TV News w/c 7 Feb 2016

Lots of exciting new programmes this week on the BBC (and the return tonight of the X-Files on Channel 5!).

If you missed it last night, you can catch up with Montalbano and Me: Andrea Camilleri on iPlayer.

An intimate portrait of the man behind Inspector Montalbano, as acclaimed Italian novelist Andrea Camilleri gives us access to the man himself, his work and personal history.

Camilleri shares the name and beginning of what will be the final Montalbano novel which he wrote when he was 80 - worried that Alzheimer's would strike. [He is still writing new ones.] The interviewer notes how all the Montalbanos are the same length and Camilleri explains that it is deliberate. There is a brief interview with Luca Zingaretti and how he got the job of playing Montalbano.

Tomorrow night sees the return of Happy Valley at 9pm on BBC One:

Eighteen months have passed, and Catherine is spinning plates at work and at home, where Ryan approaches his tenth birthday. Tommy, serving a life sentence in a high-security prison, finds a way of keeping a watchful eye over Ryan from behind bars, while Catherine becomes a murder suspect after finding a dead body.

and lastly on Saturday, on BBC Four from 9pm, the first two of the ten episodes of Icelandic drama, Trapped:

In a small Icelandic fishing port, a ferry docks. That same day a dismembered body is found in the river, sparking an investigation and a call to Reykjavik for detective reinforcements to assist the small local police force. With the ferry held in dock and a bad snowstorm threatening to cut off the town, chief of police Andri is under pressure to deliver results quickly.

Molto Montalbano

Now Cordon is finished (I have the last 3 episodes to watch), its Saturday night slot - 9pm on BBC Four - will be taken by a repeat of series one of The Young Montalbano.

BTW, you can buy this t-shirt from the MHz Network store.









Book-wise we're being spoilt this year with the release of Game of Mirrors which came out in May, with the paperback out in August together with the hardback release of Blade of Light (US: A Beam of Light in September). Both translated by Stephen Sartarelli.

In February 2016, a collection of short stories will be released also, I believe, translated by Stephen Sartarelli: Montalbano's First Case and Other Stories. Montalbano's First Case is already available as an ebook from Mondadori (2013) translated by Gianluca Rizzo and Dominic Siracusa.

Here's the blurb for the short story collection:

This brilliant collection of short stories, personally chosen by Andera Camilleri, follow Inspector Montalbano from his very first case in Vigata, in which he stumbles upon a young girl lurking outside a courthouse with a pistol in her handbag. When she is taken in for questioning and won't utter a single word, Montalbano must find another way to learn who this mystery girl is trying to kill, and why . . .

Other cases include a missing woman who has run away from the love of her life; an old married couple who appear to be rehearsing their suicides; and a crime so dark there's only one person the inspector can call for help.

With twists and turns aplenty, these stories have all the the wit, mystery and culinary gusto that Camilleri's fans have come to love him for.

TV News: Inspector Montalbano and a Ray of Light

The fourth and final episode in the latest series of Inspector Montalbano is A Ray of Light on Saturday 9nd November at 9pm on BBC Four:

A woman is attacked and robbed on her way home late at night, but the case leaves Montalbano wondering whether there isn't more to the story than he's being told. An abandoned cattle shed in the countryside has been boarded up by unknowns and used for mysterious purposes.

A Ray of Light is based on Andrea Camilleri's nineteenth Montalbano novel, Una lama di luce, which has not yet been translated into English. It was published in Italy in 2012.

The following Saturday sees the Return of Borgen.

TV News: Inspector Montalbano & a Voice in the Night

The third episode of the latest series of Inspector Montalbano is A Voice in the Night on Saturday 2nd November at 9pm on BBC Four:

A supermarket controlled by a Mafia family is robbed, setting off a chain of events in which the Mafia's political links start to transpire. Montalbano finds himself having to conduct his investigation using even more unconventional methods and this time he does something he's never done before.

A Voice in the Night is based on Andrea Camilleri's eighteenth Montalbano novel, Una Voce di Notte, which has not yet been translated into English. Though published in Italy in 2012, I believe the story is set a few years earlier.

TV News: Inspector Montalbano & the Hall of Mirrors

The second episode of the latest series of Inspector Montalbano (with Luca Zingaretti) is Hall of Mirrors on Saturday 26th October at 9pm on BBC Four:

A bomb goes off outside an empty store-room in a quiet Vigata street. Montalbano commences his investigation, but is soon disorientated by a series of disparate events, including the acquaintance of an attractive and mysterious woman

Hall of Mirrors is based on Andrea Camilleri's eighteenth Montalbano novel, Il gioco degli specchi, which has not yet been translated into English. The title comes from the film Lady from Shanghai.

