Screen Queen TV Reviews: Dept. Q, The Quilters, And Just Like That . . . and Pee-wee As Himself
There are few television shows that have as fond a place in my heart as British crime drama The Bill. Growing up, it was a staple in our house and, quite honestly, I've struggled to find anything to plug its hole since it was unceremoniously yanked from screens back in 2010.
Don't get me wrong, there have been plenty of great police series in recent years — Apple TV's excellent Slow Horses and the darkly brilliant Happy Valley spring to mind — but The Bill hit different. Though it took a crime-of-the-week format, the ever-revolving detectives were always brilliantly cast, and over seasons and years I felt as though I knew them personally.
My favourites were the crotchety-but-clever detectives — DCI Jack Meadows, played by Simon Rouse, and DCI Frank Burnside (Christopher Michael Ellison) were top tier — but I also loved the rank and file, particularly Sgt June Ackland (Trudie Goodwin).
Which brings me to Dept. Q, a new series from the writer of The Queen's Gambit, based on the novels of the same name by Danish author Jussi Adler-Olsen.
I can't tell you much about this new police series as there's an embargo in place, but I will say this: the central character in this Scottish series, DCI Carl Morck (played by Matthew Goode) has big Bill energy. He's rumpled, cranky, and fighting his own inner demons (his police partner and friend was shot in front of him not long ago, and he's still reeling from the fallout). It makes him perfect 'TV detective' fodder.
Morck has been given the job of overseeing a newly formed cold case department, the titular Department Q, which he's running from a dank basement in the bowels of the Edinburgh police station. He assembles a not-so-crack team to help him sort through files, and the case they're assigned ends up being the through-line of the series.
I'm genuinely excited for you all to see this. And TV execs, if you're reading this: bring back The Bill!
My Netflix algorithm knows me better than I know myself. It's been recommending I watch this doco, about a group of prison inmates in the US who are part of a quilting program, for days now. Eventually, curiosity got the better of me and I dipped in — and loved it! Even better, at only 30 minutes long, it also ticked my Early Night criteria box. Who knew watching a bunch of inmates make quilts for foster kids could be such a wholesome and life-affirming experience? Netflix did. And I thank them for that.
Look, haters gonna hate. But I'm going to continue to watch Carrie Bradshaw and her postmenopausal besties traverse this next stage of their lives. The new series drops this week and — good news! — Che Diaz is nowhere to be seen. Thank heavens for that.
Nadya Suleman is the Californian woman who gave birth to octuplets back in 2009 — unbelievably she was already mum to six other kids. This doco series explores her, ahem, life choices. She's not who you think she is.
I absolutely adore Paul Reubens and his comic creation, Pee-wee Herman — I was genuinely devastated when he passed away in 2023. This documentary, which was filmed before Reuben's death and uses personal archive footage from the star, gives an insight into who the comedian actually was. Or does it? Fans will be fascinated.
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