TV REVIEW: An Adventure in Space and Time

Just a little note, this review does contain spoilers.

An Adventure in Space and Time is one of those new fashionable programmes which takes an affectionate behind the scenes look at the creation and filming of Doctor Who, tracing the story of its inception and the journey of its star William Hartnell (David Bradley) through his time as the First Doctor. What makes this so special is that it's a drama about the people who brought it to life, people working passionately towards a project that they believe in. In this respect, the fact that said project is Doctor Who could have been treated as incidental. Instead, Gatiss treats the heart of his story with the utmost affection and the programme is full of little nods and curios that would warm even the most casual fan's heart. 

There is also a real sense that Gatiss has made this for everyone to enjoy, even people who have never watched an episode but are no doubt aware of the iconography that the show has given the world. I must admit, the Hartnell years are a big gap in my Who knowledge (I'm looking to rectify this, dear reader, never fear) but An Adventure didn't seek to alienate, but include. References weren't obscure, but knowing and I'm sure there were a tonne that I missed but will no doubt rediscover when I'm a bit more clued up on the First Doctor.

An Adventure also captures that attention to detail that fans have come to love over the fifty years; it's the little things that matter. For Hartnell, it is ensuring that each button on the TARDIS panel has a function and worrying that he couldn't just press any old button to open the doors. The wobbly sets and the malfunctioning doors was a great visual joke whilst Hartnell knowing how to work the TARDIS set added not only humour but a poignant moment towards the end of the episode too. 

However, the real triumphs were the performance given by its excellent cast. Jessica Raine (a recent Who star herself in the last series' episode Hide) stars as legendary producer Verity Lambert, here at the very early stages of her career. The only female producer at the BBC at this time and with something of a point to prove, her passion for bringing Doctor Who to the screen was matched well with Sacha Dhawan's Waris Hussein, the director who was less enthusiastic but just as dedicated.

However, An Adventure in Space and Time belongs to David Bradley from the moment in which he first appeared to his final scene. As the programme shifts its focus to Hartnell's story, it steps up a gear, transforming into a story about an old man who was giving a chance to do something completely different towards the end of his career and embraced it with open arms and enthusiasm. Bradley plays Hartnell with a great deal of respect, capturing the alternating grouchiness and passion with which he approached the role of the Doctor. As everyone around him moves on to other careers and he is forced to retire from the show, the sense of grief is palpable and his scene at the fireplace (echoing Ten's sentiments before his regeneration), exclaiming 'I don't want to go' just about broke my heart. 

The final moments of the episode in which the First Doctor came face to face with the Eleventh was not only an inspired nod to the future of the role, but also of the lasting legacy of Hartnell's work. Here was this character who had gone through so many incarnations to the one which currently graces our screens and it was Hartnell who laid those foundations, who established the 'twinkle' and capacity for imagination that the Doctor has become known for. It was a lovely nod to past, present and future and played wonderfully by both Bradley and the cameo-ing Matt Smith.

Doctor Who is a show founded on constant change, the endless possibilities that result from having a title character who can travel through time and space and go just about anywhere he likes. This is naturally to be celebrated as it has resulted in some great moments in not just science fiction, but television in general. However, what makes An Adventure in Space and Time so special is that it looks at the human aspect of this change, the loss that Hartnell feels as everything changes around him. It still celebrates this change, but acknowledges those that it leaves behind in the process.

All in all, An Adventure in Space and Time was a moving, heartbreaking and witty look at the early days of the Doctor and the people who brought him to life; it was a perfect tribute.

- Becky

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TV REVIEW: Game of Thrones - The Rains of Castamere

How are we all dong then? Recovered yet? Able to talk about it with colleagues without yelling "WHYYYYYY?" And if you have no idea what I'm going on about, best avoid this particular post. It contains major spoilers.

