was never quite the same ...

©BBC 1995

I have always loved this adaptation for exploring Austen's famous novel in so much detail, enabled by the greater length of the series, and for remaining so faithful to the text ... (I recommend the 1995 adaptation to anyone studying Pride and Prejudice and in need of learning quotes ...)


The BBC's adaptation of Emma in 2009 was similarly successful in creating a faithful and detailed tale. However, whilst captivating for a modern audience, there was something lacking in the characterisations of Emma and Mr. Knightley, not least in the close proximity of their ages. Similarly, though I enjoyed the adaptations, none of ITV's offerings have ever been able to capture the imagination in quite the right way ...


In contrast, after nearly 20 years (yes, it was that long ago!!), and varying versions later, the performances of Firth and Jennifer Ehle remain the classic image of Darcy and Elizabeth. The picture quality may be showing its age, but the drama remains a national favourite, with DVDs still on the shelves long after more recent adaptations have been consigned to the back-catalogue ... 


The adaptation itself reads as a who's who of before they were famous ... from a young Julia Sawalha and Emilia Fox, to Lucy Davis, just a couple of hundred years before that office ... and now a future king amongst them. 


As production on the third Bridget Jones film gets underway, I suspect it's popularity will remain for many years to come ... 

Call the ... local nurse and vet?

Another episode of Call the Midwife ... but I’m beginning to wonder whether the series is turning into a vague 1950s cross between Holby City and Animal Hospital, covering everything from leg ulcers to pregnant livestock ...

Whilst all such storylines are dealt with in a sensitive and compassionate manner (and in the case of Fred’s latest venture, undeniably adorable!), each further exploring the world of the nurses, I am left somewhat confused as I had thought that the nurses were employed as midwifes, and that this was a central concept of the series .... had you joined the series last night, I’m not convinced you would have known ... 

Alongside this, the wider relationships continue to develop ... some more successfully than others ... 

A distinctive feature of the series is the moral lesson learnt by Jenny throughout the episode ... although last night’s offering was rather less uplifting ... with the trailer for next weekend’s finale, what started out as a gentle Sunday night drama is at risk of finishing slightly nearer to something resembling a soap opera ... 

Prisoners' Wives continues ... with a late addition to the party ...

So much great drama on at the moment ... it's fantastic!

Last night saw the second episode of new BBC drama Prisoners' Wives, this week focusing on the trials of Francesca as a result of her husband's rising debts, and again bringing out the emotional struggle for both wife and prisoner. The format appears to be developing that each episode will focus primarily on one of the four women, whilst continuing the stories of the other characters alongside - I fear it's only a matter of time before that gun is found ... 

After featuring as a slightly mysterious addition last week, the story of Harriet (from the car!) and her wayward son is now having to play a slightly unsuccessful catch up, when we are already engaged with the other characters. The portrayal of her discomfort at visiting her son, only for him not to appear, was particularly moving, as was the interaction between Harriet and Gemma, but the story still remained on the sidelines in contrast to the characters we have followed from last week. 

I suspect it may be her turn to be the focus next week, so this will hopefully give the character a greater chance to develop; although, without wanting to give too much away ... her storyline does seem to be slightly on the extreme side, and I'm not convinced I'm interested enough in the character to want to follow it ... 

Call The Midwife ... Episode Four

Another heart-warming episode this week .... with a happy ending, but not without its more poignant scenes in-between, portraying another thoughtful account of when life does not always get a happy ending, this time through the eyes of Nurse Cynthia. Meanwhile, I thought that the return of Mary was a particularly good twist that I certainly didn’t see coming ... I was too busy falling for the trap of suspecting that horrid neighbour at the clinic! 

The continued development of the characters’ stories each week has now built this into an enjoyable and relaxing Sunday night drama with ongoing storylines alongside the weekly cases ... a welcome return of what the BBC has always done so well ... think Monarch Of The Glen and Lark Rise To Candleford, together with fellow 1950s drama, Born and Bred. 

The dance scenes this week were particularly entertaining ... once again, 1950s Miranda! Interesting to see the characters of the nuns also starting to be explored .... the softer side of Sister Evangelina is begin to show through, even around Chummy! Though I suspect we may be in for a slightly bumpier ride this weekend, particularly for Jenny ... 

Nostalgic trip down memory lane ...

It might be on CBBC ... but I’m still enjoying this weekly trip down memory lane .... a success for both current kids, and the slightly bigger kids ...

