“It was a relief when he left the screen and we saw the mess he left behind.” Read on for the verdict on last night’s TV.

Appropriate Adult

Appropriate Adult, ITV1

“It was, I’m sure, a decent instinct that led the makers of the drama to conclude with images of the Wests’ known victims. But it was a mistaken one. These women hadn’t asked to be part of this story in the first place, and it felt wrong that they had no choice about their enlistment here.”
Tom Sutcliffe, The Independent

“Although Dominic West gave an electrifying portrayal as Fred, part local charmer, part exotic savage, it was a relief when he left the screen and we saw the mess he left behind.”
Matt Baylis, The Express

“Fred’s one-liners yesterday proved tiresome, his self-pity nauseating and his seduction technique - “Life is full of such wonders and mysteries. It is a wonder you came into my life” – creepy.”
Andrew Billen, The Times

Crusaders: Back from the Dead, Channel 4

“It owed as much to the historical school of Jerry Bruckheimer as it did to that of Steven Runciman, but was often fascinating all the same, a reminder that there was a time when the suicidally fanatical religious zealots had crosses on their tunics, not crescent moons.”
Tom Sutcliffe, The Independent

“You expect a certain amount of grisly detail where battles are concerned but more surprising was the role of dentistry played in this investigation.”
Matt Baylis, The Express

Rugby World Cup 2011, ITV1

“Before the England-Argentina game gets under way, Pienaar and Dallaglio step up to what Rider calls “our giant touch screen facility”. A big telly, basically. It’s a bit awkward, and embarrassing to be honest, because it doesn’t work. They touch it, nothing happens; they don’t touch it, it changes.”
Sam Wollaston, The Guardian

Strictly Come Dancing, BBC1

“There’s a lot of blond hair around to rival Robbie’s, and amazing teeth, and fake tan. Muscles and boobs too, wherever you look. And here’s Dolly Parton, see what I mean? It’s basically a sex show, isn’t it? Am I wrong?”
Sam Wollaston, The Guardian

Digging for Britain, BBC2

“Last year, the hypothesis had been that this was a Roman brothel disposing of the inconvenient by-product of the business. This year that theory has had to shuffle over to share space with the idea that the site was actually some kind of maternity hospital. Nobody knows either way, and the bones won’t say.”
Tom Sutcliffe, The Independent

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