“No redeeming purposes at all… as a four-part character assassination of its star, however, it works brilliantly.” Read on for the verdict on the weekend’s TV.

MICHAEL WINNER’S DINING STARS, ITV1

“Winner clearly likes to think of himself as a scourge of mediocrity, A fabulously tacky credit sequence – an odd hash of Bond music, cartoon animation and Apprentice-style-showing off with yachts and helicopters- emphasise the fact that’s he’s used to the best.”
Tom Sutcliffe, The Independent

“This had no redeeming purposes at all, certainly none educational. As a four-part character assassination of its star, however, it works brilliantly.”
Andrew Billen, The Times

SEVEN AGES OF BRITAIN, BBC1

“It’s a Sunday night. Ninety per cent of the population feels like it’s got to go to school the next morning (even if it hasn’t). The schoolmasterish presence of Mr Dimbleby does nothing to dispel the gloom – in fact, it adds to it.”
Matt Baylis, Daily Express

“What Dimbleby brings to this series apart from his skill as a presenter, is access: national treasure looks at national treasures.”
Tim Dowling, The Guardian

TRUE BLOOD, FX

“The best of the rampaging vampire craze … No sign of the v-juice running out.”
Andrew Billen, The Times

PINEAPPLE DANCE STUDIOS, SKY1

“Everybody pouts, mugs and poses constantly; in fact no one does anything else. This reality series is not what you call fly-on-the-wall, unless your first instinct on spotting a fly on the wall is to perform for it.”
Tim Dowling, The Guardian

WILD AT HEART, ITV1

“Starting to look like Crossroads with wildebeest.”
Matt Baylis, Daily Express

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