Last week's TV - the inthenews.co.uk view
Gavin and Stacey returned for a third and final series
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By Darren Estwick. |  |
Monday, 30, Nov 2009 03:06
There seems to be some sort of a trend at the moment for time-bending dramas.
First we were treated to FlashForward, where a worldwide black rendered the entire population unconscious for 137 seconds, during which time people saw visions of their lives six months in the future.
Then we had Collision, which worked in reverse, dramatising the events, which led to an eight-car pile up on the A12, caused by a waitress' inability to kill a wasp, or so we are led to believe.
Now we have Paradox, the BBC's offering to the mix. A series about an unexplained phenomenon that causes an astrophysicist's computer to download images from space detailing a forthcoming traffic accident 18 hours in the future.
Sadly, unlike its two predecessors ,Paradox isn't great. The vision is of a fuel tanker hitting a bridge as a delayed train crosses it, however this is apparent to the viewer long before the investigators come to terms with the fact that time and narrative are not quite running as they should.
Tamzin Outhwaite stars as Detective Inspector Flint, the women charged with the task of unraveling the mystery and preventing the inevitable from happening. While she manages to hold things together well, her conversations with astrophysicist Christian King are confusing. Does she want to slap him or sleep with him? The big mystery though is whether or not he has conjured up the whole thing for his own enjoyment or if there is something bigger going on. By the end of the first installment it appears to be the work of God, or at least that is the explanation we are offered for now.
Paradox is visually stunning, and looks incredibly polished, especially in HD. It also has an element of 24 about it, through the dominance of a giant red countdown clock, which repeatedly interjects the action, adding suspense. It all suggests the BBC has big hopes for the show in America; all it does for audiences is heighten the tension as the impending disaster approaches.
On its own, Paradox could be a good drama. I will freely admit that I did rather enjoy it. The problem with it though is that it has arrived too late to the party. Compared to FlashForward and Collision it just looks like a weaker incarnation. While FlashForward has the time to delve into the complexities of the unexplained, Paradox feels rushed and rather unsatisfying in comparison, although undoubtedly answers will come in the coming weeks. Collision on the other hand, had an emotional depth, engaging characters and a believable element to it. Paradox on face value doesn't have any of these, the concept feels too similar to Minority Report to take seriously, while we know too little about the characters to care about their fates.
Rather than write it off, I think Paradox needs time to develop and grow, and I have to confess, I am intrigued to find out what the hell is going on.
Now on to the big event of the week. Having graduated from BBC3, to BBC1, via BBC2, Gavin and Stacey returned to our screens last week for its third and final series.
I must admit, my expectations were low, when I sat down to watch Gavin and Stacey's return to TV on Thursday. Last year's Christmas special was less than inspiring to say the least and I personally, have never quite understood the charm of this James Corden and Ruth Jones-penned comedy.
Gavin (Mat Horne) has started his new job in Cardiff and cannot seem to get through the day without repeated phone calls and deliveries of sandwiches and balloons. Stacey (Joanna Page) is thrilled to be back home in Barry, but can't decide whether sex is better in Barry or Essex. Smithy (Corden) is struggling to cope without his best mate at home, while preparing for Neil's christening; Nessa (Jones) on the other hand is adjusting to her new life in Dave's (Steffan Rhodri) caravan in Scully. Oh and there is some dispute over a salad and Rob Brydon sings.
There were some hilarious moments - a highlight being baby Neil being granted the middle name "Noel Edmund" - but for me, this show felt more like taking a warm bath, than a laugh out loud riot. The characters are immensely likeable, the family situations accurately depicted, but as for comedic value, perhaps it's just me, but I didn't quite get it. It did leave me with a warm fuzzy feeling inside though, but I suppose that is part of the show's charm; it doesn't claim to be anything groundbreaking, it's just a social statement about family values and relationships.
For half an hour of TV, you could do a lot worse. It's brilliant feelgood television although not something I'll be going out of my way to watch every week.
Matt Robinson