Today is a very exciting day because it’s NEW SERIES OF THE TUNNEL DAY. Hopefully your calendar reminded you and you’ve already purchased the necessary balloons and bunting. If you’d forgotten then don’t worry, just make sure you’re on the sofa for 9pm in front of Sky Atlantic. (Extra points for sticking an entire Camembert in the oven beforehand so that you have some “but it’s ok because it’s French” snacks).
Towards the end of last year I included The Tunnel as one of my five ultimate favourite female-led police dramas and so hopefully you followed my advice and watched it immediately, but if you’ve not seen the first series then you REALLY REALLY should rectify that before starting series 2. Not just because it will help you understand the characters, but because it’s one of the biggest telly treats you could ever serve yourself.
I enjoyed the first series more than I’ve enjoyed most things ever. It was really very good.
Hey Elise, once you’ve finished solving international terrorist dramaz can I borrow your amazing jacket s’il vous plaît?
One of the perks of having this here blog and tweeting endlessly about my TV habit (Masterchef USA 4 eva) is that I sometimes get invited to screenings or get early access review copies to new shows. It doesn’t happen very often (IT SHOULD HAPPEN MORE OFTEN, TELLY IS ALWAYS MORE EXCITING THAN MASCARA) but occasionally a real treat will land on the doormat and I’ll feel like the luckiest girl in the world.
Like when DCI Karl Roebuck sends you a letter…
OMG OMG OMG OMG
And with that letter and fancy French macarons (love you, Karl) came Series 2 of The Tunnel. Oh yes. Oh yes it did.
I have seen the first two episodes and I can confirm that the drama gets going immediately and you DO. NOT. WANT. TO. MISS. THIS.
Oh and the whole series is only eight episodes long, so unlike some American shows where you’re expected to care for a full 30 hours or whatever before you get to any sort of conclusion (and then don’t anyway, because then there’s a cliffhanger for a new series) The Tunnel isn’t asking too much time from you. I think that’s why I loved the first series so much – everything was concluded in the final episode. And therefore this series is a brand new story.
As you’ll know if you’ve seen the extremely exciting adverts, the storyline for this series centres around an abduction in the Channel Tunnel and a plane crashing into the English Channel. It’s all very dramatic (not to mention somewhat terrifying) but if anyone is going to figure out who’s behind it then obviously it’s the Anglo-French dream team that is Karl and Elise.
Without any spoilers (assuming you’ve seen the ads, anyway), I thought I’d share the 22 things that went through my head during the first episode…
1. I haven’t been in the Eurotunnel for ages. I should look up how expensive it is these days.
2. Oh maybe not. Instead I’ll add quietly sitting in the car in the Eurotunnel to the list of things I’m now petrified of.
3. Emilia Fox is in this series! And seemingly a heinous bitch. Fantastic.
4. As if I need any more reason to love Elise, I now really want a chip baguette smothered in Tabasco.
5. Ah, to be able to switch between French and English so smoothly. Please let me rewind 15 years and realise that free French lessons are actually really great.
6. This really is the best programme.
7. Did I fancy Karl this much in the last series? Probably.
8. Yeah those baddies are really bad.
9. I’m realising I’ve forgotten lots of tiny details from Series 1. Shall I pause this and watch Series 1 again?
10. Add re-watch Series 1 to my to-do list.
11. Karl and Laura’s house is amazing. Can I hire Laura to come and design our place? PLEASE HELP ME LAURA, I HAVE LOTS OF NATURAL LIGHT BUT I DON’T KNOW HOW TO MAKE THE BEST OF IT.
12. I’m pretty sure no child would want to cuddle one of those yappy flip-in-the-air toy dogs. Their tummies are rock hard with batteries and motors for a start.
13. Oh the suspicious sexy lady has forgotten her passport? How convenient. I’m watching you, missy.
14. Poor Karl. I want to give Karl a hug.
15. I don’t think I can watch the plane actually crash.
16. Yeah the plane is definitely crashing now.
17. Pretty sure everyone is gonna die.
18. Could this *actually* happen though?
19. Could it though?
20. COULD IT THOUGH?
21. Let’s not fly anywhere any time soon.
22. And let’s definitely watch another episode immediately.
The Tunnel: Sabotage starts tonight on Sky Atlantic at 9pm. The first series is available On Demand or you can buy the DVD is here.
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