This Lost World is a splendid BBC TV dramatisation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's famous adventure story. Bob Hoskins makes an unusually genial Professor Challenger, far less of a bully than Doyle's character, but his slightly stereotyped companions are nicely filled out by a solid cast. James Fox is Challenger's more timid but still covertly adventurous rival, Tom Ward is the moustachioed big game hunter who faces an Allosaurus with an elephant gun, and Matthew Rhys plays the tagalong reporter hoping to impress his faithless fiancée.
It's Christmas 2006. Wolf's in prison to stay, Judd's in prison and trying to get out. The family is going to Tutaekuri Bay, where they go to every year — only some things have changed. Who is that in "their" spot? Who put a gate up stopping access to "their" beach? Who will win the bet on when Pascalle will give it up? And why do they always come here in the first place?
Professor Challenger, on an expedition to South America, shoots an animal that he claims is a pre-historic pterosaur. On his return to England, his fellow Professor, Summerlee, and most of the scientific establishment dismiss it as a hoax. However, an ambitious hunter and womaniser John Roxton and journalist Edward Malone are prepared to undertake the mission to find the truth.
The show centres around four main characters who are members of an elite New Zealand taskforce based in Auckland NZ, intended to be a combination of police and customs officers. Despite being an elite force, they are, as their commander Ron Maddock reminds them, under-funded, under-resourced and under the hammer. Because of this, the Roughies (as they are called) have to make sure that they perform exceptionally well to avoid being canned, as they are, after all, an experiment. Their members are: Detective Sergeant Danny Wilder, Senior Customs Officer Jane Durant, Detective Constable Zach Wiki and Noel Bullerton.
The story of legendary safe cracker and career criminal Ted West and his firecracker of a wife, Rita. Combining real events and the rich folklore of the West family and associates, this is rollicking history, and a tempestuous romance, set at a time of great social upheaval.
Nothing Trivial is funny, warm and romantic and about people at a crossroads in their lives, particularly when it comes to finding that significant other to love and grow old with. It’s about people trying to find the answers to life’s big questions, while answering a whole lot of small and trivial ones… and winning the bar tab while they’re at it!