BAFTA Television Awards 2009

Well, the night started well with Wallander picking up a BAFTA for drama series.  "This is bloody marvellous" said Kenneth Branagh.  Too right, because it had been up against the ever popular Dr Who and Spooks, as well as Shameless.  He went on to note the achievement as it was the first outing for the series.  Let's hope for lots more of it, because it's really well made.

Later in the evening the award for drama serial - presumably defined as a one-off three parter or similar, as opposed to long term series for the above award - went to Criminal Justice.  I saw this too and thought it superb.  If you haven't seen it and it's not repeated soon, do get the DVD.

Proving we all love a cop show, The Bill overcame competition from Eastenders, Emmerdale and Casualty to win for Continuing Drama Series (read "soap").

Andrew Marr took to the stage with Kirsty Wark for the presentation of the news award and in his introduction he mentioned that serious and accurate news has never been more important.  Again too right.  The press have just outed themselves over the McBride Smeargate affair as having been complicit with the spin-bullying of Labour over the years and a tendency to take on trust and not investigate.  The BBC is now well-perceived as being politicised.  What a shame seriousness and accuracy have been playing second fiddle for so long.  The award was won by News at 10 (ITN) for its coverage of the Chinese earthquake and the footage showed why.

In a lighter moment, coming on stage to present the award for comedy programme, Rob Brydon seemed legitimately surprised and humoured to have Tom Jones's Sex Bomb song as the accompanying music.  That one went to Harry Enfield and Paul Whitehouse.

When the award for features went to The Choir: Boys Don't Sing, the camera swept around to Sir Alan Sugar who looked quite disappointed that The Apprentice had not won it.

Alas, another favourite of mine, Outnumbered did not win for sitcom.  This went to The IT Crowd, which I've never seen, but think I might like from the clips shown.  Outnumbered was in the running again later for the only award subject to the public vote.  It lost again to Skins.  Here, the camera panned again to the three child actors sitting together, and the face and posture of the little girl said she'd finally had it by that stage. But I believe there will be many more opportunities for them to win in the future.

For comedy performance, Outnumbered's Claire Skinner lost out to David Mitchell, as did Gavin and Stacey's Rob Brydon.  The competition was very tough.

A special award was given to the BBC's Jane Tranter who has made sure that the BBC has brought some excellent programming over the years, in drama and comedy.  She defied the critics to ensure that Dr Who was brought back to our screens, updated, and we saw the return of family programming.

I don't think I was the only one who was disappointed when June Brown did not get the actress award, but I also think she should have been up for it many years ago when she did the first, and then, ground-breaking monologue on Eastenders.  This time round, I believe it was reported that ratings had suffered, but I believe that's more a reflection of today.  The award went to Anna Maxwell Martin for Poppy Shakespeare.

When it came to actor, the award went to someone I'd not heard of: Stephen Dillane for The Shooting of Thomas Hurndall (something I've not seen).  But of the other three on the shortlist it will come as no surprise to anyone who regularly reads this blog that I think Ken Stott is one of our best actors in the UK and he thoroughly deserved to be there.  Jason Isaacs was also there and he's another I rate highly.  I will now have to see The Curse of Steptoe.  Lastly, Ben Wishaw was there for Criminal Justice and he turned in a remarkable performance in that.  I think this one was probably the tightest category.

Finally on the night, fellowships were awarded to Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders, presented by Helen Mirren.  It has to be one of warmest received fellowships I've ever seen.  They had a standing ovation and took to the stage to the sound of "Here come the girls."  Even Jonathan Ross looked a bit glassy-eyed.

Best joke of the night was Graham Norton's, on introducing Andrew Marr.  He said that Marr had been placed in seat G20.  Or was it perhaps another of Norton's, where he noted that those in the audience had delivered twelve months of hard work, but in Jonathan Ross's case it was nine.

Worst outfit of the night must go to the pregnant Tess Daley.  Hideous.  But hers was not the only unflattering dress in the crowds.  I'm sure tomorrow's papers will have an analysis, perhaps try the Daily Mail and Liz Jones.  (They have something up already and it's by a "Daily Mail Reporter", not Liz Jones.  And they disagree with me over Tess Daley's dress.  They must have forgotten their specs.)

All in all, it was a good night for crime drama.  And in the world of TV, crime does not have its own special category.

Comments

[Maxine]

Thanks, CFR - I don't think I'd heard of Criminal Justice before so must check it out and add it to the groaning pile of DVD "boxed sets"! Glad that Wallender won - in my book Branagh acted superbly and the art direction was fantastic - but the rest of the programmes (script, plot, rest of acting) was pedestrian verging on (in the case of the plots) clunky. I was particularly disappointed in how the daughter had been romanticised out of all recognition and how the police team had been reduced to "just any other police team" (even the receptionist had been ruthlessly excised in favour of formula). But, Branagh was excellent.