[Update - January 1, 2017] « One day, I shall come back. Yes, I shall come back. » (Again)
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Doctor Who: The Return of Doctor Mysterio (
BBC One,
December 25). Clumsy and chatty nocturnal "homage" to the superhero genre. With an irritating sense of déjà vu, this Christmas... special is closer to
Glen A. Larson's
NightMan than to
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman.
The Return of Doctor Mysterio manages to be not as annoying as the squeezing toy of the episode (alongside a Ghost action figure soon?) thanks to the interesting presence of
Tomiwa Edun (
Mr Brock) and
Aleksandar Jovanovic (
Dr Sim) in the guest cast. And it's nice to see
Matt Lucas back as
Nardole.
-
Maigret's Dead Man (
ITV,
December 25). In these troubled times nothing is more Christmassy for
ITV than a slaughter in Picardie or maybe they had to find an answer to
BBC One's Christmas
Agatha Christie. After
Maigret Sets A Trap last March, comedian and actor
Rowan Atkinson is back as
Commissaire Jules Maigret, the laconic, pipe-smoking French policeman created by Belgian author
Georges Simenon.
Budapest
doubles rather well as Paris and production values look great. Atkinson seems a bit more at ease but, how to put this nicely... He could be a perfect
Commissaire Fowleur or
Commissaire Blackaddeur but not Commissaire Maigret. We should humbly know as we had the definitive Maigret with the late
Bruno Cremer. This said,
BBC Worldwide (the distributor) is probably not worried given international sales and the very good ratings of Brit detective/crime dramas on
France 3, which will show the 2016
Maigret adaptations here.
While we're at it, I still can't figure out the meaning of the lyrics on the beautiful theme composed by
Samuel Sim. And I'm supposed to be French. Produced by
Maigret Productions and
Ealing Studios with
Pioneer Stillking Films. Adapted by
Stewart Harcourt and directed by
Jon East.
-
Revolting Rhymes (
BBC One,
December 26 & 27). Astute and charming 2 X 30-minute adaptation of the book written by
Roald Dahl and illustrated by
Quentin Blake. Another pure wonder from
Magic Light Pictures, the company which gave us
The Gruffalo (2009),
The Gruffalo's Child (2011),
Room on the Broom (2012) and
Stick Man (2015). Adapted and directed by
Jakob Schuh &
Jan Lachauer. Co-directed by
Bin-Han To. Animated at Magic Light Pictures, Berlin and
Triggerfish Animation Studios, Cape Town. With the voices of
Rob Brydon,
Bertie Carvel,
Gemma Chan,
Isaac Hempstead Wright,
Rose Leslie,
Bel Powley,
David Walliams and
Dominic West.
-
The Witness for the Prosecution -
Part One (
BBC One,
December 26). This year's Christmas Agatha Christie. Compared to
And Then There Were None (this adaptation is from the same prodco and writer) it's quite a disappointment. And it's darker... I'm talking about the lighting, of course. Who's the culprit? Mr Budget with a candlestick in the library?
- Jonathan Creek: Daemon's Roost (BBC One, December 28). Alan Davies returns in his most famous role for this Christmas special of the mystery drama created by writer David Renwick. Launched in 1997, Jonathan Creek has had its up and downs since Caroline Quentin, who played the duffel-coated sleuth's first partner Maddy Magellan, left in 2000. Thankfully, Daemon's Roost is pleasantly entertaining. Sarah Alexander is back as Jonathan's wife Polly and the legendary Warwick Davis steals the episode as Creek's self-proclaimed biggest fan Rev. Wendell Wilkie. Ken Bones guest stars as former Hammeresque film star Nathan Clore. Directed by Sandy Johnson.
