“If the definition of a good documentary is to take the viewer into unknown territory, then both this weekend’s offerings succeeded admirably.” Read on for the verdict on last night’s TV.

TROPIC OF CANCER, BBC2

Reeve’s great strength is that while he guides us along…he does so with a genuine sense of curiosity and openness, never succumbing to cliché or getting sidetracked by his own agenda. He allows the people and situations to speak for themselves, and refrains for patronising or hectoring the viewer.
Sarah Vine, The Times

The drawback is that there are an awful lot of miles to cover in not much time and every location is inevitably reduced to a single theme episode. All were very watchable, yet somehow unsubstantial.
John Crace, The Guardian

What dangers or hardships our Simon encountered in-between felt rather made up.
Matt Baylis, Daily Express

 

REQUIEM FOR DETROIT, BBC 2

Temple sketched a skilful and sobering picture of the decline and fall of what used to be one of America’s most prosperous cities.  
Sarah Vine, The Times

Julien Temple has form as a self-style auteur, but for once he kept his more irritating filmatics in check, and his talent became all the more apparent for it.
John Crace, The Guardian

Dazed was, unfortunately, how many of us must have felt in the first half, which tried so hard to set out its stall as something unique and artistic that it lost sight of its aims…Although after its nervy, twitchy childhood, this film did manage to grow up into something better.
Matt Baylis, Daily Express

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