Jonathan Creek: The Clue of the Savant's Thumb (2013)

I adore Jonathan Creek but circumstances caused me to miss a lot of the later episodes and the Christmas specials, so I've no idea how he met Joey Ross* (Sheridan Smith), but I'm glad he did. I like Sheridan, and she doesn't disappoint in the role. Her chemistry with Alan Davies is good, and her eagerness is only equalled by her sassiness.

Jonathan's life has changed. He's retired from the crime solving business but seems ill at ease in his new role, and awkward in his new clothes. I accepted the changes without much affront, but one thing bugged me: where the hell is the windmill? I'd never move out of a windmill, not for anyone!

When a dead body turns up and mysteriously disappears from a locked room on the same day, Jonathan's curiosity is piqued. How could he resist? The story and its sub-plots keep you guessing, with minor reveals being well-paced throughout. There's even a McGuffin that put a dirty big spanner in my deductions.

A handful of guest stars gave me the jollies: Rik Mayall, Nigel Planer, and Joanna Lumley (who proves that she can still do drama better than most other 'comedy' actresses, she was superb).

The Beeb have said that viewing figures were higher than expected and consequently a new series has been planned for 2014. It's only going to have 3 episodes, but it's better than nothing. I'm already excited!

Running Time: 89 minutes.

4 actual thumbs out of 5

*I've since caught up on missed episodes, so that's no longer true. See Jonathan Creek: The Grinning Man (2009).

Stephen King's Rose Red (2002)

There's something about Rose Red that I really like. It's a Stephen King miniseries that doesn't suck. Perhaps the reason is it wasn't adapted from a book; it was written by the author specifically for the screen and then revised over time to fit the extended format.

It's a traditional haunted house story built around a rich and intriguing history inspired by real life events, or at the very least real life fiction. It creates, and for a long time sustains, a suitably uneasy atmosphere that keeps the viewer attentive even during the lengthy exposition scenes. It's only in the last half of the third part that it begins to fall back on the cheap-shot, shock scares that any fool with a camera can do.

There's a large cast of characters, but King is experienced enough to give each of them their own space in the narrative. Two thirds have some kind of psychic ability, and while one or two do feel like they were included simply to offer commentary from a different perspective, he gives each one a unique personality and uses them to reinforce the story at opportune moments throughout. If they've nothing constructive (or confrontational) to add to a scene, they're pushed into the background so they don't intrude.

The house itself is also a character. The anachronistic hybrid of classic and experimental architecture sets it apart from the surrounding environment; it's as if the world outside decided it didn't want Rose Red any more, so it turned its back on her. But she didn't go away. She endured. She festered. She got hungry.

King started revisions on the script, originally intended to be a movie, shortly after his near-death accident. It was around that time that he began to more forcibly try to connect all his fictional works into one cohesive whole, meaning fans of his writing will see similarities and subtle references to earlier works.

3 episodes, approx 80 minutes each.

A prequel TV Movie called The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer was made in 2003 but it wasn't written by King. You can read about it HERE.

3½ dormant cells out of 5

Macross Plus: The Series (1994)

The Macross universe is split over a number of different series and timelines, which has resulted in a long and complex history that can be confusing.

Macross Plus is the first real sequel to the original TV series, Super Dimension Fortress Macross. Macross II: Lovers Again (1992) was released before this one but was deemed non-canon in the official timeline by series creator Shoji Kawamori. If you’re coming to the franchise for the first time then you’ll lack some basic world setting info but can still enjoy this particular short OVA on its own merits.

It's set on the planet Eden in the year 2040. It’s been thirty years since the Human/Alien War ended, but weapons development is still ongoing. Test pilots Isamu Alva Dyson and Guld Goa Bowman, old friends and rivals, are selected to test different kinds of aircraft, only one of which will be put into full production.

Initially it seems as if Plus is a simple tale of fighter pilot rivalry with big-ass guns that'll please kids, but as the story unfolds it becomes something much deeper. It reveals itself to be a poignant study of adult concerns. It’s not light viewing. It gets heavy handed with themes of loss and regret, divided loyalties, the duality of love and jealousy, and much more. Throw a woman with her own emotional problems into the mix and things get even more chaotic.

Each episode builds upon and further complicates the relationships, culminating in a climax that could've been better paced but doesn't disappoint emotionally.

The animation is a combination of traditional cel and CGI that, despite being almost twenty years-old at time of writing, has held up surprisingly well.

4 episodes, approx 40 minutes each.

3 barriers broken out of 5

Doctor Who: Dreamland (2009)

An animated mini-series featuring the Tenth Doctor as he enjoys some downtime in 1950s America, but in typical Dr Who style it doesn't stay quiet for long.

The story is split over six parts that when collected together are approximately the same length as a regular Dr Who episode (42 mins). Watching them all in one sitting is simple, and doing so means the story peaks regularly at the intended cliff-hanger moments. The twists and turns are well-placed, and with some minor tweaks it could've made a really decent live-action episode.

Thankfully, the voice work is good. David Tennant gives the same kind of enthusiastic performance that he gave the parent show; and the unmistakable tones of David Warner give life to the villain.