With the exception of Blue Peter (I’ve yet to find anyone who can’t date their generation by their presenters ... bring back Katy, Konnie, Simon & Matt!), there aren’t many shows on children’s television that could be successfully resurrected for not only a new audience, but also the original, and now older, audience as well! 

Now in it’s third, and sadly final, series as Dani Harmer finally hangs up her Dumping Ground shoes, Tracy Beaker Returns follows the new adventures of the Jacqueline Wilson’s famous Tracy Beaker, now returned to the Dumping Ground as a care-worker - along with Cam, Mike, and in a one off cameo next week, her infamous nemisis, Justine Littlewood!

©BBC 2012

As well as its fair share of classic misadventures for the new residents, arising from anything from a power cut to a new computer, the spin-off also focuses on the stories of Tracy and the other care-workers, as well as some of the estranged parents, providing an extra dynamic to the show for its older, nostalgic, audience. Whilst continuing the original show’s success at handling the struggles and disappointments of life at the Dumping Ground (Lilly’s acceptance of her sisters’ new home last week bringing a conclusion to a long-running story arc in the new show), the series also charts the trials faced by an older Tracy Beaker as she makes a mark in the adult world, again adding an extra layer for all us nostalgic viewers and continuing the story of our favourite resident ... 

The series continues Fridays at 5pm, on the CBBC channel until 23rd March.

Prisoners' Wives - Episode One

And another great new drama .... after a slow start, this is shaping up to be an interesting season for television drama!

We are introduced to the world of a prisoner’s wife through the perspective of Gemma, recently married when the police arrive to arrest her husband at gun point for murder ... however, by the end of the first episode I was completely engaged in the storylines of all four of the different wives and their different, but cleverly intertwined, tales ... 

 ©BBC 2012

An interesting twist in casting in that two of the more recognisable actors, Iain Glen (yes, Sir Richard Carlisle is finally behind bars!) and Jonas Armstrong, are in fact only supporting cast to their wives ... I’ll admit I was drawn to the show by Armstrong’s appearance in the trailers, but successfully caught, by the end of the first episode, it’s the stories of the wives that will keep me watching next week.

Call The Midwife ... a.k.a. Miranda - 1950s style...

I’m loving this programme at the moment and am really glad it’s been commissioned for a second series next year .... such brilliant casting - could anyone else pull off the role of Chummy quite as well?! It’s a 1950s ‘Miranda’ prequel!

Looking forward to this week’s episode as some of the wider character arcs start to develop ... 

BBC pulls off a long-awaited adaptation Faulks' 'Birdsong'

Studying both History and English, I particularly enjoyed reading Sebastian Faulks' famous novel ‘Birdsong’ back in Year 13. I remember at the time wondering how long it would be before an adaptation was made for either film or television, and so was excited to hear of the BBC’s two-part adaptation that concluded this weekend. Whilst the first episode left me feeling slightly disappointed, not least by the unnecessary extent of screen time given to the various sex scenes, it is in the second episode that this adaptation truly deserves the critical acclaim it has received!

Throughout both episodes, the adaptation brilliantly captures Faulks' intercutting between the different eras of Wrayford’s life, gradually bringing together the different segments of the story, without descending to the stylistic confusion of ‘Atonement’ (2007). However, the first episode seemed at a times simply an intercutting between two montages of Stephen’s life, without any particularly gripping plot to drive the episode forward ... I confess that I only stuck with it because I had enjoyed the book and was intrigued to see how the adaptation played out ... 

©BBC 2012

Whilst the first episode remains a must-see to set up the characters and various storylines, it is in the second episode that Wraysford’s tale really takes flight, from a wonderfully poignant portrayal of the Somme (the reading of the roll so simple and believable, and yet possibly the best portrayal I have seen), to the resolution of his romance with Isabelle ...

Not wanting to give too much away for those who have not read the novel, suffice to say that having long anticipated an adaptation, I was not left disappointed - except for wishing that this had been produced four years earlier so that I could have made reference to it in my synoptic exam. 

©BBC 2012

However, having refreshed my memory of the novel, I do wonder if a longer adaptation, divided into different segments as in the novel may have avoided the less satisfying montage of the first episodes, as well as allowing for the inclusion of Stephen’s granddaughter, Elizabeth, and the moving exploration of her grandfather’s diaries. 

But for now, roll on Les Misérables ... after his performance as Wraysford, I’m looking forward to seeing Redmayne tackle the role of Marius ... although as is becoming an increasing trend as the cast are announced, I am some what concerned that such a central cast member is not particularly known for his musical theatre ...