Find out what our TV critic thinks of The Disasters that Shocked Scotland, Hemmingway, Scotland: A Year in the Wild and more…
The Disasters That Shocked Scotland – Wednesday, BBC Scotland, 8pm
Despite its traumatic subject matter, this new series is sensitively handled. It’s a touching tribute to the victims and survivors of the worst disasters to hit Scotland during the last 50 years. It begins with the Piper Alpha tragedy and the Stockline explosion. In 1988, Britain’s biggest oil and gas platform caught fire. 167 men lost their lives, but no criminal charges were ever brought against the company responsible for the rig’s safety procedures. 16 years later, in Glasgow, a gas explosion ripped through a plastics factory. Eight people died and more than forty were injured. The programme features thoughtful eye-witness contributions from some of the people who were caught up in these terrifying incidents.
Hemingway – Tuesday, BBC Four, 9pm
The great American writer Ernest Hemingway was a flawed and troubled soul with an acute interest in the human condition. His public image was that of a burly, hard-drinking man’s man, a macho poet mired in ugliness and beauty, but that’s a reductive view. This elegant six-part series from esteemed documentarians Ken Burns and Lynn Novick (The Civil War; The Vietnam War) goes beyond the partly self-made myth to gain a better understanding of the man. He could be cruel and vengeful, but also kind and considerate. A complicated human being, no less. As you would expect from Burns and Novick, this epic series is an impressive achievement. Immersive and authoritative, it’s packed with lyrical insight.
Inside Tesco: 24/7 – Wednesday, Channel 5, 7pm
This series has chronicled the surprisingly interesting 101-year-history of Britain’s biggest supermarket retailer. The final episode unfolds over the last thirty years, a period during which Tesco introduced vast American-style superstores to agog British consumers. A more balanced and objective documentary would explore the political and cultural ramifications of that development, but Inside Tesco: 24/7 is firmly ensconced within the pocket of this all-powerful retail giant. Because it relies upon the participation of Tesco bigwigs, it never even hints at any of the controversies the company has faced over the years. It’s blatantly compromised. However, as frustrating though that is, it does at least partially succeed as a diverting piece of social history.
Back to Jail: Crime and Punishment – Wednesday, Channel 4, 10pm
According to research, around 60% of people released from prison following short sentences will reoffend within a year. The latest episode of this solemn series follows three prolific repeat offenders as they attempt to turn their lives around. It also sheds light upon a beleaguered probation system in which officers struggle with overwhelming caseloads and drastically reduced resources. The consequences of this situation are often disastrous. Jonathan has 44 convictions; he’s been categorised as a serious threat to the public. Daniel has struggled with homelessness and addiction since the age of 15. He went clean in prison, but is in urgent need of support outside. Lewis, whose previous convictions have involved acts of violence, also struggles with substance abuse.
Big Dog Britain – Thursday, Channel 4, 10pm
Now that’s a title. No fat, no frills, it gets straight to the point: this is a programme about big British dogs. Count me in. Alas, preview copies weren’t available, but the premise suggests that it might carry a serious message about the welfare of our enormous canine friends. It would appear that sales of the biggest breeds are in decline. Why? All will presumably be revealed. A standalone documentary, it features contributions from families who understand the complexities of caring for large domestic beasts. I cohabit with an averagely-sized cat, a sitcom-style arrangement which sometimes stretches my meagre means. But he’s always my priority. Looking after a pooch the size of Geoff Capes can’t be easy.
Scotland: A Year in the Wild – Friday, Channel 5, 7pm
A furry, feathered stress-buster, this beautifully-shot wildlife series never fails to enchant. This week’s theme: infant creatures learning some essential life skills. In the Shetland Islands, we meet a baby otter who should by rights be branching out on his own, but he’s still attached to his mother. The situation is compounded by the return of his errant father, who regards the child as a nuisance. A sad tale as old as time. We’re also introduced to some young woodpeckers learning how to peck proficiently, and a knackered red squirrel with a brood of increasingly curious and adventurous children. But the centrepiece of this episode involves some intense sibling rivalry between a pair of eaglets. High drama ensues.
Great Canal Journeys – Friday, Channel 4, 8pm
The original iteration of this series, starring the married couple Prunella Scales and Timothy West, was a poignant meditation on devotional love and gradual loss. Scales has Alzheimer’s. That tragedy underpinned the entire endeavour. Unlike most programmes in this vein, Great Canal Journeys was about so much more than pretty sun-dappled scenery. It was rather profound. Sadly, Scales is no longer able to participate, so the series is now fronted by Gyles Brandreth and his friend Sheila Hancock. Brandreth is 73. Hancock is 88. It’s now just a modestly affirmative piece of television. Carpe diem etc. A pleasant watch, but they can’t recapture the tender chemistry of Pru and Tim. How could they? A thankless task.
