THE main TV channels hit the ground running in the first few weeks of 2008.
There’s always a flurry of new series as the New Year begins, but this time around the schedulers have gone into overdrive.
One of the first TV treats to look out for is a new Andrew Davies’ adaptation of Sense and Sensibility.
It starts on BBC1 at 9.10pm tomorrow night – New Year’s Day – with parts two and three screened over the next two Sunday nights.
I interviewed the cast back in November and wasn’t alone in being impressed with this latest version of Jane Austen’s novel.
David Morrissey leaves the underwhelming Cape Wrath behind to play Captain Brandon.
Charity Wakefield and Hattie Morahan shine as sisters Marianne and Elinor Dashwood.

Dan Stevens and Dominic Cooper also intrigue as Edward Ferrars and Willoughby.
Bad weather during location filming in Devon created extra work for the cast.
“It was very wet and windy so we had to re-dub everything we said because you couldn’t hear it,” Hattie told me.
“I couldn’t really hear what anyone else was saying. But it all adds to the atmosphere.”
She watched Emma Thompson’s performance as Elinor in the acclaimed 1995 film.
“Obviously she was wonderful, but you try not to think about it.
“I read the book twice before filming. And it was very useful on set, referring back to it. It was very well-thumbed.”
We first see Edward Ferrars as he rides in on his horse.
“I had a really fantastic horse called Alfie, who was Colin Farrell’s horse in Alexander,” explained Dan.
“So he’s had far more film experience than I have.
“It was very funny watching us all desperately trying to look very authoritative and masculine on our respective horses.”
You can read more about Sense And Sensibility in the first MEN TV feature here.
Update: The second MEN TV feature is here.
Hattie can also be seen this Friday night in ITV1’s Bike Squad and in a forthcoming Trial and Retribution film.
Meanwhile Charity stars as a tennis champion in Fairy Tales: Rapunzel (BBC1, Thursday Jan 10, 9pm).
Happy New Year!
Sense And Sensibility TV Feature 1
Sense And Sensibility TV Feature 2