BBC2 every Friday evening

Newsnight Review on BBC2 every Friday evening. The presenter Mark Lawson (continuously blinking, rapid eye movement being the sign of a dreamer) has a knack of fusing the guest commentators into a symposium where the conversation becomes more important and interesting than the subjects being discussed. Popular American television dramas, hack novels by deceased actors, political satires performed in obscure venues - all the art is new.

Tony Parsons, in striped black and white socks, was deferred to by the other two critics and so felt less need to interrupt (interruption being an intrinsic part of his previous style). Perhaps the huge number of his book sales has elevated him from the category of journalist to a more elevated state of author. His slower speech made the things he said seem more interesting.

Newsnight Review is at its best when Tony Parsons, Germaine Greer and Tom Paulin appear together, chaired by Mark Lawson (or perhaps they have never appeared together and this ideal programme only exists in my imagination?).