TWO DOORS DOWN, BBC2, 9pm
Everyone weary of Hogmanay’s forced merriment will relish this comedy.
We’re told that New Year celebrations are all about spending time with family and friends, raising a glass together and opening a shortbread tin in tipsy harmony. Rubbish! Has anyone ever actually spent a New Year like that? Mine are always soured by the memory of the year before when I made a list of saintly resolutions, long since trashed. I’m so bad at keeping them that I needn’t make new ones; I’ll just endlessly recycle last year’s list and hate myself more each time.
So those for whom Hogmanay is about guilt, despair and plain old grumpiness will find a collection of kindred spirits here.
Almost every Scottish comedy actor you can name makes an appearance: Alex Norton, Daniela Nardini, Doon Mackichan, Jonathan
Watson, Sharon Rooney, a young James Allenby-Kirk and more. The action takes place in a tidy suburban house as Eric and Beth prepare to host a Hogmanay party but things go wrong from the beginning, starting with the small matter of there being no crisps, and when the riotous family and friends descend things get worse still, ending in leaps from the bathroom window and Viking axe attacks.
AND THEN THERE WERE NONE, BBC1, 9.05pm
When we think of an Agatha Christie tale we might imagine an English country house, men in dapper suits and women dressed in tweeds or beads. All the typical whodunit images of a good old 1920s murder mystery arise, but her novel “And Then There Were None” was something entirely different.
Even its title was different. On publication in 1939 it was called “Ten Little N*ggers,” a title obviously unthinkable now, and one which the American publisher shied away from, wisely changing it to “And Then There Were None”.
Putting aside the fuss over the title, the novel is considered Christie’s best and is certainly an adventurous one, with a group of ten people lured to Soldier Island, all of whom have committed a crime but managed to evade justice but on the island they finally receive their punishment as, one by one, they are killed off.
Tonight’s is the last episode and only five people remain and they’re being driven close to madness by the knowledge they’re cut off from civilisation and slowly being stalked by an unknown murderer.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here