The Greatest Movie Stars (C4); M.I.T. (ITV1); The Peterloo Massacre (C4)

I ONCE had my picture taken with Angelina Jolie, a fact I mention not through a desire to name-drop but because this Hollywood actress was described as "clearly as mad as a snake" by a participant in The Greatest Movie Stars.

This was not my experience of her at all. She was polite, charming and readily agreed to pose for the camera at a premiere party. If she was barking, I didn't hear any signs. Her only crime was talking to a stranger smelling of alcohol. I would, however, agree with the same participant's comment that "she has the body of an inflatable toy".

Deadlines mean this is written before the list of the greatest movie stars has been revealed - the second chunk of the programme is tonight - but I bet that Angelina won't make the top ten.

Julia Roberts may well do so. That will give her something to smile about.

The programme noted that she became successful by smiling. When she adopted a sour expression in an attempt to demonstrate her versatility, the film flopped. Now she's willing to smile if the part is good enough. As the world's highest paid movie star she can smile, laugh even, all the way to the bank.

There was precious little smiling in M.I.T., which wasn't too surprising as the initials stand for Murder Investigation Team. Their idea of a joke goes something like this:

"What's that smell?," asks DI Vivien Friend as she enters a block of flats.

"Urine," replies DC Scott Granger.

"I thought it was your aftershave," she retorts.

The series comes from the makers of The Bill, although they've been at pains to point out it's not a spin-off. This was confusing as the first story investigated the death of Sun Hill cop Matthew Boyden, a regular on The Bill.

The shaky camerawork, pioneered by Hill Street Blues, makes it look like the director of photography has got the shakes. Those who suffer from seasickness should keep a bucket by their armchair, just in case.

The series is more interested in police procedure than the private lives of the detectives. The story certainly moved along at a fair old lick, but I can't say this particular story was all that gripping. Still, next week we have comedian Bradley Walsh as a suspected child abuser to look forward to.

The Peterloo Massacre made much better drama as the latest addition in the Georgian Underworld season. This recreated the inquest of a young spinner, John Lees, who died in August 1819. He was among 11 who died and hundreds who were injured when the militia on horseback charged a crowd gathered in St Peter's Field, Manchester, to hear radical orator Henry Hunt speak on parliamentary reform.

Campaigning London lawyer James Harman arrived at the inquest determined the matter wouldn't be swept under the carpet as the city's businessmen and magistrates would have liked.

The tussle to bring the truth to light made a gripping courtroom drama, although a "grubby little pub in Oldham" rather than a court was the scene. One day it was the setting for a wedding feast, the next an investigation into a death by "cutting and maiming".

Harman, hampered by witnesses giving false evidence or scared of losing their homes and living, really had his work cut out. No doubt, the officers of M.I.T. would have got to the bottom of the matter - if only they'd been around in those days

Published: 05/05/2003