Touching Evil (1997–1999)

I watched this series when it was first out in 1997 (god that long ago, I just realised I was quite young when I got hooked on Touching Evil no wonder my mum didn't really approve!) and I still think it's a bloody good series.

Personally, I was disappointed by Series 3, which they probably shouldn't have made but the first two series are so good, I just try to forget they sunk a little with the last series! What Touching Evil has, is a great mixture of entertaining and surprising story lines, humour and broken, life like characters (anti-heroes are always more interesting to watch). It revels in the darkness of human nature, without sensualising it, though it deals with all sorts of hard issues they never depress enough to make you stop watching, in fact this thriller had me on the edge of my seat for two seasons.

Robson Green has a nice mix of Lethal Weapon madness and pure genius with Creegan and humour (which I think is what he does best) doesn't ever make his character less believable if fact the opposite. He's an odd ball. But Creegan's been through a lot (being brought back from death after a gun shot to the head) and he doesn't do anything he's told by his superiors…Oh and he's always right! Green is backed up nicely by Nicola Walker and Shaun Dingwall, both of which work very well with Creegan's humour and darkness, from the beginning they are a very interesting and likable team and easy to watch. Green's Creegan does dominate the first series (nothing wrong with that) but I must admit I did prefer it when by the second series Walker and Dingwall also got some meatier bits too! I'm not saying this is an easy watch, because it's not Harry Potter. But Touching Evil still remains a clever, energetic and fast paced drama, with rounded, emotionally loaded characters.

Just make sure you have a cushion to hide behind, 'cos sometimes it's a little gory!

Recommended! But I've deducted a point for Season 3... Really you can do without it!