TV
Reviews
CRIME DRAMA THE SHIELD
Five, Sat 2 Jul, 11.05pm moo
There are three things you really need to know. One: although this dark, LA-based cop show is now into its fourth series, if you’ve got a brain and a Sopranos-shaped hole in your life, you’ll get into it immediately. Two: don’t be put off by the fact that the trailers focus on a man who looks like Grant Mitchell on (even more?) steroids. This character, Vic Mackey, has none of his ridiculous Muscle Mary posturing and is a complex character who does some nasty things; usually, but certainly not always, for good(ish) reasons. Three: The Shield is the best police series so far this decade. Don’t write it off just because it’s on Five. Lecture over.
The last series ended when the strike team, Mackey’s group of hardcore, results-driven detectives, had a bloody falling out over the multi-million dollar ‘money train' they’d stolen from a gang and were disbanded because of their violent, corrupt methods (no one was fired because everyone’s got dirt on everyone else). Expect the consequences to unfold gruesomely
over the next few weeks.
The politically ambitious station commander, David Aceveda, has now been elected to the city council, and is replaced in this series by Monica Rawling (Glenn Close), a former street cop hard ass who has plans for Mackey, providing he proves he can be trusted. There are many other layers of brilliant storytelling, some skilfully drawn characters and, most importantly, we are presented with the kind of moral ambiguity that most police dramas don’t seem to trust us to cope with these days.
(Ashley Davies)
94 THE LIST 7t .Jiin
HEALTH DOCUMENTARY ALLERGIC TO EVERYTHING Channel 4, Thu 30 Jun, 9pm .00
There has been an inexplicably massive increase in allergies of all kinds over the last few years in this c0untry. to the extent that 40% of children now have extreme reactions to srrnething in their
Jul 7005)
envrr'onrnent or food. be it everything from rirrlk to tree pollen. Yet allergy treatment in the UK remains pitifully underfunded and serVIces for sufferers are pathetic. With only ten specialists in the whole country coriipared with 000 in Germany
lhrs balanced documentary looks at a few test cases in
examining the world of allergies and their treatment. ranging from student l_i/. who is in danger of going into anaphylactic shock at any time. to poor four- year old Georgia. her body ravaged by ec/ema. Some of the footage is hard to watch. a fact that effectively drills home the message that this is something that is ruining people's lives Without the medical ser'vrces seemingly doing anything about it. (Doug Johnstoner
Ht [Al IONS} ill) DOCUME NIARY
WIDDECOMBE TO THE RESCUE 8802, Tue 28 Jun, 8.30pm 000
Ann \inddecombe's reinvention as cuddly. ubigiirtoiis celebrity is baffling to those of us who rernerr‘iber the lor‘y MP's prevoas incarnatcr‘ as .Jabba the llirtt's: ore react.orra'y twin sister. Htf'tf. the sometime Agony Aunt applies her r:'..sgi.e wisdom to \a'rot.s dome-st scrapes tip and don." Z're country lirst nto tr‘e Doris Karloff treatzrien’. roan: are .Joy and Martini whose marriage -:; rocks bourid thanks to iris gir'fir‘g add;ction_ 'Nag. nag. nag. No ‘.'.'onder he's on the golf course. She'll rose him in ten years" tirr‘e.' is Ann's touct‘y feety response to Joy '5; complaint that Martin coiildn't men keep away from the greens on Christmas day.
Next. site's off to l. iverncol. ta'here a liar
salon manager is struggling to prevent his staff smoking. ‘l’m tempted to say they all need a spell in the arrny.' is Widdecoinbe's assessment. IrieVitany. by the end of the progr‘armne. Ann's no nonsense methods have proved surprisingly effective. Viewers may find this as difficth to swallovir as some of her views. but there's a lot of fun to be had on the way from this unabashedly eccentric personality. iAtIan Radclrffet
ROMANTIC DRAMA THE GIRL IN THE CAFE 8801, Sat 25 Jun, 9.15pm 00
Richard Curtis feels very strongly about the ssues being discussed at the forthcoming G8 surrrmrt. Richard Curtis makes romantic comedies set in l ondon. sometimes the English countryside. This really doesn't mean he should put the two together. Hen Bill Nighy cannot rescue this embarrassing attempt to marry world poverty wrth a love affair. Kelly Macdonald plays Gina. a beautiful. vulnerable young woman who is sitting in a cafe one day in a big. grey cardigan when aide to the chancellor. l awrence. iNrghyl awkwardly shambles in and ]()|llf3 her at the last remaining seat.
Nighy takes lvlacdonald to the summit and after they challenge the chancellor at a drinks reception. she forgets her' own personal tragedy for a bit of carnal fun. Pitched somewhere between rom com and charity appeal, there is one punch that packs it right in the stomach. Sadly for him. tlrrs has nothing to do wrth world poverty. rRuth Hedges)
24 Sky One. Sun 26 Jun, 9pm The clock has finally run out on Jack Bauer and CTU as they attempt to stop Habib Marwan's dastardly plan to destroy the US. Rumours are rife that one more former star of the show is set to make a dramatic last— gasp rear.)pearanc(-3_ My cash is on it not being Nina or Sherry. But hey. this is 24: anything could happen.
The Story of ITV: The People’s Channel Scott/sh. Sun 26 Jun. 10.40pm Melwn Bragg brings us the whole unadulterated tale of IN over :30 long years of broadgramrning. See Rave. page 10. Baddiel and Skinner Unplanned Scottish, Tue 28 Jun. 1 Iprn The two comic couch potatoes return With mere totally unscripted banter and nonsense and mayhem.
How Clean Are the F'Ithy Fulfords? Channel 4, Wed 28 Jun. 8pm Kim and Aggie do their best at scrubbing up the nasty rulford clan. Their mouths could certainly do With a soap and water Juxtaposrtion.
To the Ends of the Earth 8802. Wed 6 Jul. 9pm William Golding’s epic sea story kicks off starring Benedict Curriberbatch. the chap who played Stephen l-lawkrng last year.
World’s Most Photographed BBCQ. l/L/ed 6 Jul. 10pm A new series examining the famous folk who were never far away from the camera's peering lens. Hos rs first up.