You don’t have to love Dougray Scott to enjoy the second series of Crime (ITVX and STV Player), but it saves time. Scott is the best thing in this Edinburgh-set thriller, as he was in the first run.
Otherwise, it’s another cheery tale of sex, drugs, death and madness from Irvine Welsh. DI Ray Lennox (Scott) has returned to work after a breakdown. His sidekick and pal Amanda (Joanna Vanderham) has been promoted and is at war with one of the force’s resident Neanderthals (a straight swap with the Jamie Sives character from last time).
Meanwhile, unit chief Bob Toal (Ken Stott) continues to be magnificently exasperated by the lot of them and dreams of a villa in the Algarve.
Welsh livens the mix with storylines involving transgender characters (one of whom is played by Scott’s son). For the most part, though, we are in familiar territory, starting with Scott’s maverick detective, the umpteenth this decade. What are we on now, number 587?
That’s a potential deal breaker, as is dialogue that skirts dangerously close to cliche at times. But on the upside it’s slickly produced, slicing and dicing locations in Edinburgh and Glasgow, the humour is enjoyably deranged, and there’s that man Scott. Crime: it’s not the new Taggart, that’s for sure.
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Chris Packham: Is it Time to Break the Law? (Channel 4, Wednesday) aired after several interviews had appeared in print asking the same question of the naturalist. As a result we knew the answer - no, not personally - going in, which rather took the air out of the tyres. Or at least I think no was his answer.
After an hour of talking to activists, a climate change sceptic (Peter Lilley, remember him? He’s a Lord now), the bloke who runs Just Stop Oil and others, Packham announced it was time to make up his mind, as though this was the end of a game show. What he seemed to be saying was that yes, it is time to break the law but he won’t be doing it personally because he could not cope with prison. Understandable enough.
The most shocking part of the hour was when Packham visited one of the two activists who stopped the traffic at the Dartford Crossing. Marcus Decker was sentenced to 2 years, seven months. Looking at the prison walls topped with barbed wire was enough to put Packham off the idea of jail. For most people the debate with themselves would have ended there. It is typical of Packham that he should have continued to put himself through the wringer, and he will probably do so again.
Classiest act of the week by far was Picasso: the Beauty and the Beast (BBC2, Thursday). The three-part series opened with the artist’s death in Provence 50 years ago. Paloma, his daughter, found out via the radio. When she went to pay her respects she was barred from entering the house.
That pretty much sets the tone and pattern of what follows as other family members, friends, critics and historians have their say. The Picasso that emerges is both devil and genius, a cruel lover who set out, says one observer, to leave women “damaged goods”. All of this is well-known, and has been covered elsewhere, but the archive used here, and the interviewees, are first rate. Colm Toibin on Picasso anyone?
Who would have thought that when Neighbours (Amazon Freevee, Monday-Thursday) had its big farewell that the Ramsay Street posse would be back again so soon. What’s that you say, Skippy? It was all just a sneaky relaunch ploy gobbled up by a gullible media only too keen to wallow in nostalgia?
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Nobody likes a smartypants, Skippy. Whatever, Neighbours was back and there was a wedding to organise. Adding to the excitement was the arrival of a new family on the street where good neighbours become good friends.
Minute by minute familiar faces came out of the woodwork: Karl and Susan, Toadie, Harold Bishop, Plain Jane Superbrain and Mike (Guy Pearce via video call). Otherwise the place was hoaching with young, starry-eyed sorts hoping to be the next Kylie, Margot Robbie, or indeed Guy Pearce.
The producers have tried to coax Neighbours into the modern age but the attempts were fairly embarrassing. All that slo-mo walking to soft rock. There was even a sex scene, albeit one featuring a woman in a full nightdress and dressing gown combo. Could she have been any more covered up? Why not stick a hat and scarf on her and be done with it?
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A test of any soap is a wedding. Here, they went for a twist that could be seen coming from a mile off.
Dear old Neighbours, always more Acorn Antiques than Dynasty. Many prefer it that way, though can’t say I’ll be back for more. Unless there is one of the descendants of Bouncer the dog padding around, in which case sign me up.
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