TV News: Ol' Salvo's back in Town (ie the return of Inspector Montalbano)

Inspector Montalbano (with Luca Zingaretti) returns to BBC Four on Saturday 19th October at 9pm with the first of four episodes (from 2013):

Angelica's Smile

A series of burglaries takes place at the houses of wealthy Vigata residents. One of the victims is a beguiling young bank manager called Angelica, to whom Salvo finds he is soon attracted. As the investigation progresses, Montalbano starts to suspect that the burglaries might be a cover for something rather more sinister.

Angelica's Smile is based on Andrea Camilleri's seventeenth Montalbano novel, Il sorriso di Angelica, which is the next book to appear in English in June 2014 in both the US and the UK. At the rate I'm watching these I will have read the book first! But as the saying goes, one can never be too rich, too thin ... or have too much Montalbano (whatever his age).

TV News: Young Montalbano Ep.6 Seven Mondays

The final part of the six-episode run of Young Montalbano - Seven Mondays - is on Saturday 12 October at 9pm on BBC Four.

As Livia and Salvo prepare to go on their first holiday together, Vigata is shaken by the murder of a rich old man. Meanwhile, a series of strange occurrences takes place involving the shooting of a number of animals at the hands of an elusive gunman. With little evidence to go on, Montalbano and his team struggle to understand the logic behind the animal killings and fear that the worst may be yet to come.

The series is co-written by Andrea Camilleri and Francesco Bruni with the stories drawn from several short story collections.

According to Wikipedia a second series will begin shooting in late 2013.

TV News: Young Montalbano Ep.5 The Third Secret

The fifth part of the six-episode run of Young Montalbano - The Third Secret - is on Saturday 5 October at 9pm on BBC Four.

Montalbano receives an anonymous note predicting the death of a local construction worker, only to realise that the note has been delivered too late. Meanwhile, the public notice board announcing the town's forthcoming weddings is stolen. What at first appears to be an innocent prank gradually turns out to have more sinister overtones. Carmine Fazio's young son Giuseppe joins the investigating team following his father's retirement, but there are minor clashes between the enthusiastic new recruit and his boss.

The series is co-written by Andrea Camilleri and Francesco Bruni with the stories drawn from several short story collections.

TV News: Young Montalbano Ep.4 Mortally Wounded

The fourth part of the six-episode run of Young Montalbano - Mortally Wounded - is on Saturday 28 September at 9pm on BBC Four.

Some unusual posters appear around Vigata in which the moral status of one of its female inhabitants is questioned. This soon becomes the talk of the town and Montalbano finds himself attempting to navigate the local gossip and resulting squabbles. But a murder forces more serious events onto the agenda, as Montalbano investigates the private and business life of the victim, uncovering a string of unsavoury facts in the process. Fazio returns to Vigata police station asking to be reinstated in his job following a bout of serious ill health. Salvo's father makes the acquaintance of new girlfriend Livia.

The series is co-written by Andrea Camilleri and Francesco Bruni with the stories drawn from several short story collections.

TV News: Back to Basics for Young Montalbano

The third part of the six-episode run of Young Montalbano - Back to Basics - is on Saturday 21 September at 9pm on BBC Four.

Just as he's starting to settle into his new job, Montalbano is surprised, and somewhat irked, by the unexpected arrival of the new deputy inspector, Mimi' Augello. The two soon find that their personalities are as alike as chalk and cheese. Together, they investigate the kidnapping of a young child and make the acquaintance of a beautiful Genoese architect, Livia Burlando. A rivalry immediately ensues for the girl's attentions.

The series is co-written by Andrea Camilleri and Francesco Bruni with the stories drawn from several short story collections.

Inspector Montalbano: The Paper Moon

The next and eighth episode in this second run of Inspector Montalbano, at 9pm on 13 October, is Paper Moon, based on The Paper Moon book, the ninth in Camilleri's series.

(Whereas the episodes have been shown in two series in the UK, in Italy they were shown in eight series over twelve years. The Paper Moon is the the last episode in the seventh series, shown in Italy in 2008. The  final set of four episodes were shown in 2011.)

A distressed woman arrives at Vigata police station to report the disappearance of her brother. Soon enough, the man is found murdered in what appears to have been a crime of passion. But Montalbano is reluctant to give too much credit to appearances and digs into the victim's past, talking to anyone who might have had an involvement in the case. Meanwhile, a number of high-profile businessmen and politicians die as a result of cocaine overdoses.

Montalbano's tenth

The next and final episode in the current run of of Inspector Montalbano, at 9pm on 14 April, is The Goldfinch and the Cat, which is not based on any of the books in Camilleri's series but is presumably based on a Camilleri short story.

A series of mysterious muggings takes place in Vigata, ending in tragedy when one of the victims is killed. Meanwhile, a man virtually destroys the emergency room at the hospital after finding out that his young daughter is pregnant. A local doctor is also missing and presumed dead. Montalbano investigates all three cases, gradually uncovering the links between them.

The Year of Translated TV Dramas

The announcements have been coming thick and fast over the last few days regarding new to the UK dramas from mainland Europe. Borgen has finished but is due to return at the end of the year and a third series is in production.

