Good and bad on television

Even in these times, when frugality is in fashion, there are some unexpected positive items among the many negative ones on television.

In the first episode of It’s Only A Theory, a new BBC Four panel show, Lucy Beresford defended her proposition that there is nothing inherently wrong with sadness. The two comedians and guest celebrity found it a convincing argument.

In sharp contrast BBC Newsnight, ostensibly a serious news programme, is promoting a make do and mend tour of Britain. It consists of Sarah Jane Baxter, a milliner, travelling from London to Scotland over the month and funding her trip by fixing things. This follows the recent miserable ethical man series in which a Newsnight report spent a year living “ethically”.

(Note: These programmes are probably not available for viewing outside Britain).