The Mallens

It's not often I have to reach for the 'off' button but that was the case with THE MALLENS, an early Catherine Cookson adaptation which has dated so badly it's completely unwatchable.

The main problem with this show is the lack of quality. The set-bound approach to the drama looks cheap and cheesy, little better than a particularly poor episode of Baker-era DR WHO. All BBC drama from this era has the same problem because of the use of now-dated cameras. It IS forgivable - but only if the script and characters make up for it. Unfortunately, both are dull here.

The acting is straight off the stage and completely unconvincing. The characters are weak without a likable lead in sight. It takes ages for anything in the way of plot development to occur, and when it does it's often laughable. The picturesque northern locales are great, but it's not enough to keep watching. The various 1990s-era Cookson adaptations are a million times better than this.