Borgen's immediate replacement on BBC4 is Montalbano, with the first of ten episodes, The Snack Thief, beginning next Saturday. The second episode is the previously shown Montalbano's Croquettes.

According to IMDB there are 22 episodes (up to 2011).




Borrowing this convenient summary from the Radio Times, here's some of what's in store for 2012 :

Those Who Kill - ITV3, in the coming weeks

It’s set in Copenhagen, co-stars Lars Mikkelsen, who played mayoral candidate Troels Hartmann in The Killing, and features another dedicated female detective, Inspector Katrina Ries Jensen, played by Laura Bach.

But where The Killing follows a single murder investigation throughout a series, Those Who Kill (or Den som Draeber as they say in Denmark) focuses on the psychology of multiple serial killers, and has been compared to shows such as Criminal Minds and Wire in the Blood.

Based on the books by bestselling crime author Elsebeth Egholm*, the first series of Those Who Kill drew a record audience share when it aired on Danish channel TV2.

*Hopefully this will see a UK release of the original novels...

The Bridge - BBC4, spring

Danish and Swedish cops Martin Rohde (Kim Bodnia) and Saga Norén (Sofia Helin) must work together after a grizzly discovery on the Oresund Bridge, which links the two countries.

What's at first thought to be a single body turns out to consist of two different victims, one a Swedish politician, the other a Danish prostitute.

Sebastian Bergman - BBC4, 2012

Rolf Lassgård – known to many as the original, Swedish Wallander – stars as another troubled detective, Sebastian Bergman, politically incorrect, abrasive and still battling grief over the loss of both his wife and daughter in the Thailand tsunami.

Two 90 minute dramas focus on the murder of a 15-year-old boy, and a copycat serial perpetrator who appears to be basing his crimes on those of a killer Bergman himself put behind bars."

And today, it's been announced in the Guardian that the Norwegian series, Lilyhammer is on its way to BBC4.

Lilyhammer, a Norwegian comic drama starring The Sopranos' Steven Van Zandt, is the latest Scandinavian import to be bought by BBC4, currently on a high after critical acclaim and healthy audiences for a string of Danish and Swedish series.

Van Zandt, who played Silvio Dante in the US drama, stars as a New York mobster who enters the witness protection programme and starts up a new life in Lillehammer, the sleepy Norwegian town he fell in love with while watching the 1994 Olympic Games.

"Lilyhammer mixes sharp wit and American big city ways with the beauty of the Norwegian mountains and folksy nature of a small town – a perfect combination for a razor-sharp drama about cultural mores," said Richard Klein, controller of BBC4.

And hopefully The Killing 3 will be on our screens at the end of the year.

DVDs for your Wish-List

Despite being top of the charts for a while due to its success in Ireland, The Guard was only on for a week in my area and I was unable to get to a showing. However the DVD is released on 16 January 2012.

Blurb: The Guard is a critically acclaimed Irish black-comedy, where Sergeant Gerry Boyle (Brendan Gleeson, In Bruges) a small-town cop with a rather unorthodox approach to his police work must join forces with straitlaced FBI agent Wendell Everett (Don Cheadle, Ocean's Eleven trilogy) to take on an international cocaine-smuggling ring.



Fed up with watching the same two Inspector Montalbano episodes on BBC4? Then here's some good news. 5 March 2012 sees the release of the first collection (R2) containing:

"The Snack Thief, The Voice of The Violin, The Shape of Water, The Mystery of The Terracota Dog. In Italian with English Subtitles"

BBC4 does it again (Wallander & Montalbano)

One of this blog's regular readers has tipped me off about a letter in the Radio Times revealing that this Christmas will be something to look forward to at least for BBC4 viewers:

BBC4 will be showing four Wallander films starring Rolf Lassgård over the Christmas period: 'The Man Who Smiled', 'One Step Behind', 'Firewall' and 'The Pyramid'. Plus there will be an unspecified number of Montalbano episodes. The second series of Wallander with Krister Henriksson will be repeated next year

Joy, joy, joy...

My Cup Runneth Over - BBC4's showing Montalbano

We've had Maigret, the Swedish Wallander and now Montalbano, based on Andrea Camilleri's books, which is being shown on BBC4 next weekend:

On Saturday 13 Dec at 10pm, Excursion to Tindari:

(Fazio & Montalbano)
Drama based on the series of books featuring the Sicilian detective, Inspector Montalbano. A young Don Juan is found murdered in front of his apartment building and an elderly couple are reported missing after an excursion to the ancient site of Tindari.

They seem two unrelated cases for Inspector Montalbano, but when he discovers that the couple and the man lived in the same building his investigation stumbles on to Sicily's brutal 'New Mafia', which leads him down a path full of evil.

and on Monday 15 Dec at 10pm

Montalbano's Croquettes: When the chairman of a public works company and his young wife are found dead in their car in a ditch, the immediate conclusion is an accident. However, the fact that the woman's fingernails are broken leads Montalbano to suspect that things are not as they seem and that they have been murdered.