Downton has nothing to fear from new crime drama By Any Means

“Oooh goody – another crime drama on the telly. We haven’t had many of those in a while, have we? Pffft.” These, among others, were my thoughts as I settled down to watch the BBC’s latest addition to its schedules, By Any Means. Regular readers of this blog will know that I’m no fan of the genre (seen one, seen ‘em all is my philosophy), but I’m always willing to give even the dullest-looking show a whirl.

It opens smartly enough, with a smug-looking shady ‘businessman’ Nicholas Mason (played by the excellent Keith Allen) wriggling out of a prison sentence. While he puffs on a big cigar, the officers of the law are left to look like eejits – and not for the first time. No wonder Gina McKee, in full enigmatic I-could-play-M-in-James-Bond-I-could mode, calls on Jack Quinn (Warren Brown) to bring Mason to book “by any means”. Ahhh, so that’s what the title means.

Off Quinn pops to some random warehouse where his team – a smart young woman who is, apparently, a ‘lock expert’ and the baby-faced computer geek from Primeval, who is here playing a kind of baby-faced tech-head (not straying too far then) – are tasked with monitoring Mason 24/7, gathering every scrap of information on him that has ever existed (it would appear the police and DPP did bugger all while getting him to trial), and finding a way to make a conviction stick.

By Any Means is, from what I can see, going to be Marmite telly. Some will love the wit and banter between Quinn and his crew, while some might like the flashback-style denouement at the end of the episode – which we’re not allowed to talk about here. Personally, I’ll watch anything with Gina McKee in it, while Keith Allen does a decent job of chewing scenery when his big moment comes. I like Warren Brown, too, but I’m always faintly disappointed that he seems to play the same character in everything, and I’m not entirely sure he’s true leading man material.

I’m of the opinion that writer Tony Holland has been watching a few too many US procedurals and come to the conclusion that he can do better. Sure, there are some nice touches, but we’re expected to swallow an awful lot of silliness (not to mention the odd gaping plot hole) in between the high points…

By Any Means is flawed stuff, then, but it’s not awful. Is it, however, strong enough to give the new run of Downton Abbey (airing at the same time on ITV) a run for its money? Now THAT I doubt very much…

THE WHO, WHAT, WHEN OF IT

WHAT IS IT CALLED?

By Any Means

WHEN IS IT ON?

9pm, Sunday, September 22

WHAT CHANNEL?

BBC1

WHO’S IN IT?

Gina McKee, Warren Brown, Keith Allen

WHO SHOULD WATCH IT?

Anyone not tuning in to Downton Abbey.

WHO SHOULD AVOID IT?

Fans of edgier, grittier and more cleverly worked-out shows than this is trying to be.