Coming into the final episode of Silk, to an extent I thought I knew what to expect… namely Caroline Warwick and Martha Costello locking horns at the trial of Jody Farr with the latter struggling to defend the man who orchestrated the killing of Brendan Kay back in episode one. While we of course got the Farr trial, it was actually Clive and Martha who were going head-to-head on the day, due to one of this series’ subplots involving whether Caroline is a good fit for Shoe Lance Chambers especially after a discovery Clive made about what’s really in the plastic bottles she drinks from at court.

Clive’s involvement in the trial meant that we got to see he and Martha really go at it, which saw their relationship change but it was Billy’s loyalty to both of them that was put under the microscope in this final episode.

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More football dominating the schedules this week but if you’re not bothered at all by who wins the Euros here’s five things you might want to watch on the box instead.

Primeval (ITV1, Sat, 6pm)
For fans of dinosaur drama Primeval without access to digital TV it’s been a long sixteen month wait to watch series five after its initial airing on Watch last year. Series five starts with a promise to explore new plot strands such as a revelation about Matt’s identity as well as much more about Philip Burton’s New Dawn programme. However what most of us come to see is the CGI beasties and this week’s big story revolves around giant burrowing subterranean creature which sounds like classic primeval stuff. Original cast members Hannah Spearrit and Andrew-Lee Potts are still great as lovebirds Connor and Abby while Ben Miller, as ever, steals every scene he is as the Government agent James Lester. Primeval is an example of Saturday night family entertainment done right and is a far cry for the endless run of singing competitions that populate the weekend schedules.

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As much as I love Silk, I have to admit that last week’s episode wasn’t up to the usual standard as I found the main case, involving a prison van driver charged with negligence, to be a little dull while the only new plot progression was the introduction of new legal student Daniel. Thankfully this week the standard has improved, possibly due to the fact that Peter Moffat has resumed writing duties, as several plot strands that have been building throughout the series come to a head before next week’s finale.

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Rupert Penry-Jones is a very interesting actor who is able to add personality to characters who may come off as very one-dimensional and that is more than evident in his performance as Clive Reader in Silk. Initially Clive was presented as an upper-class toff who had had everything handed to him and somebody who’d lie to his best friend if he thought he’d gain something from it, however over the course of the series we learnt of his anxieties and fears mainly thanks to the actor who played him.

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With Scott and Bailey having left us, as well as Vera coming to the end of its series, it feels time for another strong British female character to take their place, so step forward Maxine Peake’s legal eagle Martha Costello for the second series of courtroom drama Silk.

In series one we saw Martha compete with Rupert Penry-Jones’ Clive to be the first in their chambers to take silk, in other words become a QC, with only Martha achieving this in the show’s final episode. The episode seemingly picks up where last series left off with Martha smiling as she leaves for chambers and a dejected Clive looking to be going through a mid-life crisis, as he is filmed riding into work on a motorcycle…. however he is reminded of his failure when gets in to see Martha’s robe and wig waiting for her.

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After the big Britain’s Got Talent heavy week, which ends with Saturday’s final, this coming week’s TV is a mixture of new drama and documentary.

Starlings (Sky 1, Sun, 8pm)
After efforts such as The Cafe, Mount Pleasant and most notably Stella it seems that Sky One is continuing its production of home-grown comedy drama with strong female characters in Starlings which stars Leslie Sharp as the matriarch of a large Derbyshire-based brood. Sharp plays Jan Starling a mother of three who lives with her electrician husband Terry, played by Downton Abbey’s Brendan Coyle, as well as other members of their extended family. The series has been co-written by Phoenix Nights’ Steve Edge and Peep Show’s Matt ‘Super Hans’ King who both star the former as Jan’s nephew while the latter plays Terry’s long-lost brother both of them also staying with the Starling family.

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Actress Maxine Peake sat with an Old Bailey judge yesterday to hear a murder trial, by way of research for a TV role.

37 year old, who Maxine plays barrister Martha Costello in BBC legal drama, Silk, asked for special permission to sit with the judge during a hearing.

It was rather surprisingly granted, since ordinarily, only law students or legal professionals are allowed inside courtrooms during trials. Read more & comment »

Martha has been forced to defend Rachna Ali, an Asian policewoman accused of racism, as Peter Moffat’s slick, fast-paced legal drama continues. However, at the same time, Mark Draper, the vulnerable teenager that she defended in episode three, has been arrested for murder. Martha wants to take the case but Billy insists Clive does it.

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