Traditionally speaking, the ninth episode of Game of Thrones is a Big Event; in the first season we had unlucky Ned Stark (Sean Bean) beheaded by Joffrey in front of his children and the second season was the excellent Battle of the Blackwater. So what did the ninth episode of the third season have in store for us? The last few episodes have been slightly plodding, but The Rains of Castamere was the big pay-off, possibly more than anyone (especially those who haven't read the books) expected. I've been using the chess metaphor for a while throughout these reviews because that is exactly what this season has felt like, with David Benioff and D.B. Weiss positioning their players ready for this Big Event.

If the last few episodes have been largely about positioning the pieces, well The Rains of Castamere was the chess equivalent of a player having a tantrum, sending the board flying into the air with pieces scattering all over the place. It was the big shake-up that the show had needed and we've now got several characters in vastly different places to where they began the season. At the beginning of the episode, we have Dany (Emilia Clarke) ready to take the city of Yunkai, Jon (Kit Harington) over the Wall with the wildlings, Bran (Isaac Hempstead-Wright) not so far away getting ready to cross the Wall, Arya (Maisie Williams) is getting ever closer to be reuniting with her family and Robb (Richard Madden) is heading for the Twins for a wedding.

The episode predominantly narrowed its focus on the Stark family and was all the better for it, tightening the story and bringing the audience-favourite family heartbreakingly closer together than it has been since the first half of the first season. A pleasant and sorrowful surprise was the scene between Bran and Rickon (Art Parkinson) as their party split; Rickon to head to the Umbers, Stark bannermen, with Osha (Natalie Tena, giving another fantastic performance this week) and Bran to cross the wall with Hodor (Kristian Nairn), Jojen (Thomas Brodie-Sangster) and Meera (Ellie Kendrick). The farewell scene between the brothers was touching and sad as Parkinson especially brought forth an innocent emotional performance that inspired more sympathy for Rickon than I've felt before.

The scene was also heartbreaking in the group's proximity to Jon, attacking the same farm with the wildlings. Finally unable to betray the Stark mentality of honour and mercy, Jon reveals his true self to the wildlings and Ygritte (Rose Leslie) and is attacked by the group. His final parting comment to Orell (MacKenzie Crook) was wonderfully venomous and Harington played the scene well as did Leslie, every bit of Ygritte's sense of betrayal etched across her face as Jon rode away. It is also the closest that Jon has come to his brothers since he left for the Wall and it was great to see Bran (now in full possession of his warg abilities) do his bit to save Jon's life, taking over Summer and Shaggy Dog and seeing his brother yet unable to do anything else.

Elsewhere, we had Arya continuing her journey with the Hound (Rory McCann) to the Twins to be reunited with her mother Catelyn (Michelle Fairley) and her brother Robb. Again, the Stark sense of mercy and honour was on display when Arya prevented the Hound from killing an old man on the road who had seen them. Frequently, Williams is paired with much older actors and completely holds her own against them, leading to some wonderful scenes. Last season, it was with Charles Dance as Tywin, this season it has been with Paul Kaye's Thoros, Richard Dormer's Beric Dondarrion and now with the Hound. Williams has long been one of the best actors in the show and she demonstrated it again here; Arya is a little ball of fury tempered by fear, a fact that does not escape the Hound. Obviously, her worst fears are realised here as she gets to the Twins at exactly the wrong time, but I shall return to that shortly.

With this focus on the Stark family, the inclusion of Dany's storyline felt a little incongruous with the grime of the rest of the episode and it seemed as if it had been placed there out of necessity to wrap up that particular narrative as soon as possible. However, it did have one of the best choreographed fight scenes we have yet seen on the show as Jorah (Iain Glen), Daario (Ed Skrein) and Grey Worm (Jacob Anderson) infiltrated Yunkai and were set upon by a cohort of guards. Almost effortlessly, each man fought with a different fighting style, accurately conveying the different backgrounds and upbringings of the characters without going into expositionary detail. It was expertly done and a thrill to watch. I also enjoyed Dany's snub of Jorah in favour of the considerably more dashing Daario; one to watch that one.

