Interview: Katherine Parkinson

Katherine Parkinson is known for small screen roles in The IT Crowd and Humans but in the West End she's a leading lady with plays written specifically for her.

Hang Ups DVD review

What a surprise when an American concept gets reworked into a British series and actually works.

Defending the Guilty review

My initial impression was that I really liked it. It was not perfect and certainly was not a laugh a minute, however there definitely were more things to like about it than to dislike.

What a delight to find, over on BBC Two, Will Sharpe, last seen popularly as Shun in the bizarre, brilliant Flowers, heading up his own six-parter, Defending the Guilty. From the team behind such hits as Rev and Mum, it is, as one might expect, sharp and bittersweet, yet more mainstream than either, featuring Will as a faux-naif trainee barrister. Who tends to come out with phrases such as "Wow. He is... very guilty."

There are achingly accurate slivers of class war as rival young barristers compete for the attention of chambers, in the shadows of gangster wars, brutal slayings, unconscionable paedophiles, vicious wine bar put-downs. This series almost dares to ask "what is justice?", but eventually pulls its punches, opting for lines such as "why do we work for murderers rather than working with... nice people with Cath Kidston tea towels and children mostly called Alfie?", and even when delivered by Katherine Parkinson this disappoints. Could have done with being harsher, but it's still sharp and stands head and shoulders above every legal "comedy".

This is the pilot of a corking comedy by Kieron Quirke (Cuckoo) due to air next year about the trials of pupil barrister Will (Will Sharpe) under the casual tutelage of Caroline (Katherine Parkinson, on fine form): "What makes a barrister, Will? The brain of a fox, the balls of an ox, the hugest of cocks."

Defending the Guilty, review

A potty-mouthed brush with the law.

Review: Defending the Guilty

Defending the Guilty smartly sends up nepotism and idealism in the criminal justice system.

Hang Ups review

A great first episode and it's so good to have a new funny sitcom on terrestrial television once again!

TV reviews: Hang Ups

In TV world, the only profession more troubled than a police detective is a therapist. From the outset, Hang Ups was a tense, nervous headache of a sitcom, a visible pulse in its temple, muscles a neurotic knot.

BBC scheme to fund new writing falls flat

It was trumpeted as a "unique new initiative for first-time playwrights" to have their work performed at the Edinburgh Fringe, but the BBC's 'Debut' scheme has been panned by critics for showcasing subpar work by celebrities.