Latest reviews

The New Forest Rustlers

The New Forest Rustlers (1966)

The New Forest Rustlers

1960s children's adventure series by Stephen Mogridge, adapted from his own books, which captures the spirit of mid-century British children’s fiction, where ponies gallop, crooks lurk, and the grown-ups never quite believe the kids

Outnumbered

Outnumbered (2007)

Outnumbered

A witty, semi-improvised sitcom that captures the chaos, charm, and everyday absurdity of modern family life, following two overwhelmed parents and their hilariously unpredictable children in suburban West London

Within These Walls

Within These Walls (1974)

Within These Walls

Set within the stark confines of a women's prison, the series broke new ground with its predominantly female cast, offering a compelling portrait of institutional life, where duty, dignity, and personal conflict simmer beneath a veneer of order

The Signalman

The Signalman (1976)

The Signalman

A chilling gem of 1970s British television, The Signalman stands as the finest of the Ghost Story for Christmas series — an atmospheric, psychologically rich adaptation of Dickens that still haunts viewers nearly fifty years on

Grimm

Grimm (2011)

Grimm

Grimm blends police procedural with dark fantasy, weaving folklore and mythology into a modern-day detective drama. Set in Portland, it follows Nick Burkhardt, a homicide cop turned supernatural guardian, navigating a hidden world of monsters and mystery

The Newcomers

The Newcomers (1965)

The Newcomers

Aired between 1965 and 1969, The Newcomers was the BBC's ambitious response to Coronation Street—a socially conscious soap exploring modernisation, class tension, and family upheaval in a fictional East Anglian town facing cultural change

Ballykissangel

Ballykissangel (1996)

Ballykissangel

Ballykissangel follows Father Peter Clifford, a young English priest adjusting to life in a quirky Irish village, where faith, tradition, and romance collide amid pub banter, church duties, and a community full of secrets

The Monocled Mutineer

The Monocled Mutineer (1986)

The Monocled Mutineer

Controversial BBC drama that explores the murky legacy of WWI deserter Percy Toplis, blending gripping storytelling with political provocation — and igniting a fierce national debate in the process

Nirvana in Fire

Nirvana in Fire (2015)

Nirvana in Fire

A sweeping tale of loyalty, sacrifice, and political intrigue, Nirvana in Fire is a masterfully crafted historical drama that has captivated audiences with its emotional depth and intelligent storytelling

Johnny Jarvis

Johnny Jarvis (1983)

Johnny Jarvis

A stark and emotionally resonant drama, Johnny Jarvis captures the struggles of working-class youth in Thatcher-era Britain, charting friendship, disillusionment, and survival in a world offering few second chances

The Mary Whitehouse Experience

The Mary Whitehouse Experience (1990)

The Mary Whitehouse Experience

A ground-breaking blend of satire, surrealism, and 90s edge, The Mary Whitehouse Experience redefined British sketch comedy and launched four major comedy careers in a riot of wit and irreverence

Stepping Stones

Stepping Stones (1977)

Stepping Stones

A gentle preschool series that invited children to explore early learning through calm storytelling, familiar faces, and a warm lunchtime ritual of discovery

Whitstable Pearl

Whitstable Pearl (2021)

Whitstable Pearl

Local restaurant owner and ex-police officer Pearl Nolan sets up a local detective agency. She is soon embroiled in her first case when she discovers the body of a close friend. But will she let the new DCI investigate without interfering?

Pebble Mill at One

Pebble Mill at One (1972)

Pebble Mill at One

Broadcast from the heart of the Midlands, Pebble Mill at One was the comforting hum of British life. It carved out space for informal, magazine-style broadcasting that influenced everything from This Morning to The One Show

Parkin's Patch

Parkin's Patch (1969)

Parkin's Patch

Yorkshire Television's police series was an understated, honest portrayal of a rural constable at a time when police procedurals were often less about chase scenes, and more about community. This 26-episode gem deserves a second look

Death Valley

Death Valley (2025)

Death Valley

A Welsh murder mystery that gently pokes fun at the cosy crime genre by creating its own combination of comedy and mystery. A curmudgeonly retired actor meets an eager young detective - they're the perfect crime-fighting duo, if they can only get along

Sexton Blake

Sexton Blake (1967)

Sexton Blake

Victorian detective and his sidekick take on the criminal fraternity in this children's tea-time series which proved so popular that adults complained it was shown too early in the day!

