The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes: The Boscombe Valley Mystery

 "Watson, all this fresh air will kill me."

It's odd, at this late stage and after sdaptations of so many of Conan Doyle's later stories, that now should appear an adaptation of one of his earliest, first published in The Strand in 1891. It's an excellent episode, though, probably this series' best at this point. It helps that a strong cast is led by a young Hames Purefoy, and both Leslie Schofield and Peter Vaughan appear in short but powerfu scenes. Genial Harry Grout, in particular, gives a spellbinding performance.

The story is, sensibly, relocated to Cheshire to be closer to the Granada studios, and the rural location enhances the episode enormously. There are some nice little character moments between Holmes and Watson- I love the nuances of Jeremy Brett's mannerisms as he tries to persuade Watson to interrupt his fishing holiday for the case.

It's odd, perhaps, to see such an early short story made so late in the Granada series' run, with Brett not, sadly, looking well at all, but I'm very glad we have this.

Sex Education: Season 2, Episode 5

"Is the bike in question your vagina?”

It’s the middle episode, and a watershed for the season, in the form of an ill-advised camping trip taken by Otis and Eric with Otis’ wayward father, Remi, whom we get to know a bit more. And it’s an episode in which most of the relationships go horribly, horribly wrong so that we can spend the rest of the season seeing what results from all this.

The love triangles, being unstable, come apart. Last episode Ola gave Otis an ultimatum to stop talking to Maeve or loses her, and he does- and she dumps him anyway, leaving him with no one. Meanwhile Ola, exploring her sexuality, finds herself dreaming not about Otis but about Lily, particularly in a superbly done dream sequence. Alas, as soon as she kisses Lily, she faces rejection.

Others are struggling too. Aimee is still recovering from the sexual assault, and can’t let her boyfriend touch her. Jean finds it impossible to cope with Jakob’s being everywhere, being unused to the ever-present intimacy of relationships. These scenes are funny, and Gillian Anderson is superb (I love the pans cupboard scene), but she ends by confessing to Jakob that Remi kissed her- and we don’t see the fallout.

Remi, meanwhile, is revealed as a pathetic, self-pitying, womanising man-child, perhaps intended as a warning for what Otis could potentially become. Maeve connects a little with her very human, recovering addict mother- and receives an unexpected love interest in cheeky bastard Isaac. I suspect that Otis, should he try to pick up the pieces with Maeve, May have a love rival.

Jackson, still hiding his theatrical doings from his mum, co to yes to bond with the nerdy but likeable Viv as he helps her to woo her beau: there’s definitely a spark between them. And Maureen Groff finally gets an orgasm after at least six years courtesy of Jean and a little bullet between her legs... and announces her desire to divorce her come husband. Of all the decouplings this episode, that’s the one with the feel good factor.

On a more ambiguous note, Eric chooses to be with Rahim after discussing his own triangle after a discussion about Adam with Otis, who doubts the old bully’s motives. Poor Adam, I suspect, has some more redemption to do before he's worthy of Eric.

This is well-crafted, character-driven, believable stuff. This second season may well be eclipsing the first.

Sex Education: Season 2, Episode 4

“Otis, you're gonna be deflowered!"

Well, a lot happened in this episode; must be mid-season. And relationships are getting complicated now. There are more triangles in this episodes than you'd see in a game of Kensington, to use a cultural reference that probably isn't appropriate to a programme featuring characters born mainly in the 21st century. Yes, I'm forty- three. I feel old.

This is all cleverly plotted for maximum angst, and even the farce about Otis looking after a toddler goes horribly wrong. So many awful things happen. Maeve is horribly let down by her useless mother and horrible quiz teammates... and, to make things worse she confesses her feelings to Otis, mere tens of minutes before he's due to have sex with Ola, whom he's not sure he loves.

But Eric is also horribly conflicted between the sexy Rahim and the very human, and extremely depressed, Adam. Yet it's not just the kids who struggle with relationships. Even Jean- a sex therapist, no less- is beginning to be annoyed by some of Jakob's habits. And when her ex Remi arrives unannounced we get uncomfortable undercurrents of snobbery to her new plumber boyfriend... and eventually a slightly tipsy kiss between the ex-spouses. That's three triangles.

Still warming up is Jackson's interesting plot thread about treading the boards and acting as sex advisor (another one!) to Viv. And we learn (with Jean) that Mr Groff hasn't shown any sexual interest in his wife Maureen for six years. Ouch. There's something going on there.

This may not be quite top notch drama, but it's elegantly scripted and very good indeed.

Sex Education: Season 1, Episode 3

“It’s better not being a mum at all than being a bad one.”

Interestingly, this episode doesn’t take the formulaic, “case of the week” approach that might be expected: perhaps that’s not the sort of series this is. Instead we get a focus on the fascinating Maeve, whose life is tinged with sadness and deprivation that belie her intelligence, her cut-glass vowels and (as we see here from a very ITV television quiz) that she is well read and cultured.

Bravely, the episode focuses on Maeve having an abortion following the events of the previous episode. The whole process is shown with realism, including the horrible nutters shouting inhuman abuse outside at women who really don’t need it. We get to know her, and Otis even tries to dispense some sex advice, but they’re not nice people and they shouldn’t be allowed to do that.

Emma Mackey is superb at showing us both Maeve’s tough exterior and the vulnerability that lies beneath. And there’s a brief moment of joy when she realises that Otis actually came through and waited for her. She seems to trust him, and even shows him the caravan park where she lives- and that her absent mother is an addict. We last see her staring at childhood photos. This is all wonderful character stuff.

We also meet Otis’s father for the first time, and and get to laugh at his guilt that his first wet dream should be about Maeve and that he’s “objectifying” her. I think it’s clear that the two of them are going to get together.

But there’s more, too: we see Jackson swimming, and how his pushy mum is urging him to train further. Meanwhile we see how the headmaster is seemingly more fond of this successful substitute son than he is of his own. And we see Eric’s large family, with real homophobic undercurrents, as he makes a rather touching friendship with the delightfully eccentric Lily.

This is all quite gripping.