'Doesn't lose sight of such old-fashioned virtues as pace, narrative and, above all, characterisation.' Read on for the critics' full verdict on last night's TV.

Skins, E4
“There were some sparks [... ] Elsewhere the plotting was humdrum.”
Andrew Billen, The Times

Skins, E4
“[The emotive threads] make Skins more accessible than the supercool drama it could have become.”
Anna Pickard, The Guardian

Skins, E4
“... doesn't lose sight of such old-fashioned virtues as pace, narrative and, above all, characterisation - which is handled with far more subtlety than in many supposedly adult TV dramas.”
James Walton, Daily Telegraph

Paradise or Bust, BBC2
“Worthy but slightly unexciting reality show.”
Matt Baylis, Daily Express

The Palace, ITV1
“It was fabulous - like PG Wodehouse crossed with Dynasty [... ] There's a simple trick to enjoying this show. It's like meeting a member of the royal family. Don't expect too much. Just smile, relax and let the charm wash over you.”
Matt Baylis, Daily Express

Ross Kemp in Afghanistan, Sky One
“Ross Kemp is proving the ultimate embedded correspondent.”
Andrew Billen, The Times

Pulling, C4
“... deeply bleak - but still somehow funny - comedy about the onset of middle age.”
James Walton, Daily Telegraph

Savile Row, BBC4
“The real pleasure of BBC4's documentary Savile Row was in seeing a great number of impeccably mannered, perfectly dressed gentleman tailors.”
James Walton, Daily Telegraph

City of Vice, C4
“City of Vice was as engaging as a history lesson as it was insipid as a crime drama.”
Brian Viner, The Independent

Life in Cold Blood, BBC1
“... if ever there were justification for a TV crew having a tyrannosaurus rex-sized carbon footprint, this series is it.”
Brian Viner, The Independent

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