Mike Ward s TV blog - Easter

As viewers, we dont traditionally make nearly as big a deal of the Easter TV schedules as we do the Christmas ones. This is a good thing.

While the extended break gives the channels a nice excuse, like at Christmas, to serve us up something new or a little different, there isnt the same burden of expectation weighing heavily on their shoulders. Few people ever complain that a programme isnt Eastery enough, or unfavourably compares the latest Easter line-up of shows to that of a so-called TV golden age which, if were being honest, has always been something of a rose-tinted myth.

Ultimately, theres no Easter equivalent of Morecambe & Wise to hark back to. The pressures off.

We have, however, always enjoyed getting our teeth into some quality drama, and beginning on Easter Monday we have an absorbing, broodingly intense three-parter, BBC1s Jamaica Inn, which easily stands comparison with some of TVs costume drama classics. Based on the famous Daphne du Maurier novel, set in 1820s Cornwall, and with former Downton Abbey star Jessica Brown Findlay in the lead role, its the story of a young woman, Mary Yellen, who comes to live with her aunt and uncle at this remote hostelry after her mothers death, only to discover, to her horror, that its the hub of the cut-throat local smuggling network. Sean Harris plays Marys brutal Uncle Joss, with Joanne Whalley as her sorely conflicted Aunt Patience. Matthew McNulty plays the handsome if roguish love interest, Jem, who also happens to be evil Josss brother, while other stars include Ben Daniels and Shirley Henderson.

Jamaica Inn will go out nightly from Easter Monday to Wednesday in BBC1s 9.00PM time slot.

Easter Mondays 9.00PM highlight on ITV, meanwhile, is Tommy Cooper: Not Like That, Like This, a moving feature-length single drama starring David Threlfall as the comedy legend who passed away on live TV 30 years ago this month. Written by Simon Nye, the story centres on the two women between whom Cooper felt torn for the best part of two decades his loyal wife Gwen, affectionately known as Dove and played here by Amanda Redman, and stage manager, Mary Kay (Helen McCrory), who stepped into Doves shoes to accompany Cooper on tour for many years as his assistant.

Over on Channel 4 on Easter Sunday, Martin Freeman stars in the darkly comic new US import Fargo (9.00PM), based on the 1996 movie classic of that name. Freeman plays a downtrodden, small-time Minnesota insurance salesman, repeatedly belittled by his wealthy brother and contemptuous wife, whose life takes a dramatic turn after bumps into an old bully from his school days. While awaiting treatment for a minor injury inflicted upon him by this thug, Freemans character Lester Nygaard encounters a curiously mesmerising drifter called Lorne Malvo (Billy Bob Thornton) who mischievously encourages Lester not to let his attacker off the hook.

By the end of the episode, the first of ten, things have spiralled out of the hapless Lesters hands to the most alarmingly bloody degree. Its very dark, as I say, but very funny. Here in the UK well be seeing it just days after its State-side debut.

In soaps, of course, jaw-dropping twists and turns are a year-round occurrence, but Easter Monday does feature a particularly shocking incident in Channel 5s Aussie import Neighbours. Going out as a double bill (5.30PM and 6.30PM), Neighbours: The Shooting (yes, theres a clue in the title) centres on the dramatic events which unfold at teacher Kate Ramsays birthday celebrations, moments after her boyfriend Mark Brennan has proposed.

Channel 5 is also where well find another new countdown show on the Saturday night, this one being Britains Favourite Detectives (9.25PM).

Religious programming, lest we forget, remains the BBCs strength, and highlights this year include The Great North Passion (BBC1, Good Friday at noon), where Fern Britton and Alexandra Burke will join thousands in Bents Park, South Shields, for a uniquely inventive re-telling of this element of the Easter story, covering the final moments of Christs life and featuring local artists, singers and dancers.

On Saturday theres Easter From Kings (BBC2, 5.45PM), a traditional candle-lit event featuring Easter readings, a selection of fine music and the famous Choir of Kings College Cambridge. Also that evening, Messiah At The Foundling Hospital (BBC2, 9.30pm) is a documentary recreating a fundraising performance, in 1750, of Handels famous work, performed at the London hospital founded by philanthropist Thomas Coram to help abandoned children. Coram also happens to be the YouView charity of the year more details here: www.coram.org.uk.

Easter Sunday Worship the following morning (BBC1, 10.00AM), comes from Leicester Cathedral, while this years Easter Sunday Songs Of Praise (BBC1, 5.10PM) celebrates the many Christian communities of Yorkshire.

Also on Easter Sunday, in an altogether different vein, theres a nostalgic celebration of 50 Golden Years Of Sport On BBC Two (8.00PM), presented by Sue Barker and forming part of the channels 50th anniversary celebrations. The night before, Pop Goes BBC Two (Saturday, 10.30PM) does likewise in a more musical vein. Items on that one include John Lennon reciting poetry with Dudley Moore on 60s comedy Not Only...But Also, plus more Glastonbury clips than you can shake a glow-stick at.

Comedy-wise, Wednesday sees the return of Ricky Gervaiss touching, bittersweet comedy-drama Derek (Channel 4, 10.00PM), where Dereks dad comes to join the residents at Broadhill Retirement Home.

And new on the documentary front is Nicky Campbells ITV documentary series Wanted: A Family Of My Own (Thursday, 9.00PM) looking at adoption in modern-day Britain and meeting people experiencing this sensitive process from all sides.

Theres also an entertaining new Thursday night documentary Kevins Supersized Salvage (Channel 4, 9.00P

LINK:	http://www.youview.com/news/2014/04/16/youview-highlights-for-easter-2...
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