Barnton_K

Why make a drama in Gaelic and set it in Harris unless you're going to get under the skin of the setting and the language and of what makes them unique? They just took a poor script that we've seen umpteen times before, translated it into Gaelic and stuck some beautiful scenery in between the scenes.

While the old "Cozy Crime" series (Midsummer Murders, Poirot etc) were lovely to look at, their plotting was precision-tooled; with their DNA traceable to the masterclass-level writing of Agatha Christie (and Conan Doyle). They could also draw compelling characters in a few subtle strokes.

In this series, the visuals are there to paper over the gaping plot holes and lack of interesting characters - none of whom have been developed beyond servicing the plot. None of the dialogue sounds like language that people actually use in reality, more like language copied from other old TV shows.

We live in hope of a Gaelic drama that can stand alongside the best minority-language programmes but sadly this effort suggests that's it's a long way off.

It starts out as a broad, obvious collection of "types" thrown together, a technique which one of the characters refers to in a fairly clunky, self-referential, classic-era Simpsons style. But its clunkier moments don't matter because it soon sets about making the types into actual characters with nuance and dimensions, whom you warm to and want to stick with.

Also it's about flawed people seeking redemption so in that spirit you can overlook the shonky bits, even if some of the redemptive arcs announce themselves in advance. Merchant's character is probably the least interesting and he does his usual shtick but the did write and direct most of it so you don't grudge him having fun with his own toy.

Stick with it and you'll be rewarded with a fun caper.

Excellent cast, great premise, no original characterisation. The male lead (a terrific live performer) is basically David Brent with some other traits lifted from a few well-worn sitcom characters.

The female lead is a collection of character tics derived from recurring sitcom tropes, not an actual character.

The writers have done some excellent work with Alan Partridge, who was a full-formed, three-dimensional character who had already painstakingly-evolved over several decades in the hands of other writers. Creating their own genuinely original characters is something they've yet to attempt.

It doesn't matter what the characters get up to or what time and place you set them in; if they don't have characteristics which we genuinely haven't seen before, then we know what's coming. We know how they're going to behave and we might as well watch some old favourite sitcoms for that.