Detectorists Special

Rating: ****

Death In Paradise Christmas Special

Rating: **

The problem with Christmas is that it all comes at once.

All those presents and food, crammed into a mammoth binge.

Long after you've had enough, when you'd far rather spread it out a bit, you're obliged to keep going. And that applies to the telly. too.

On the basis that more is better, Christmas TV specials are always too long.
On the day itself, Santa delivered an hour-and-a-half of Call The Midwife, casus böcek another 90 minutes of Doc Martin, and a full hour of EastEnders — which really does go against the natural order.

The excess continued with Detectorists (BBC2), writer and director Mackenzie Crook's hymn to the English countryside.

This charming portrait of an awkward male friendship was perfect as a series of half-hour episodes, but the main run ended five years ago.