And so we must turn to the other thread of the episode, the one that on first glance would not seem to herald the drama of the other narrative strands. After all, we've already the conquering of Yunkai and Jon versus the wildlings. What else could the show possibly offer us in the wedding of Edmure Tully (Tobias Menzies)? In short, death. And lots of it. For us book readers, this episode marked a relief, something I shall talk about more in a follow-up post, but for the people who had no idea  that the Red Wedding was going to happen, it must have been quite the scene. It was, quite simply, the most shocking moment in the show's history.

Returning to the chess metaphor, the Red Wedding was the moment in which the stalemate between Robb and Tywin was broken, not honourably in open play, but through a sleight of hand, turning allegiances without broadcasting it. Director David Nutter handled the moment, in all its carnage, beautifully as the band began to play The Rains of Castamere marking the shift in tone. The brutality of the scene was unlike anything we have yet witnessed in the show, particularly the vicious stabbing of Talisa (Oona Chaplin), designed to specifically target her unborn child.

However, it was the performances that made this scene all that it was and more. David Bradley has just made Walder Frey the most hated man in Westeros, possibly even outdoing Joffrey (Jack Gleeson) on this occasion. He was so wonderfully offhand about the whole thing that it just made you hate him even more. Richard Madden has been a strong actor throughout this series, conveying Robb's nobility and resolve, but also his helplessness in a war that he should have been winning. The expression on his face when he saw his wife murdered was chilling, the battle to get to her with his body shot through with arrows was admirable. His simple statement of 'Mother' was enough to reduce me to tears. 

And then there is Michelle Fairley at the centre of it with a performance so gut-wrenching I actually sobbed out loud after her wail. That wail. The desperate howl of a mother who has just lost everything. Fairley has, like many of the cast members, been a strong but quieter addition to the Game of Thrones cast, but here she shone, capturing the bleak torment and inevitability of Cat's situation in that one, heartbreaking wail. To have that followed by an entirely silent credit sequence was a master-stroke by Nutter. 

We were all too shocked to process anything else.

- Becky

You can read Becky's review of the previous episode, Second Sons, here.

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FEATURE: Crime Drama, Women of the Clink

As viewers of just about any TV channel, anywhere, will doubtless have noticed, there have been an unusually high number of crime dramas on our screens of late. Rare is the evening these days where we can switch on the gogglebox, flick through a few channels and not see members of the police force*embroiled in scenes of varying dramatic merit.

Whilst crime dramas themselves are far from anything new, what is especially unusual is that so many shows in this sudden surge are heavily focused on the roles of women.   

Shows such as Scott and Bailey, Prisoners Wives and even the well documented Broadchurch have brought women on both sides of the prison bars into sharp focus. And hurrah for it we say here at the Buffery. We’ll wager our gender hasn’t really been done justice in the genre since around about 2006 when Prime Suspect was last on, although feel free to correct us if we're wrong. A more problematic point of note, though, is that many of these crime dramas seem to involve at least one or two of the same actresses. So, to avoid any possible confusion and in all honesty as a bit of an excuse to harp on about how great they all are, we’ve decided to provide you with your very own foolproof guide to the female characters of some of our favourite crime dramas of late- the Women of the Clink.

 

1.    Name: DC Rachel Bailey

Role: Detective, Manchester Major Incident Team

Show: Scott and Bailey

Played by: Suranne Jones

Bio: Professional loose cannon Rachel Bailey is a promising young detective, despite an apparent inability to choose the sensible option in almost any situation.  Impulsive but smart, she is referred to as ‘Sherlock’ by many in her department, due to her uncanny knack of identifying unusual behaviours in potential suspects.

Weaknesses: Her personal life does rather tend to get in the way, most recently leaving her suspended from service for several months.

2.    Name: Francesca

Role: Wife of an imprisoned drug baron

Show: Prisoners Wives

Played By: Polly Walker

Bio: Fiercely loyal to her husband, Francesca has stuck by him through his long imprisonment, engaging in criminal activity at his behest and visiting him regularly, despite the feelings of her father (David Bradley) on the matter. Despite this apparent obedience, Fran is one feisty lady, quick to offer an opinion and very protective of her children as well as her somewhat questionable life choices. Clever and resourceful, Francesca has pulled her family out of many a tricky situation.

