There is such a thing as too much choice. Consider Emily Maitlis. Would madam prefer the Emily Maitlis that appears in A Very Royal Scandal (Amazon Prime)? Or the Emily Maitlis of Scoop (Netflix)? Or the classic, original Emily Maitlis (ex-Newsnight).
Emily Maitlis or Emily Maitlis or Emily Maitlis. Is that enough Emily Maitlis for you? Maitlis’s 2019 interview with Prince Andrew was a masterclass in forensic interviewing, and a landmark piece of television to rank alongside Panorama’s Diana interview. But does it merit two dramas within six months? Good question.
There is nothing else for it but to pit one lot against the other and see who emerges the victor. I’m imagining something like the scene in Anchorman with rival local news crews squaring up to each other. The basics are the same.
We see the courting of courtiers and Andrew and the interview itself. Some scenes are identical, such as Maitlis running in the park. The main difference is Scoop (Gillian Anderson s playing Maitlis), emphasises the role of ex-Newsnight booker Sam McAlister.
A Very Royal Scandal has Maitlis (Ruth Wilson) front and centre. Hardly surprising given both dramas were based on their respective books. Scandal is longer, three hour-long episodes rather than a feature-length 103 minutes, and spends more time on the aftermath.
It is more detailed and considerate, asking questions about the process and what, if anything, was achieved. There’s a fair bit of lionising Maitlis, which I didn’t mind (fair play to her, it was a scoop and a half), and she can laugh at herself. She might have won every award going for her journalism but her housekeeping standards leave something to be desired.
That kitchen floor ,,, The award for best Maitlis goes to Ruth Wilson for her uncannily accurate voice and general kick-the-door-down attitude. Read more Is this the last dance for Strictly? Salmond and Sturgeon: A Troubled Union reviewed Best Andrew was Rufus Sewell in Scoop. He disappeared into the role, Sheen did not, though the latter’s aftermath scenes, with a crushed but still defiant Andrew, were better.
A Very Royal Scandal had superior royal courtiers and gave more screentime to lovely Moody the whippet (played by Smudge). Overall, well-done everybody, but that’s probably enough Newsnight/Andrew/Emily to be getting on with, thanks. All Creatures Great and Small (Channel 5, Thursday) returned for a fifth series.
It is now Spring 1941 and no-one is full of the joys for obvious reasons. James is busy training to be a pilot, Tris is off at the front, while Siegfried, Mrs Hall, Helen and baby Jimmy are keeping the home fires burning. Special mention in despatches goes to young Jimmy for putting up with those woollen clothes.
Even Mrs Pumphrey and her Tricki Woo are feeling the chill wind of war, with the pair having to decamp to a “pokey” cottage in the grounds while their grand house becomes a convalescent home for injured servicemen. Worse things happen and do. But if there is one drama you can rely upon for cheer it is All Creatures Great and Small.
No matter what turmoil strikes, there is an unspoken promise that things will turn out not too bad by episode end. Now that we know who is coming back you can take that guarantee to the bank (which, this being 1941, is still a bank and not a “hub”. Hurrah!).
The fashion for fashion dramas and designer biopics rages on. After The New Look, Halston, and Becoming Karl Lagerfeld, there cannot be that many houses left to profile. La Maison (Apple TV+) gets around the shortage by inventing two of its own.
Haute couture house LEDU is old school and led by the tyrannical star designer Vincent (Lambert Wilson). Equally unyielding is the imperious Diane Rovel (Carole Bouquet) the head of a luxury group that wants LEDU in its stable. It is stalemate between the pair until Victor is caught on camera in a racist rant.
Diane sees her chance to bring him down. Is it designer curtains for LEDU or can a new arrival on the scene rescue the maison’s good name? Vincent and Diane go at each other like Dynasty’s Krystle and Alexis, but with much better clothes, naturellement. Wherever you look there are beautiful people being horrible to each other.
All very silly, though I cannot guarantee you’ll have as much fun as Bouquet, once the face of Chanel, is having. She’s worth the entrance price alone. The return of Strictly Come Dancing (BBC1, Saturday) would usually be the cause of a jig or two in these parts.
I don’t know about you but my heart is just not in it this time. After a summer of ugly allegations about the treatment of women celebrities you might have thought there would be some mention of the matter. But no, not even the smallest of nods.
Claudia and Tess said zip, the judges ditto, while the dancers looked slightly Red Shoes-crazed. Everyone trying far too hard to be normal when there was nothing normal about the situation. I suppose we might forget in time, but now is way too soon.
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