Belfast boy follows the line of duty to another cop series
THE CHANCES of Adrian Dunbar not fronting a major TV drama after his Line of Duty Super Ted Hastings success were as likely as Edinburgh’s bins being emptied over the Festival period.
The Belfast boy is box office. His acting on the Jed Mercurioscripted drama confirmed he was comfortable playing a commanding figure who could switch to deeply uncomfortable. He could be convulsed – and yet vulnerable.
Now, he’s been rewarded with Ridley (STV, Sunday, 8pm), an ex-cop who somehow manages to find himself solving crime puzzles alongside his former protégé, DI Carol Farnham (Bronagh Waugh).
And it should work well for viewers who love their police series’ to feature as many tec’ tropes as a writer can wedge into a script. Alex Ridley’s character notes see him described as ‘not a team player’ (Wallander, Starsky and Hutch, Life on Mars) he plays the piano (as did Wycliffe), he’s grief stricken (Dalgleish, Lewis, Grace), irascible (The Sweeney, Morse, Vera). And, of course, the pensioner/polis convention has long been covered in New Tricks.
Yet, while he may be straight out of the box of Detective Character Outlines, Dunbar’s talent may just pull this plotdriven series through. Let’s just hope however it’s not all plotdriven and Ridley has rather more to do than checking CCTV cameras for last known sightings and playing jazz piano.
Another actor who was a shoo-in to front his own series is Poldark star Aidan Turner. Has any other performer managed to send at least half the nation’s head spinning thanks to a broad hairy chest, brooding eyes and a big heaving scythe?
In The Suspect (STV, Monday, 9pm) Turner keeps his shirt on, but this time around his character is even more moody-broody. Dr Joe is a clinical psychologist, who appears to have the ideal life/wife and a publishing deal.
That makes him perfect to help police profilers when a woman is found in a shallow grave. Is it suicide or murder? But in the process of detailing her character, we are treated to character insight of the psychologist himself. His behaviour is erratic.
But does this explain all that he does, as Dr Joe crosses the line between the dark and the light? Don’t expect another Cracker. This five-parter doesn’t suggest a series that has legs.
And while we’re talking of longevity, The Days That Shook the BBC with David Dimbleby (BBC2, Tuesday, 9pm) looks to be really enticing. And timely?
We are all aware that Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries loves Auntie about as much as she loves the idea of Parliamentary life without Boris. Her antiBBC position is clearer than the current PM’s desk. But by re-covering the Corporation’s moments of crises will Dimbleby be able to head her off at the pass, to imply that the BBC has learned from its mistakes?
In this three-part documentary the presenter re-traces the flashpoints over the years that have left the BBC more than worried.
Dimbleby explores the damage that the Savile and Sachsgate
scandals inflicted upon the broadcaster, which will make uncomfortable viewing for corporation bosses.
The BBC refused Dimbleby’s request to use clips from the Diana Bashir interview, but the veteran presenter has stuck his chin out and argued the BBC’s editorial independence is more important than Prince William’s call to bury the Bashir contrivance.
In another act of boldness, Dimbleby also speaks to former Newsnight producer Meirion Jones who says he was forced out of the BBC after his report exposing Jimmy Savile was pulled by bosses.
This looks to be bold, brave television from the man who can cite 60 years’ experience in the job. And a slap in the face to Nadine Dorries.
The BBC’s programming choices however are being called into question with the special
Have I Got News for Boris, (BBC1, Friday, 9.30pm).
The satirical news show helped boost the profile of Boris Johnson in the years before he became PM, allowing him to play the seemingly shambling journalist.
And he appealed to those who were largely unaware he was a discredited journalist who developed personal chaos as a political tactic.
But a lot has happened since. After all, the PM joked through a pandemic about bodies piled high in their thousands, he laughed off multiple scandals. And he rides a folding bike.
Yet will he be mocked enough? Presenters such as Ian Hyslop will argue “We come to bury, not to praise him.”
However, by giving BoJo air space, is this playing into the hands of the self-styled clown prince of politics – or reminding us of his callous disregard for consequence?
By giving BoJo air space, is this playing into the hands of the self-styled clown prince of politics?