The Mrs Bradley Mysteries

The Mrs Bradley Mysteries (1998)

The Mrs Bradley Mysteries

Diana Rigg stars as stylish psychoanalyst-sleuth Mrs Bradley, solving 1920s crimes with wit, flair, and her trusty chauffeur. A lavish, sardonic take on vintage murder mysteries

Secret Mission

Secret Mission (1956)

Secret Mission

They lived in constant danger of capture, torture and death at the hands of the Gestapo. Secret Mission, a 1950s docudrama, revealed the truth of six individual women who worked behind the lines in German occupied France

Swizzlewick

Swizzlewick (1964)

Swizzlewick

One of the most controversial series ever to appear on British television, labelled "a new low in tastelessness," was taken off following pressure from MPs, journalists and general secretary of the Television and Screen Writers Guild

The Brittas Empire

The Brittas Empire (1991)

The Brittas Empire

Brilliantly bonkers sitcom about a leisure centre manager and his staff. Chris Barrie is masterful, combining bureaucratic officiousness with a baffling cheerfulness that only adds to his character’s ability to drive everyone around him up the wall!

Without Love

Without Love (1956)

Without Love

Bold, unflinching, and unlike anything the average household had seen on the small screen. It dared to pull back the curtain on a hidden side of London life, offering a grim but truthful composite of the thousands of women who, night after night, plied their trade on the city's streets

Band of Gold

Band of Gold (1995)

Band of Gold

Step into the gritty heart of Bradford’s red-light district, where survival, sisterhood, and secrets collide. Band of Gold is a gripping crime drama where danger lurks, loyalties are tested, and every choice has a price

Empresses in the Palace

Empresses in the Palace (2011)

Empresses in the Palace

Few television dramas manage to capture the grandeur, intrigue, and emotional devastation of imperial politics with this much finesse—a sprawling, visually sumptuous Chinese historical series that has deservedly earned its place as a cultural touchstone

Rosie sitcom

The Growing Pains of PC Penrose | Rosie (1975)

Rosie sitcom

Long before he became a household name for his masterful touch with British comedy, Roy Clarke was pounding the beat—an experience he later transformed into a sitcom that charted the misadventures of a fresh-faced constable with more heart than street smarts

Harry and the Hendersons

Harry and the Hendersons (1991)

Harry and the Hendersons

When the Henderson family accidentally run over a Bigfoot-type creature during a road trip, they bringing him home to suburban Seattle and quickly discover that blending family life with one very large, very hairy houseguest is no ordinary challenge

The Last Detective

The Last Detective (2003)

The Last Detective

After Detective Constable "Dangerous" Davies reports a crime committed by a fellow officer, he is treated as a pariah by his colleagues, and his superiors dub him "the last detective" who would be considered to head up a major case

Target

Target (1977)

Target

For those who enjoy their cop dramas tough, terse and unrelentingly gritty, Target is a compelling, if controversial, footnote in British television history...

It's Awfully Dad For Your Eyes, Darling

It's Awfully Bad For Your Eyes, Darling (1971)

It's Awfully Dad For Your Eyes, Darling

Four 'posh' young women share a London flat. An unremarkable plot and a less than successful sitcom which significantly introduced Joanna Lumley to the world of sitcom and Jeremy Lloyd to producer David Croft, a meeting that would lead to the creation of Are You Being Served? the following year

Tru Calling

Tru Calling (2003)

Tru Calling

Tru Davies, a morgue worker, relives days when corpses ask for help, giving her a chance to prevent their deaths. But Jack, who shares the same 'gift', believes fate shouldn't be changed