TV and Film | Fall in Line With This Month's Memo: September's TV has set out to scare us

September's arrived, bringing a definite chill in the air. I would be lying if I said I had not already fished my two onesies down from storage and said goodbye to my multiple pairs of denim shorts. Yes, summer seems to officially be over here in England (surprise, surprise) and TV seems to be following suit.

 

From chills in the air to chills down your spine, ITV's Chasing Shadows is the start of a four part drama that promises to start off September's schedule well. I'll be constructing an ep-by-ep review of this as it airs but with big names (many of whom are Doctor Who alumni) such as Noel Clarke and Alex Kingston, it's certainly one to watch. At first impressions, the lead role of Sean Stone (played by Reece Shearsmith) is acted brilliantly but is, as often seems to be the case, a little unconventional in his approach to life, death and multiple murderers. Circulating around runaways, missing persons, the police and a suicide website, it's clear Chasing Shadows will whet our appetite for mess and murder.

 

Which brings us onto ITV's other early offering in the return of Scott and Bailey. Featuring lead roles by Suranne Jones and Lesley Sharp, Scott and Bailey is another police drama, but without the either obtrusive or socially awkward male protagonist (see above: case in point). I've been a fan of Scott and Bailey since the first series in 2011, so I'm particularly excited about its return next Wednesday (I actually squealed upon viewing the advert). I read a great interview with Suranne Jones courtesy of What's On TV which seems to suggest that, as always, there will be an abundance of personal drama  for all the characters, as well as the police-based drama we've come to know and love.

 

Continuing through September is the third season of Scandal, which airs here in the UK on Sky Living. Last night took us to episode 6, Icarus, which is currently buffering on Sky Go. The first five episodes have been wrought with marital and political drama and debauchery, so I'm intrigued to see how the season continues through the month. I stumbled across a few differing opinions on the third season from fans in America who are gearing up for season but as our little island doggy paddles some way behind, I'm trying to avoid all spoilers and make up my own mind. So far, so good.