TV review - Year of the Rabbit

Starring Matt Berry, Freddie Fox and Alun Armstrong

10PM Channel 4 Monday

Matt Berry has his first starring role since his award winning turn in Toast of London in this spoof of Victorian Crime drama Ripper Street. Matt plays Rabbit a tough as nails (his dog chew off an eyebrow) cop bringing the law in his own way. From the start Year of the Rabbit gives you belly laughs as we see Rabbit demonstrate to School kid how to get confessions by beating up their teacher in front of them! Paul Kaye is a highlight as a rival of Rabbit while Armstrong as Rabbit's superior is a fine example of comic exasperation. The only weak point being the case of the week element of the show though we get a running plot of a conspiracy with a cameo appearance by Keeley Hawes whose husband Matthew MacFadyen was the star of Ripper Street. Year of the Rabbit with it's first episode has set a comic standard.

If feel inclined you can watch all episodes on All 4