The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
SNACKMASTERS
MOTHERLAND
Monday, BBC Two, 10pm
The first series of this sitcom about the stressful lives of comfortably middleclass metropolitan mothers clearly struck a chord with its target audience.
All very “first world problems”, yes, but it’s not as if the writing team, which includes Sharon Horgan, don’t realise that. (Father Ted co-creator and, shall we say, controversial gender rights activist Graham Linehan is no longer involved with the show).
As series two begins, tired cynic Julia (the excellent Anna Maxwell Martin) immediately takes against her annoyingly happy, confident, successful new neighbour.
As before, Julia’s deadpan best friend (Diane Morgan, aka Philomena Cunk) gets all the best lines, but she’s not the only selling point. Motherland is a sharp, witty, well-observed farce. Tuesday, Channel 4, 9.15pm
These are sharply divided and dangerous times but at least there’s one thing we can all agree on – pickled onion Monster Munch is the apotheosis of human achievement.
Maitre d’ Fred from First Dates agrees. The savoury Monster blew his mind and taste-buds during a teenage Anglofrench exchange trip.
That’s why he’s challenged some Michelin-starred chefs to unlock the mysteries of this magnificent puffy snack in their kitchens. Can they create their own perfect replica?
I’m all for utterly pointless TV shows, just as long as no one gets maimed or shamed in the process. Snackmasters is magnificent, a knowingly silly, harmless confection in which the participants embrace their mission with amusing faux seriousness/borderline sincerity.
THE CHANNEL TUNNEL: LIFE ON THE INSIDE
Wednesday, BBC Two, 7.30pm
The Channel Tunnel will probably be bricked up and abandoned by the time you read this, so let us remember it in happier, simpler times.
This jaunty series observes the daily comings and goings at the world’s busiest railway system. It grants insight into the intricate duties of staff members such as a 25-year-old train driver who was a mere babe in arms when this proud symbol of European unity was opened in 1994.
We also witness the cheering sight of massive lorry jams caused by stockpiling panic in the days leading up to the original Brexit deadline.
Meanwhile, Eurotunnel’s British director of public affairs meets the media to declare that everything is going to be absolutely fine.