The only criticism I have is the quality of the animation. Despite being made in HD, it resembles some bad FMV from an early PS2 game. The gangly arms and clunky movement are an insult to the quality of everything else. The story's strong enough to keep you watching, but the first few minutes had me shuddering at how appalling the character models are.

2½ accidents of dimensional geography out of 5

Millennium: Season Three (2005)

After the mess they made of Season Two, neither Glen Morgan nor James Wong were invited back to contribute to Season Three. Good. Two new guys (Michael Duggan and Chip Johannessen) were given the task of cleaning up the apocalyptic shit-stains. Series creator Chris Carter also made a brief return, contributing by co-writing three episodes and overseeing some parts of the production.

Mostly the format returned to standalone episodes. It mimicked and attempted to recapture the psychological aspect that had made Season One a success. The event that ended the previous year is largely ignored; I've never been so pleased to have such an inconsistency.

Frank gets a new partner who's characterised by her overzealous enthusiasm in early episodes. But as the season progresses she takes on more useful traits, and by the end she becomes an integral part of the proceedings.

The Millennium Group are still sniffing around crime scenes, but the focus is primarily on Frank and his new role, which causes a minor internal conflict within him. His attentions are split unevenly between his daughter and his job. It seems as if the situation will elevate, but it peters out too soon and remains underdeveloped. There was something potentially sinister there that could've been brought to the fore but wasn't; perhaps they were holding that back for future seasons? We’ll never know.

There's another crap Hallowe’en episode, and an Xmas episode, but most of the bad comedy was excised; I'm pretending the episode with KISS didn't happen.

Extras include the Millennium/X-Files crossover. It was a great idea but it's a bad story with a very weak ending. It would've been nice if the writers had used the format to offer some kind of resolution or closure that the series was denied, but they didn't; it's simply an excuse to feature Frank Black in the X-Files.

22 episodes, approx 44 minutes each.

2½ chips off the old block out of 5

Deadwood: Season Three (2006)

Deadwood set the bar as high as it could go with the very first episode of Season One, and kept it close thereafter, right to the very end of this Season, which was to be the last because HBO cancelled it. Of all the TV shows that ever got axed, in all the years that I've been a viewer, I mourn the loss of Deadwood the most. The only thing it did wrong was be too damn clever.

The main story arc is the continued fight for control of town resources, a fight played out both diplomatically and via the business end of a knife. There’s a saying that the enemy of my enemy is my friend, but in Deadwood the enemy of my enemy is another fucking enemy waiting to snatch an advantage, hoping to profit from it either directly or indirectly. Multiple threats mean stakes are higher and casualties more notable. Not everyone makes it out alive. There are some quiet moments near the end, but only because tensions are purposefully buried.

The main cast members are unchanged. Joanie Stubbs (Kim Dickens) finally gets something interesting to do, which left just the character of Alma Garret (Molly Parker) as the only weak leak in an otherwise sturdy chain.

There’s not much of Brad Dourif this season. You get the feeling that he’s always around but he has less screen time.

I have to give special mention to Calamity Jane (Robin Weigert). Of all the women in the series, Jane is the most exceptional, for reasons I won't go into.

Let’s not forget the humour. William Sanderson had me in pains of laughter. His weasel attitude and ability to swing from self-effacing to self-important in the same sentence is pure genius.

Brian Cox joined the cast. He and his troupe seemed a little superfluous, but it’s Brian Cox, so even when he’s doing little of merit he’s still a joy to watch. I'm sure his role would've increased had it been given time to do so; there were definite hints in that direction.

There was the hope that some TV movies would get the green light to wrap up the threads of the story but that didn't happen.

12 episodes, approx 45-55 minutes each.

5 fights on the promenade out of 5

Tales From the Crypt: Season 1 (1989)

Based off the spirit and essence of the EC comics '50s horror line, Tales From the Crypt season 1 is a scant six episodes, introducing us to the cadaverous storyteller the Crypt Keeper and his tales of the macabre. Each episode delivers the frights and gore peppered with the tongue-in-cheek dark humor which made the originals so fun to read. While not an extravagant season, it excels in casting fine character actors like William Sadler, Larry Drake, and M. Emmet Walsh to play the outsiders, wackos, and kooks which inhabit the show.

High points include "Only Sin Deep" where a struggling hooker pawns her beauty to the wrong man and in "The Man Who Was Death" a former executioner gives criminals a shocking end. The low point being the episode "Lover Come Hack to Me", a bloody and almost pointless affair of keeping one's love pure.

While abbreviated, the first season sets the ghoulish mood and humorous tone for future stories of the weird, the gruesome, and the ghastly.

An included special feature, the mini-documentary Tales From the Crypt: From Comic Books to Television compliments the set well with an in-depth look at the rise and fall of EC Comics publisher William Gaines and his horror/crime series. Comic book and entertainment insiders discuss the true story behind the success, downfall, and everlasting allure which the Tales From the Crypt comics created.

Buyer's Guide:
Available on a 2-disc DVD set

3 sinners get their pun-uppance out of 5