Peter Rhodes on great drama, a Russian slogan and forgotten motorists
Boiling Point (BBC1) started life as a great little film in 2021. Set in a frantic restaurant, it was hot, spicy and the action came in bite-size pieces (see what I'm doing here?). The film ended perfectly satisfactorily with the stressed-out chef Andy (Stephen Graham) overdosing on drugs and booze, and dying in squalor.
Then, having killed off the star, it was decided to reheat Boiling Point and bring Andy back to life in a TV drama series of the same name. Nothing wrong with that; being undeaded is a fine gambit and worked perfectly well for Gandalf, Harry Potter, Sherlock Holmes and Bobby Ewing. Resurrection might also come in handy for the restaurant customer who in this four-part drama, live dangerously. You never know whether the “nut-free” course is cooked in walnut oil (cue the ambulance) or if that white powder on your plate is a pinch of salt or Chef's nose candy.
One thing is certain. If you're a restaurateur desperate to recruit kitchen staff this month, Boiling Point is about as helpful as a chocolate frying pan. Would anyone want to work there?
