Talk To Me : The Observer preview

Todays Observer has tonight's Talk To Me as pick of the day with a great preview.

THREE INTO TWO WON'T GO

TALK TO ME
ITV1, 9.30PM

W ell done to ITV, who after facing severe criticism earlier on in the year have been slowly overhauling their drama department. Gone (for the most part) are those overwrought star vehicles featuring Sarah Lancashire or Martin Kemp becoming slowly entangled in some improbable murder plot or other. Instead, recent offerings, while not always groundbreaking, have been sharp, savvy and, most importantly, involving.

All of which is true of Talk To Me , Daniel Brocklehurst's new four-part drama about the lives and loves of a lecherous night time DJ (Max Beesley on suitably rogueish form, above). Brocklehurst, who is best known for his work on Shameless , was also behind post office drama Sorted and has an enviable eye for creating believable, grounded if not always likeable characters. Thus it is that Talk To Me plays out almost like a more witty, less smug Cold Feet

Beesley's Mitch is the little boy who never grew up, taking pleasure in his reputation as a love 'em and leave 'em lothario while secretly longing for his best mate Woody's long-term girlfriend Claire. Woody himself seems to be having doubts about his forthcoming wedding to Claire, meanwhile she's just back at work after having had Woody's child and is questioning her life. Also in the mix are Claire's best friend Ally (newly dumped by Mitch) and Mitch's sister Kelly, a harassed teacher with a useless husband and a pupil who just might fancy her.

The lack of originality in this scenario is more than compensated for by a great sense of pace and an intelligent script and even the flaws (Mitch's cocky attitude towards women is irritating rather than endearing; Mitch and Kelly, despite supposedly being siblings, suffer from different-accent-itis; the laid-back Woody is clearly more attractive than the shallow Mitch) are hardly major, given that ultimately you not only believe in these characters, you also can't wait to find out what happens to them next. Sarah Hughes

The Sunday Times has it as the pick of the week but with no photograph of Joseph sadly.