HBO’s Big Little Lies – shown in the UK on Sky Atlantic – won big at the Emmys on Sunday night. It won Outstanding Limited Series, Outstanding Lead Actress In A Limited Series Or Movie (Nicole Kidman), Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Limited Series Or Movie (Alexander Skarsgard), Outstanding Directing For A Limited Series, Movie Or Dramatic Special (Jean-Marc Vallée), and Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Limited Series Or TV Movie (Laura Dern). That’s quite an impressive haul, and there’s no doubt the buzz around it and subsequent reviews of the show were very good. However, it was one of those shows that slipped through our net a bit – it premiered back at the start of the year, one of the busiest times in crime drama land. With that in mind, we thought now would be a good time to doff our cap and pay tribute to one of the starriest and unlikeliest crime drama hits of the year. Continue reading
Why Big Little Lies won big at the Emmys
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The sheer amount of crime dramas this year has, occasionally, been overwhelming (honestly, if you know anyone who wants to write reviews for the site, please get in touch – it’d be good to share the load), and it could be argued that there has been more quantity than quality. However, it’s been another fun ride, and the fun is set to continue into the autumn and winter, traditionally when the big guns are wheeled out. So, with that in mind, here’s our great, big, enormo autumn/winter preview. All transmission dates are very much TBC, and there will no doubt be a few more that sneak into the schedules after this has been published. Be warned: you may never leave your house again.
In just over 10 days’ time I’ll be heading up to the beautiful spa town of Harrogate once again to attend the Theakstons Old Peculiar Crime Writing Festival at the Old Swan Hotel. It’s another terrific line-up, and it’s one I’ll be reporting from (as per usual). In the meantime, the shortlist for the festival’s prestigious awards have been announced, and there are some real crackers in there. Read on for more.
On Saturday 2nd June, The Wire celebrated its 15th anniversary. It was first broadcast on HBO back in 2002, a cable network in the US that had become the touchstone for a new era of quality adult drama. At the vanguard of this new generation was The Wire – a word-of-mouth cult hit that showcased the lives of flawed law enforcement officers and drug-dealing gangs on the streets and in the projects of Baltimore. Often cited as the greatest TV show of all time, rightly so in my opinion, it was only fair that I doffed my cap to this staggering, rich, deep and sometimes shocking five-season series.
I love Line Of Duty. I love Steve Arnott and his chippy little ways; I love Kate Fleming’s calm insouciance; I love Ted Hastings and his paternal, old-fashioned sheriff ways; and, more to the point, I love the fact that writer and director Jed Mercurio has torn up the rule book when it comes to crime drama. He kills people – established characters no less – without too much concern. Big-name actors, too. I love the fact that the characters he allows to stick around are deeply flawed but have so much ambiguity you don’t know whether you’re coming or going with them. Lenny James’ Tony Gates, Keeley Hawes’ Lindsay Denton, Daniel Mays’ Danny Waldron. and not forgetting Craig Parkinson’s Matthew ‘Dot’ Cottan. Heck, even the members of AC-12 are hardly heroes in the traditional sense. They all had so much going on with their characters – nuances, depth, emotional entry points. You weren’t sure whether to love them or hate them. So the addition of Thandie Newton – a seriously good actress – and her character DCI Roz Huntley should have been a shoo-in into this esteemed gang of flawed are-they-aren’t-they characters. But with the series finale looming large on the horizon, I’m still waiting for the moment when things click with me with Roz Huntley. As dazzling and as addictive as the show is, I’m not quite there with it this series. Why?
It’s that time again: we all go on the Broadchurch bus tonight to find out who raped not only Trish Winterman, but also others before her. It has been a good, intense series with some outstanding performances, so I hope that the ending stacks up and is satisfying. A show like Broadchurch deserves to end well. But we’re faced with the question: whodunit? Chris Chibnall has presented a quintet of main suspects that he has kept in the spotlight throughout. We’ve seen some subterfuge, some red herrings and some genuine reasons for suspicion. But now? Let’s review the suspects and then you can have your say…