Weaknesses: Tendency to not act until it is too late, too easily seduced by money.

3.    Name: DCI Jo Fontaine

Role: Detective

Show: Prisoners Wives

Played by: Nicola Walker

Bio: It was Jo Fontaine who convicted Paul (Iain Glen) Francesca’s husband of drug related offences back in the day. Unable to quite let go of the case, Fontaine investigates Francesca’s continued questionable dealings, eventually reaching something vaguely resembling an alliance with the latter. This is no mean feat.

Weakness: Can act rather smug, and as a result doesn’t come across as terribly empathetic. This does not endear others to her, Francesca in particular.

4.    Name: DC Janet Scott

Role: Detective, Manchester Major Incident Team

Show: Scott and Bailey

Played by: Lesley Sharp

Bio: Janet is older and wiser than colleague and friend Rachel, generally acting in a more level headed manner. Trusted by her superiors as she is, other members of the team frequently turn to Janet for help and advice. More than once she has saved the day, keeping the unit together, whilst remaining characteristically loyal to both her family and to Rachel. Janet has been in this game a long time, and has strong, reliable instincts as a result. She is particularly effective when interviewing suspects and witnesses, as they too tend to trust her.

Weaknesses: Can be slow to reach a conclusion, not often changing her mind once she has set it on something.

5.    Name: Helen Bartlett

Role: Murder witness/suspect. We’re never wholly sure which.

Show: Scott and Bailey

Played by: Nicola Walker (This is where it begins to get confusing)

Bio: Helen appears throughout the third series of the show, as her mother is found murdered, we suspect at the hand of her father. However, all with Helen is not what it seems, as we discover that years of abuse by her parents have taken their toll, with her frequently drinking herself into a stupor, using prostitutes and turning up at Janet Scott’s door at inappropriate moments. Could it be she has something to hide?

Weaknesses: Doesn’t hide her secrets particularly well, acts irrationally at times. Quite rightly too, due to her years of suffering.

6.    Name: Harriet

Role: Mother of imprisoned Gavin, an unlikely teenager tearaway 
Show: Prisoners Wives

Played by: Pippa Haywood

Bio: Also known as the most downtrodden woman since well, ever, Harriet visits her son Gavin at the prison- a young man locked up for his involvement in gang culture, more specifically for the possession of dangerous weaponry. Widowed several years ago, Harriet is cripplingly, achingly lonely, with only her dog, Basil, for company now that her son is inside. She means well, very well, in fact, but others tend to be unnerved by her attempts to make friends. Her son has her wrapped around his little finger, and Harriet will do anything for him, frequently at her own peril.

Weaknesses: Without a doubt her inability to see the faults of others. That and a lack of basic understanding of personal space and social etiquette.

7.    Name: DCI Gill Murray

Role: Detective, and head of MIT

Show: Scott and Bailey

Played by: Amelia Bullmore

Bio: Sharp, witty and very authoritative, the powerful yet fair Gill Murray goes by a variety of nicknames in her department, chiefly ‘Her Majesty’ and ‘Godzilla’.  She may appear tough and cold hearted, but she certainly has her softer side. She’s fiercely loyal to her team, and is a supportive single mother to her teenage son.  Long since divorced and heartbroken, Gill is often more sympathetic to the plights of fellow women than to those of men. That said, she is straight talking, smart and rarely misses a trick.

Weaknesses: Few. Sticks to her guns a little too much, and has a tendency toward favouritism.

8.    Name: Detective Supt. Julie Dodson

Role: Pretty much what is says on the tin

Show: Scott and Bailey

Played by: Pippa Haywood  (We did warn you…)

Bio: Good friends with Gill Murray, straight talking Julie Dodson, or ‘Slap’, as Murray calls her, has great instincts and a quick mind.  She has an incredibly no nonsense approach, even when it comes to dead bodies. Julie takes no prisoners, and makes it very, very clear when she doesn’t like someone (Kevin).

