TV Critics: The Story of China; Date My Mum; Jericho

”Any viewers who can’t tell their Han from their Qin from their Ming, like me, were left floundering. This was one occasion when, rather than an expert, we needed a holidaying comedian to present the show. Sometimes TV has to be shallower.”
Christopher Stevens, Daily Mail

“Trouble is, when you go way back 4,000 years or so, there’s very little to actually see. And even when there is something to look at it’s just a bit of scratching on an old bone. Fantastically significant, archaeologically and historically, I can see, but from the position of the armchair in the living room, I’m finding it quite hard work.”
Sam Wollaston, The Guardian

“For beginners like me the whole programme had a beguiling appeal. Michael Wood, an Anglo-Saxonist by background, can’t possibly know everything about China, but he’s a welcome companion through the firecrackers, dragons, courtesy and bloodshed of Chinese history.”
Christopher Howse, The Telegraph

“Presenter Michael Wood was not to be fazed by a big thing like Chinese history, although as the Shangs were succeeded by the Zhous only to be followed by the Qins and the Hans I confess I was, a little. After that the film relied heavily on proofs of ancient writ dug up by a nation keener to discover its roots than a celeb on Who Do You Think You Are?.”
Andrew Billen, The Times

“It would be embarrassing if it wasn’t so dull. What is television for? Pictures, sound, stories. None here was more interesting than you’d find by sitting at a bus-stop on a rainy day. It wasn’t salacious, thank heavens, but the time would have been more enjoyably spent cleaning the oven.”
Christopher Howse, The Telegraph

“It was a would-be commercial for myLovelyParent.com, a site that encourages children to fix dates for their parents. This well-meaning documentary was a few gimmicks short of a format.”
Andrew Billen, The Times

“It’s sweet, because these kids really care for their mums, and want to see them happy. But in the end neither date works out. Maybe, when it comes to love, you’re better off choosing for yourself?”
Sam Wollaston, The Guardian

“It portrays the Yorkshire shantytown where the navvies and their womenfolk live as a Wild West outpost. Small wonder that all the cast leave their lines unfinished and stare in bewildered silence at each other throughout most scenes. If the story rattled along, we’d have less time to notice how little sense it all makes. The fact that it’s so slow makes the plot look all the more absurd.”
Christopher Stevens, Daily Mail