Partly satirical, but not nearly knowing enough, whilst it's heroes aren't always shown in the best light most of the time we're supposed to buy in to whatever Havers' pompous and over egotistical lead is rambling on about. That he seemingly has it written in to his contract that he must appear topless and /or romp around with a girl half his age in nearly every scene makes it all the more unbearable.
Written by The Sun's movie critic, Nick Fisher, it's slightly less embarrassing than his cinematic debut, the hideously awful Virtual Sexuality, but only just, and with dialogue like 'I've got a maori on my chest and a mohican on my muff' this is one you should not only make an effort to avoid, but vigorously persuade others to do so too.
So Graham Norton (10.30pm, Friday 22nd February, C4)
Whenever I've told anyone that So Graham Norton is going to be shown week-nightly come May, they all react in the same way, a mix of horror and depression. And it's not that they don't like the show - just that the prospect of five doses a week is just too much, especially for a programme that has been relying on the same formula for far too long now.
It's so rare for any guest to actually say anything interesting as they're subjected to a selection of embarrassing publicity shots and websites which vaguely relate to them. Well, this isn't strictly true, as when I saw the show being recorded last year, each interview went on for at least ten or twenty minutes longer, with the guests reeling off a fair few anecdotes, but the majority of these are cut to pieces, and all that's left is a selection of Graham's funnier moments.
All too often the audience participation section is the highlight of the episode, but rarely do the stories match the supposed subject matter and it would be far more honest of Norton to ask 'who's got a sick/bizarre story involving sex and nudity?' rather than the bizarre selection of questions asked. The prank phone calls seem only to be an excuse to televise phone sex, and whilst once funny, like much of the show, they've become far too predictable and tired.
And it's all a real shame, because it shouldn't be like this. Like Jonathon Ross, the host is far too egotistical, and if it is to be a success when it goes nightly, something really has to change - Hopefully the producers have been watching Johnny Vaughan Tonight, and learnt how a chat show can be done well.
Buffy: Once More With Feeling (8pm, Thursday 14th February, Sky One)
It's one of the few programmes where everything doesn't return to normal at the end of every episode. The death of Buffy's mother, and Buffy herself, still resonate, and even the old Angel saga still rumbles on - though offscreen now that the two programmes are on different networks. Whilst so many established US shows are floundering, as we've sadly commented upon too many times now, it's a joy to see a programme six years in and stronger than ever.
Once More With Feeling is the series' bravest episode yet - and what could have been a disaster, turned out to be marvellous fun, and fantastically enjoyable stuff. Because it's a musical. Admittedly I'm a sucker for your kitsch tongue in cheek musicals, your Little Shop of Horrors and Rocky Horror Show Picture's, but as so many other programmes have shown, it's pretty damn hard to pull off a musical episode well, and only The Simpsons (oh, and occasionally Futurama) have managed to incorporate it in to the action without it seeming somewhat odd.
But now Buffy joins this league. And whilst most programmes haven't explained the sudden urge to burst in to song, in Buffy-world it makes perfect sense due to a demon being summoned who makes all sing and dance. More importantly the songs were not only sang and danced, but also shot in the style of the genre, the majority using huge sweeping shots and sharp cuts and making it a joy to watch, and they all fitted the characters perfectly.
Anthony Head's eighties style power ballad highlighted not only his vocal talents, but also the difficulties he has with being a father figure to the slayer, whilst Anya and Xandar's Fred and Ginger-esque tune was the funniest thing I've seen so far this year. But it was the group songs which worked the best, and anyone who failed to smile during them must have a heart of stone.
Very few tv programmes ever make me smile so much, but this episode of Buffy is just so consistently heart warming and, more importantly, fun, that it's impossible not too. Packed with so many special moments - Anya's obsession with Bunnies, Tara's love song, Spike and Buffy finally kissing, well, genre tv just doesn't get much better than this.
Sex and the City (10pm, Wednesday nights, C4)
Yes, yes, I know we only reviewed this last month, but I've never seen a programme get so shite so quickly. The first two series were light, fluffy and fun, but suddenly this series it's all got a tad too serious and even preachier than before. It's become far more soapy, and so plotline's seem to take up all the time, and all marvellously bitchy and cutting dialogue is gone, replaced with whining and moaning that will drive all too despair.
So what's changed exactly? Well, Miranda's pregnant, Charlotte's divorcing Trey, hell, even Samantha's been in two semi-serious relationships this season, whilst Carrie's spent the majority of the year arguing with Aidan over nothing, absolutely nothing at all. Why he would ever want to marry such a self-obsessed woman is never even contemplated, as presumably we're supposed to love and adore each of these annoying women. And that's perhaps the main problem I have with the third series - I just find myself completely unable to empathise with any of the characters, and all too often I find myself screaming at the screen "For God's sake you're successful, sexy women, stop fucking whining about something so insignificant."
Like Manchild (reviewed above), to see such wealth and possibilities flaunted whilst the characters whine about insignificant nonsense doesn't exactly make for sympathetic viewing, and if the series continues in this vein, I doubt that anyone will be watching in twelve months time.
Crime and Punishment (9pm, Tuesday 12th, Wednesday 13th February, BBC2)
So this was overlong and a tad flawed, but it was an reasonably watchable adaptation of Dostoyevsky's nineteenth century classic. A Michael Nyman-esque score and an effective and arty use of the camera made it always interesting enough, but adapting such a psychological novel was always going to be difficult, and the two hundred almost unreadable pages in which Raskolnikov spends in a delirium post crime were mostly ignored - which is a real shame as visualising Raskolnikov's delirium could have been innovative and original, and taken this drama to another level.
I have a lot of time for John Simm (Raskolnikov), but this is his weakest role yet. All ego and passion, but very little substance, he twitches and looks rough most of the time, but doesn't really explore the depths of Raskolnikov's mental illness, and simply shouts and sweats muchly.
Still, visually it was stunning, most of the supporting characters (bar Sonya) all portrayed well, and it was brave of the BBC to attempt something so intelligent. It's just a shame it didn't quite work.
Alex Finch.
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