The best of the rest: Murder, Millionaire, & Mary Berry

When the listings first said that The Bridge was starting on BBC2 this Friday, it was a fair assumption to think it was simply time for a repeat of the epic Scandinavian crime drama. It is, after all, ridiculously good. Compounding the idea that it was a repeat was the brief description of the episode: a body is found on the bridge between Denmark and Sweden. How could a fourth series be made, after all – Saga’s in prison… It’s a brand new fourth series and Saga is in prison!
One of the earliest trailblazers of the Scandinavian crime drama craze, The Bridge has previously balanced the dynamics between detective Saga Norén and her partners with the brutal and political intrigue of serial killers. She was awesome in an unspoken-on-the-spectrum kind of a way, finding that navigating through psychopaths’ minds difficult in the same way that she found navigating through pedestrian life. The end of series three crescendoed with Saga doing the unspeakable, and ending up in clink – putting her out of the investigative loop you’d think. No!

New crime and Swedish Henrik Sabroe starts to investigate the macabre murder with his Danish colleague, Jonas Mandrup. But Henrik misses his colleague Saga Norén… Set your digibox to series link this gem now.

National Treasure and owner of the best immovable bouffant on the small screen: Mary Berry

A soon to be favourite starting this week is Britain’s Best Home Cook, cashing in on the trend of telly shows that make your mouth water for food that’s not on your plate at tea time. It’s a brand new cookery competition and the new home of National Treasure and owner of the best immovable bouffant on the small screen: Mary Berry. She heads up the judges, joined by produce expert Chris Bavin, top chef Dan Doherty, with ‘quirky host’ duties taken on by Claudia Winkleman. Ten passionate home cooks battle it out over eight episodes, with themes getting increasingly difficult in a not unfamiliar format of two rounds per show. Wonder if the Beeb are regretting losing Bake Off?

Talking of old favourites with a new facelift, this week is the 20th anniversary of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?’s first broadcast. Having since become known as something of an international phenomenon, as well as spawning programmes about the show itself, its scandals and triumphs, Millionaire’s birthday-time is being marked with a week of brand new episodes hosted by controversial motorhead Jeremy Clarkson. The BBC’s outcast is ITV’s last gameshow host.

The Bridge, Friday, BBC2, 9pm
Britain’s Best Home Cook, Thursday, BBC1, 8pm
Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?, every week night, ITV1, 9pm