Island At War (ITV1): Where The Heart Is (ITV1); As soon as the German forces landed on the Channel Island of St Gregory, the commandant demanded to be taken to the best hotel.

I wouldn't be surprised if his first action was to put a towel on a sun-lounger to reserve his place by the swimming pool.

Perhaps I shouldn't be making light of a serious situation but any wartime series like this has to contend with the memory of 'Allo 'Allo, which did manage to make a comedy out of a tragedy.

Those of us whose memories stretch back into the black-and-white past of TV will recall Enemy At The Door about the Nazi occupation of the Channel Islands. Island At War is basically the same thing but with a bigger budget of, so the rumours go, £8m.

Judgement must be deferred on whether it's better as this first episode was merely a scene-setter. By the time the end credits rolled, the Nazis were only just performing their first Heil Hitlers from the hotel balcony.

"Hell's just across the water but life goes on," declared James Dorr, the sort of lord of the Channel Island manor, at the start. The Germans may be the villains but the British weren't being too friendly as they left the islanders to their own devices.

After reassuring them that troops were staying put, the government ordered troops to return home, leaving the fictional St Gregory undefended.

Even worse, the British forgot to tell anyone that the island had been demilitarised, leading to a German air attack as the people of St Gregory headed for the boats.

At least, the commandant, Baron Von Rheingarten, seems a civilised chap and Philip Glenister gives him an accent that sounds vaguely foreign but not funny foreign as displayed in 'Allo 'Allo.

The new villain in Where The Heart Is promises to be much nastier. He hasn't appeared yet but we've seen a picture of him and it sent a shiver down the spine.

It was Richard Hillman, Coronation Street's infamous serial killer. Actor Brian Capron may be playing a different character, Ozias Harding, but it'll be difficult to trust him again. Secretly, I rather hope he wreaks havoc in the cosy Skelthewaite where everyone is so darnn nice.

Everyone, that is, apart from the week's designated Nasty Character. That honour in the opening episode of the eighth series went to Roger Lloyd Pack as the father of university-bound Kate, who decided to give up her studies to marry stricken boyfriend Jamie, diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphona.

When told of their plans to marry, father declared: "Over my dead body".

After much argy-bargy, this Northern Romeo and Juliet wed in secret and, of course, father came round to the idea. "Welcome son, welcome to our family," he told Jamie, not five minutes after knocking the rings from his hand.

It all ended happily with a party. The celebrations won't last long as Ozias arrives in town next Sunday to sort out tr'ble at paper factory. It could be nastier than the Nazis occupying St Gregory.

Published: 12/07/2004