Fazzinchi

Looking Back at the 80’s

Life on Mars was one of the most popular British dramas produced in recent years.  It’s main thrust was a delightful conceit: a police officer goes back in time, which results in clash of cultures… cue ample opportunity for dramatic and/or comedic escapades.  If it has been made in the 70’s (and the time travel had been back to the early 50’s) this would have been the extent of the story and nothing much more would have been made of it.  However, viewers in the noughties are somewhat (more…)

 

Christmas Review #4 of 12

I have kept the faith with BBC1’s new interpretation of Robin Hood despite protestations from many sources who can’t bear to watch it.  It is one of the few screen “institutions” that regularly get re-invented (or “re-imagined” as we’re supposed to say now) to the degree that it has reached a cultural significance along with the likes of James Bond, Coronation Street, and, dare I say, Doctor Who.  So, there are a number of aspects to this show that can annoy people but they can be categorised (more…)

Christmas Review #2 of 12

Okay, so, Cranford was done and dusted well in advance of “Christmas” but this forms a part of my dozen, festive reviews by virtue of the fact that it seemed to set the tone for the subsequent Dickensian offerings from BBC and ITV.  Alternatively, it’s my blog and I make the rules.  Cranford was, on the surface, one of those cosy Sunday night offerings that are served up from time to time as a “feel good” period drama.  This one ran over five consecutive Sundays in November and December but, far from the cosiness that may have been expected, Cranford (more…)

Sam’s Final Fling

It has the potential to be one of those finales that is talked about for years to come (at least around the hallowed halls of Fazzinchi Towers), like Blake’s 7 or Blackadder or Babylon 5 or The Office (or, for all the wrong reasons, Quantum Leap). Life on Mars will be remembered as a genre-breaking series that looked back at the seventies with a gritty realism and a realisation that it almost was like another planet. In Gene Hunt we had a fantastic character who, despite being a (more…)

Emilia Fox with Problems of Her Own

Fallen Angel was a compelling piece of drama and it took a different and refreshing approach from the traditional concept of the psychopath storytelling focussing on the “why” rather than the “who”.  It was shown over three nights on ITV in 90 minute installments but they were in reverse chronological order.  The first part saw Angela (Emilia Fox) sharing a house with Eddie (played brilliantly by Mark Benton) as a fairly unpleasant duo who were planning to kidnap a child.  Eddie was (more…)

Where There’s Life

I am so glad that John Simm has found himself a role in the new Doctor Who (playing the mysterious Mr Saxon) because, while he has been fantastic in Life on Mars, it is easy to now forget some of his earlier memorable roles in The Lakes, State of Play and suchlike, so to take on what I assume will be such a different role should be great to see. The impending end of this groundbreaking series and the forthcoming role in one of the most popular shows on TV promises to be great for his (more…)