In 2006, the BBC took quite a big gamble. In a TV landscape where safe procedurals like New Tricks and a revamped Silent Witness were big hitters, Life on Mars, which saw a modern-day policeman transported back to 1973 didn't exactly fit. It helped, though, that that...
Matt, Dawn and Gary board the TV Time Machine and enter a new Millennium. They review four new shows that began in January. Dom Jolly takes to the streets to terrorise and irritate the British public in Channel 4's hidden camera hit Trigger Happy TV. The BBC attempt...
This year the BBC turns 100. Fundamental to Britain and funded by licence fee payers, the BBC has garnered a worldwide reputation for quality. For this special post highlighting the highlights of the corporation's massive contribution to television, I've decided to...
So we've done it! We've reached the end of the year. 2014 wasn't as packed as last year, but when it was good, it was very good indeed. Sherlock - Series 3 (January 2014, BBC1) 2014 began with one of the most anticipated returns in a long time when we all sat round to...
In this Halloween edition we discuss, new BBC1 drama The Missing, a triple firing on 'The Apprentice' and Gary helps his elderly neighbour.
Two of the UK’s most renowned actors, David Threlfall and John Simm, are to join forces in new ITV drama Code of a Killer, produced by World Productions. The drama is based on the extraordinary true story of Alec Jeffreys’discovery of DNA fingerprinting and its first...
Peter Moffat's epic drama The Village makes its welcome return to BBC One this week, as Series Two begins. The inhabitants of The Village are stumbling out from beneath the shadow of the Great War as the series presses on to explore the 1920s in its journey to tell...
We take a look at two big dramas in ITV's Prey and BBC1's Happy Valley.
Welcome back to another look at the past week's TV. We start with yet another crime drama on ITV but I can say without a doubt that Prey is nothing like the channel's recent offerings such as Endeavour and Vera. The drama focuses on Marcus Farrow (John Simm) a...
Right from the first scene of ITV's new crime drama Prey I was hooked. Sadly I was hooked in months ago, and shouting about it on Twitter was my only outlet to get across how keen I was on the series in a hope that others would watch just so they can talk about it...
Monday sees the start of an exciting new three-parter on ITV. Prey, stars John Simm as DS Marcus Farrow. Farrow is a normal family man who is forced to go on the run to clear his name. In an new interview with ITV John about what drew him to the role and the injury he...
Filmng has began in Derbyshire on the second series of The Village, BBC One's critically acclaimed drama, with six more episodes for broadcast later this year. Peter Moffat's epic story charts the life and turbulent times of one English village through the 20th...
ITV have released the first look at new drama Prey starring John Simm. Created and written by television newcomer Chris Lunt and directed by BAFTA winner Nick Murphy (The Awakening, Occupation, Blood) Prey follows the story of a man on the run, who is desperate to...
When Sky1 launched Mad Dogs in 2011 I sat aghast. Some clever clever casting person managed (by some miracle) to get my four favourite British actors in one place and in the one drama! It must have been a strategic nightmare but they managed it. John Simm, Philip...
In this special late night instalment of TheCustardTV the gang discuss Case Histories, Frankie and The Eurovision Song Contest, plus Luke talks about attending the screening of Mad Dogs Series 3.
Easter was a massive time for TV. In this podcast we talk about Doctor Who, get hot under the collar when discussing the somewhat unwelcome return of The Voice and continue to marvel at Broadchurch.
It got over 6 million viewers on Sunday night, but some complained new BBC1 period piece The Village was "too miserable". If you've been following this site for a while you'll know I'm not a big fan of period drama. I like dramas with characters I can relate to and...
It seems a bit odd to be writing this piece at the start of the week however seeing as it's a Bank Holiday Weekend I thought I'd give you all a bit of a treat. So this week you're getting two articles for the price of one with this particular instalment looking back...
An epic drama series for BBC ONE starring Maxine Peake and John Simm charting the life and turbulent times of one English village across the whole of the twentieth century. THE VILLAGE is written by BAFTA winning writer PETER MOFFAT. The camera never leaves the...
A special guest joins Gary and Matt on the podcast to discuss the brilliance of Him and Her. The X Factor Shocker and the wonder of Channel 4's Everyday. Alongside the spookiness of The Secret of Crickley Hall.
It's fair to say that the majority of Michael Winterbottom's films court controversy most notably the sexually explicit 9 Songs and the incredibly violent The Killer Inside Me. His most recent TV work was the Rob Brydon/Steve Coogan sitcom The Trip however, despite it...
Did we like it? A very good drama set in the time of the English Civil War, in which the conflict itself is merely the backdrop for a more profound portrayal of the absolute impotence of women in the 17th century. However, it’s as wedded to historical fact as Guy...
Did we like it? There didn't seem to be as much charm as the first series – largely because it was crammed with the central conceit (is Sam Tyler dreaming? comatose? mad? part of a conspiracy?) rather than a gripping crime tale. What was good about it? •Philip...
Did we like it? It's a winner – with an inventive twist on conventional cop dramas and a great lead in John Simm, the 2006 Detective Chief Inspector in Manchester who is run over and wakes as a mere Detective Inspector in 1973. What was good about it? • There's a bit...