Television
Return to success
Nigella Lawson
In all the agonised discussions of the rel- ative watchability of popular TV, it is always taken for granted that ITV has the edge. I admit I am not the ideal consumer the producers have in mind, but I think that premise is mistaken. Challenge Anneka, Casualty, Noel's House Party are all programmes that I don't see ITV beginning to equal, even if here is not quite the place to find sympathy for this view. But take it from me: for what they are, they're unri- valled.
But popular drama is where it's really being slogged out, and here, it is true, ITV is well in the lead at the moment. What this means in effect is that BBC and ITV are turning out programmes which, in terms of the channel they're shown on, are really interchangeable. The fact that someone from ITV came over to shake up the BBC is a contributing factor. Nick Elliott promised to deliver some `stonkers' but not long after issuing this edict, departed. I imagine the two series which have started this week were his babies.
When in doubt turn your mind to past successes. Not that The Vet (BBC1, Sunday 8 p.m.) is quite in the mould of All Crea- tures Great and Small. I am not interested in animals, or the country, so I didn't expect to like this programme. I watched out of duty. Virtue wasn't altogether rewarded, but the programme has its strengths. Women are sexy, as far as TV producers go — and glad to hear it which means that our central character is one Jennifer Holt, recently divorced with a 15 year old son. All this bit I found rather dull and routine, but what was striking and new in the series was the very unidealistic view of the countryside: this is hard graft rather than pretty-pretty. Sean Harris and Adie Allen were excruciatingly convincing as a farmer and his pregnant wife, scrab- bling to make a living. But the writing isn't good enough. Right, we've got animals and medicine, what else? Ah yes: the police. The other new BBC series Out of the Blue (Tuesday BBC1 9.30 p.m.) is a cross between Hill Street Blues, Z Cars and Softly, Softly. Well, the difficulty with cop shows is that they are always a cross between programmes that have been made before. Sometimes the camera work was so hectic that I felt it looked rather like the videos I might pro- duce with a camcorder: jerking from figure to figure, without minding how many obstructions get filmed in the process. But although it was unrelaxing viewing, it worked. Ensemble acting is impressive and the feel is good and gritty. The ultra-real- ism effect is somewhat marred by a sudden Cracker-like episode, but I think the BBC should consider itself to have a success on its hands.
ITV's latest offering is in the form of a medical drama set in Victorian London and with a woman as central character. Three birds with one stone: we mustn't for- get the enduring appeal of a bit of period stuff. Bramwell (Monday ITV, 9 p.m.) is rather better than one might have expect- ed. Dr Quinn, Medicine Woman it isn't not that I mean to disparage that glorious offering. Well, there are lines such as `You're so like your mother — such a shame you never knew her' and ' "They'll never appoint a woman physician, much less a surgeon." "Ah but they will!".' But that's reassuring in a way. The cast is excel- lent — Jemma Redgrave, Robert Hardy, Michelle Dotrice and David Calder — and the plot moves along feistily.
ITV's real gain this week is in the form of Clive James, who's jumped ship. His new series (Sunday ITV 10 p.m.) follows the old format, but as they don't say often enough at the BBC: if it ain't broke don't fix it.
Previous page