Weaknesses: Terrified of one of her superiors, could it be that ‘Dodson’ has an insecure side?

9.    Name: DI Ellie Miller

Role: Detective Inspector in a small town police station

Show: Broadchurch

Played by: Olivia Colman

Bio: Ellie has worked for the local police force for years, and knows the town inside out. A close friend of the Latimer family, she finds working on the case difficult. Having had her heart set on his job, she finds it difficult to get on with her boss. A friendly, warm hearted yet strong willed officer who has to learn to see the bad in people in order to find the killer, could it be that the murdered is closer to her own home than she thinks?

Weaknesses: A tendency to see the best in people, ignoring truths she does not like.

So that’s it- our round up of the women of the clink, both the prisoners, and the police officers. There’s only one question left to ask, really. 

Who’s side would you want to be on?

*or service now isn’t it? According to Hot Fuzz that is. Which, feeding nicely into my earlier point, was actually on tonight.

Jen

You can read my own blog here or follow me on twitter here

TV REVIEW: Broadchurch - Episode Six

Compared with last week’s episode of ITV’s Broadchurch, episode 6 was one of relative calm.

The small town is rocked by the suicide of Jack Marshall (David Bradley), with David Tennant’s DI Hardy labelled ‘worst copper in Britain’ by the Press. Naturally, Hardy and DI Miller (Olivia Colman) take his funeral, attended by most of the town, to be a grand old opportunity to play a spot of who's looking shifty today then guvnor? Hardy, for his part, settles his suspicions on Reverend Coates (Arthur Darvill), after witnessing a particularly impassioned sermon, presumably believing him to have done the deed in the billiard room with a candlestick. After a bit of digging, he discovers him to be a reformed alcoholic, an omitted detail which doesn’t appear to be doing him any favours. Meanwhile, Maggie (Caroyln Pickles) does a bit of digging of her own, this time into the background of shifty Susan (Pauline Quirke). She certainly doesn’t seem to be squeaky clean herself – not that any of us ever suspected her of being, and her newfound friendship with young Tom Miller, himself a rather shady character, now claiming to have hated Danny Lattimer, lands her in the firing line of suspicion herself.

Back at the Lattimer house, Chloe (Charlotte Beamont) struggles to know quite what to do with her grief, growing tired of being “the dead boy’s sister”. Beth (Jodie Whittaker) and Mark (Andrew Buchan) seem to be working on their marriage, with it seeming more likely that Beth will keep her unborn child after all. Her territorial behaviour towards Becca Fisher (Simone McAullay), the local hotelier with whom Mark had an affair, whilst being quite amusing to watch given Beth’s lack of anything to lose by making enemies, also betrays a willingness to fight for what she still has. Which is nice, really, in a town where pretty much everyone bar Susan’s dog is a murder suspect. Although how long her newfound marital stability will last I’ve no idea.

As we’re come to expect by now with Broadchurch, some excellent performances all around. Arthur Darvill in particular stood out in this episode, particularly as now that he’s suddenly prime suspect number 2.5, he’s actually getting some decent airtime. David Tennant did well too. His constant lurching about being ill, fainting and muttering indecipherable things could so easily becoming irritating in the hands of another actor. He, however, manages to keep on the good side of the sublime and the ridiculous. Just. Particularly moving moments this week were to be found in the conversation between Beth and another mother whose child was murdered, on Hardy’s previous case. The dialogue gave a disarmingly emotionally resonant sense of exactly how awful it must be to lose a child to murder, and the bleakness of everyday life from that point on. As well as being another opportunity for a bit of isn’t Hardy rubbish bashing.

With only two more episodes to go, presumably the detectives can’t be far enough a few real life actual suspects now, especially as the case is in serious danger of being downgraded beyond all sense of urgency by the powers that be.

I for one am looking forward to seeing who the main contenders turn out to be. I think we’ve waited long enough, after all.

- Jen

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