Serena Davies

Fleabag review: a near perfect work of art

If the themes of Fleabag series 2 had been packaged up as serious drama it would never have got on TV.

Charlie Brooker's Black Mirror (Channel 4) satirical dramas are fast gaining a cult status. Not all succeed, and some are unwatchable, notably the opener of his first series, where the prime minister had sex with a pig. But this follow-up series has, generally, shown more nuance than the first.

Last night's closing instalment introduced us to an interactive cartoon bear, Waldo, who, in the manner of Ali G, did interviews with real-life people. He tangled with an almost equally caricatured Tory party candidate (Tobias Menzies), whom Waldo proceeded to stand against in a by-election. As a mockery of the deeply compromised ideals of modern politics - people who simply hated politics could now vote for Waldo - the satire worked.

This was because Brooker didn't over egg it, at least not until the end, which descended into a hammy dystopian vision of Waldo becoming a means of universal mind control. But before that final five minutes, Brooker didn't let Waldo actually win the by-election, and he made the comedian controlling the bear utterly reviled by his own actions - "He's not real! He doesn't stand for anything!" He also gave the Tory one rather good line: "If that thing is the main opposition then the whole system looks absurd. Which it may well be - but it built these roads." The message that we may complain about our politicians but they're all we've got scored a bleak bulls-eye.

Black Mirror: The Waldo Moment, Channel 4, review

Charlie Brooker's Black Mirror (Channel 4) satirical dramas are fast gaining a cult status. Not all succeed, and some are unwatchable, notably the opener of his first series, where the prime minister had sex with a pig. But this follow-up series has, generally, shown more nuance than the first.

The BBC's youth channel is airing a series of comedy pilots that were originally made to be shown online and have clearly tickled the fancy of the channel's commissioners. Written and directed by John Willie Hopkins, this latest, a mix of sketches, songs and characters, is genuinely endearing and entertaining. Rich Fulcher, of Mighty Boosh fame, provides the voiceover.

Sharon Horgan: 'I've never done anything as stupid'

Sharon Horgan is what you might call a late developer. She spent much of her twenties in dead-end pursuits, training at not-very-good acting schools and taking jobs waitressing and in call centres, before she sobered up and did an English degree at 27.

The Hunt For Tony Blair review

There was much to keep the brain busy even when the jokes were predictable, and there was always a good bit of slapstick to entertain as well.

The Jonathan Ross Show, ITV1, review

Serena Davies reviews the first episode of Jonathan Ross's new ITV1 chat show.

Dervla Kirwan on Material Girl

Dervla Kirwan, the star of new BBC drama Material Girl talks about why getting older is no bar to success.

Charles Dance returns to our screens in Trinity

Back on TV as a malign university professor in ITV2's Trinity, Charles Dance reveals why he also treats his own profession with a healthy dose of cynicism.

Interview: Jenny Agutter

The actress tells The Telegraph about her surprising Soho fan club and Monday Monday, the new comedy drama she is starring in.