siwoodhall

I can't quite decide whether this is my all-time favourite episode or if the pilot episode, 'The Killings at Badger's Drift', (also penned by Anthony Horowitz) is as good. Regardless, this is an (equally) genuinely tense and sinister tale with an utterly satisfying denouement. The cast is first-rate. Definitely one of the high points of this long-running series.

This is virtually impossible to fault and is a perfect medicine for melancholy. The film showcases a sharp script delivered by an impeccable cast. It is modern yet old-fashioned and entirely faithful to the warmth of the books.

Like its 80s stablemate, The Terminator, this is another series that banks on the unfailing loyalty of nostalgic fans to want familiar elements but increasingly ignore plot holes, incoherent motivations and questionable casting. Sadly this is equally another case of diminishing returns, a film which reflects the nastiness and nihilism of the 2008 outing but with even less coherence or sense. Is it telling that the end credits are the most enjoyable part?!