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...
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...
Daniel Mays (Mrs Biggs, Public Enemies, Made In Dagenham) is confirmed to join the cast of Line Of Duty. Series three is written by Jed Mercurio, made by World Productions for BBC Two and pits AC-12 against their most dangerous adversary yet. Mays will play Sergeant...
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...
As TV winds down for the summer, and some football tournament or other, this week's Matt on the Box will primarily be focusing on programmes that are coming to an end. The first series to come to an end this week was BBC's family saga From There to Here which...
In our latest podcast Matt & I discuss our disappointment surrounding Britain's Got Talent, our obsession with Happy Valley and the need for more socks! Gary reports on the US shows returning and leaving UK screens.
If you ask how people in Manchester feel about the 1996 IRA bomb, you might be surprised to hear that some Mancunians think it was one of the best things to happen to the city. Delve a bit further, beyond what could be the legendary Manc bravado and swagger and you...
As well as being Easter Sunday, today marks the fiftieth anniversary of BBC Two which broadcast its opening night on the 20th April 1964. Although said opening night was plagued with problems BBC Two has since gone on to produce some of the nation's most loved...
Late as usual, this week's Matt on the Box is focusing on a programme that is at the moment a frontrunner for Best British TV show of 2014. It doesn't take too much guesswork to deduce that that programme is the brilliant Line of Duty which came to an end last week....
With one of the podcast team struck down with illness Matt & Gary look at the final of Line of Duty and get frustrated by Will I AM, disagree on W1A and are left cold by The Widower.
In our latest podcast we debate the updated iPlayer and the praise for Silk and Line of Duty continues.
World Productions Sometimes a drama series provides a powerful opening episode only to provide further instalments that really don't deliver. This isn't true of Line of Duty, which we were gushing about even before it started airing. After that first episode we were...
As the end credits rolled following the first episode of Line of Duty's second series I sat in front of the screen open-mouthed. Because my job is to watch a lot of television, I'm rarely surprised by any of the twists that TV dramas offer. That wasn't the case with...
Back in 2012 Line of Duty became one of the most critically-acclaimed drama series of the year. The programme focused on DCI Tony Gates (Lennie James), a well-respected officer with a loyal team and the best crime figures on the force. The story that followed saw...
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...
What to say if you liked it A thought-provoking treatise on the nature of love performed by some of Britain's brightest actors What to say if you didn’t like it Not a patch on BBC3's Burn It which showed how love among the working class young really is What was good...