Yahoo News Heroes in danger keep us coming back for more
A sequel is always a worry for any producer, so how to keep the audience gripped?
Having won hearts and minds last year, both Poldark and Our Girl returned this week and turned to the same plot device: Heroes in peril.
At the end of Series 1, Ross Poldark (Aidan Turner) has been arrested on charges of murder and wrecking. We join them in real time, as Series 2 begins with him being led away to face said charges and a date with a noose.
By the time we get to the end of episode 1, the chances of clemency seem to be ebbing away with the vicious Cornish tide, and a shocking act will add more devastation to the Poldark family (unless the director was playing with us). However, we did get a great lesson in how to mine copper *coughs* …
Over in Kenya, where Our Girl, Georgie Laine - Michelle Keegan replacing Lacey Turner’s Molly Dawes - is at the mercy of insurgents, after some fine detective work sets in motion a tactical operation which leads to ambush and kidnap. It’s only going to get worse for her his week.
Personally, when she gets back, she might want to have a word with Captain James for not telling her how many medics had already disappeared, before she agreed to take the job …
Of course both Ross and Georgie will be fine - we’d be looking at very short second series otherwise.
After a 13 year gap, another favourite also returned: Cold Feet. And you’d be forgiven for thinking it had never been away; it was like slipping back into a comfy pair of slippers. As warmhearted and funny as before, it still has that magic touch of making you laugh and cry within the same scene.
While Adam is in a different sort of peril, who couldn’t help but sympathise with pompous David (now being nagged by two women) as he described his new relationship and finished by simply saying “I miss Karen”. I’m welling up as I type …
Jenny and Pete are as endearing as ever, although we fear there may be troubles ahead, as Pete beats himself up about their financial situation.
Romance is on the cards for Karen - which will complicate life even more for Adam - and isn’t it great to see the kids all grown up? (I don’t even remember them, were they in it before?) Matthew (Adam and Rachel’s son) looks set to take centre stage along with our five leads, which gives creator Mike Bullen a whole other bunch of options for heartache and family adventure, not all of it wholesome.
So now we have Poldark, Our Girl and Cold Feet up against Victoria, DCI Banks and Ripper Street respectively, with plenty more new shows on the way this autumn.
I’m manically clearing my schedule so I can keep up to date with them. I might end up having to watch tv all day and that won’t do at all *give me half a chance*
