Review: Fargo (S2 E7/10), Monday 30th November, Channel 4

Erstwhile on Fargo… (I love the way they use the word ‘erstwhile’ instead of the usual ‘previously’ during their little catch-ups at the start of each episode). During the last two episodes we’ve seen the Gerhardt family and the Kansas City mob clash violently as their gang war escalated, while Lou Solverson and Hank Larsson (as well as Ed and Peggy Blumquist) found themselves slap-bang in the middle of all the mayhem. With only four episodes left, it feels as though we’re being pushed towards a final reckoning, but there’s a lot to get through first. So dense and rich was this seventh instalment, it could have been the best episode of the series so far. And that’s saying something.

The 10 Best Crime Dramas This Week (Monday 30th November – Sunday 6th December)

It’s anther big week in the crime drama arena, with established series rumbling on but also a few gems on radio and in daytime – The Doctor Blake Mysteries is well worth a watch (at least in iPlayer if you’re at work) for 1950s, period crime drama fun from Australia. And yes, that is Craig McLachlan of Neighbours fame.

Five things to take away from The Bridge, episodes three and four

(C) Carolina Romare – Photographer: Carolina Romare

We’re almost half-way through series three of The Bridge (waaah!) and it has been really excellent so far – twisting this way and that, tons of new characters to digest and pore over, as well as THREE cases for the rapidly unravelling Saga and Henrik to solve. Yes, three. The Clown Killer case takes centre stage, but bubbling under the surface are two cold cases – that of Saga’s sister Jennifer and now Henrik’s missing wife and two children. This series is certainly ambitious if nothing else. Here are five things I picked up on from episodes three and four.

Review: The Bridge (S3 E3&4/10), Saturday 28th November, BBC4

(C) Filmlance International AB – Photographer: Carolina Romare

With Aleks, the kidnapper of top copper Hans, now dead, our suspicions turns to drug-crazed war veteran Morten; but he too has been shot and killed, by someone he knows – his last words, ‘My brother shot me’. Are both crimes down to the Clown Killer? Saga reckons so, judging by similarities in the gunshot wounds.

Review: The Frankenstein Chronicles (S1 E3/6), Wednesday 25th November, ITV Encore

We’ve reached the half-way stage of this engrossing, grim series, and so far equal time has been given to finding away through the moral and spiritual quagmire of where medicine and science mix with religion. John Marlott – a policeman seconded by home secretary Sir Robert Peel, who thinks that a murderer struck because he was against his new Anatomy Act – had slowly 

BBC confirms Luther transmission date

It’s been a bit of a day of confirmed transmission dates. First we had ITV confirming the kick-off date for series two of Prey, and now word reaches us that the BBC has detailed the transmission date for Luther. While not a full series, the two-parter is a belter. So much for winding down for the Christmas period… December’s going to be busy!

ITV confirms Prey transmission date

(c) ITV, Ben Blackall

Prey, Chris Lunt’s unashamed, brilliant The Fugitive-style rollercoaster of a three-part chase thriller, was one of the unexpected highlights from last year, and we’ve been rubbing our hands together when it was announced that a second series would be coming to ITV later this year. Now the network has confirmed its transmission date.

Review: Fargo (S2 E6/10), Monday 23rd November, Channel 4

Last week’s half-way stage of Fargo felt like an escalation. The Gerhardts, after declaring war on the Kansas City mob and taking out Joe Bulo, went after Ed Blumquist. The butcher shop scene was thrilling, but it was also quite possible only the start of things. The Gerhardts were angry, the Kansas City mob was angry… the only thing standing between them was the Solverson family and the hapless Ed and Peggy Blumquist.

Fargo recommissioned for third season by US channel FX

As regular readers of this site know (hello lots of new readers, by the way, thanks for swinging by) Fargo is one of my favourite shows. I’ve said it once and now I’ll say it again – Noah Hawley has done an exceptional job in retaining that Coen brothers’ feel and, ahem, executing that perfect mix of farce and violence. We’re just over half way through the second series here in the UK – well, we will be after tonight’s episode – and it’s shaping up to be another doozie. And there’s good news from its home channel in the US: it has been recommissioned for a third series.

The 10 Best Crime Dramas This Week (Monday 23rd-Sunday 29th November)

Here we go then. Another week into the dark recesses of the televisual world with more new episodes of things like The Bridge, Fargo, Elementary and The Frankenstein – all crime drama out of the top drawer. We also have something new – quite possibly one of the daftest, more high concept dramas we’ve ever seen!